Gregory Jonathan Thorne
Republican | Texas
Candidate Profile
Leans Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Gregory Jonathan Thorne
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
Primary
Race
U.S. Rep., Dist.22
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Masters & Bachelors - Tax Accounting, 2014
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Agree
I believe this is a moral issue and I will not support abortion providers
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Neutral
Consenting adults have rights, but we should advocate for policies that increase quality of life for all so these aren't considered; I don't believe doctors or healthcare providers should be providing this service, but that is for the states to fight over
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
I believe the only time it should be considered is when there is life of the mother on the line; everything should be done to protect both lives
ECONOMY
Redistribution of income is needed to lessen the gap between the wealthy and working classes.
Disagree
Redistributing income isn't the government's job; they should be advocating for policies that put American workers first, specifically wages and quality of life policies over globalist most efficient economics policies; improving climate for workers and wages includes improving business climate overall - and that requires an American First foreign policy and re-examining trade deals that have sacrificed our workers and quality of life for other nations, specifically China
The government should cut spending in order to reduce the national debt.
Strongly Agree
Balancing the budget is of utmost importance
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
A balanced budget is the most important part of our fiscal and monetary policy; ideally taxes are as low as possible for everyone, and I would advocate for a 0% corporate rate on distributed earning and profits as a specific change to increase our business environment and competitiveness.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States and deserves the highest level of protection in the law.
Strongly Agree
We have seen attacks on religious liberty during the COVID-19 response, and it seems like government is pushing more towards authoritarianism each day
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Disagree
There have to be protections for religious belief's, and they should be highly respected, but they are not absolute
What should be the relationship between the church and the state?
It should be unofficial - everyone has a set of values and a religion that they take with them into society; we should not enforce a religion as a requirement or force people to go against their religious beliefs. We have become too hostile to religion in my opinion.
HEALTHCARE
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Good, bad, or otherwise the Supreme Court has ruled state legislatures can pass a vaccine requirement - mandates should always be a last result however
What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D)Tax-payer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be de-funded.
B or C are acceptable to me; more importantly there needs to be a balanced budget to put effective constraints on the government, otherwise we risk financial disaster and economic collapse
NATIONAL SECURITY
With regard to America's foreign policy, which view most closely resembles yours: A) The United States should intervene whenever freedom is threatened. B) The United States should selectively help countries trying to grow democracy and fight tyranny. C) The United States has become too involved in others' policies and should remain focused on issues regarding our own sovereignty unless in imminent danger. D) The United States should stay out of foreign conflicts completely.
C - there are too many issues domestically to worry about the rest of the world; we should always be watchful of the rest of the world and act in our best interest, but there have been no proven benefits to our current interventionist foreign policy
I support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement to pressure Israel to withdraw from occupied territories, remove the separation barrier in the West Bank, allow full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees.
Disagree
While there are legitimate criticisms and reform proposals to be had in Israel, the BDS movement has too many issues to support
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
We need to sever ties with China - they are abusing human rights and destroying the environment in addition to their supply chain and national security threats. It is unacceptable that our citizens suffer direct harm from hollowed out communities, opioid epidemics, and rising suicides while we subsidize our largest geo-political rival.
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
This threat is a situation by situation basis - in general, supporting domestic protection is a high priority, but foreign intervention should be eliminated
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
We can argue the correct amount of immigration and the goals for our immigration policy, but we need a strong border that provides physical protection, we cannot allow for our laws to be flagrantly violated, especially when we know that are numerous dangerous with our open borders - sexual abuse and drug trafficking are widespread in addition to the human trafficking.
State and federal funds shall be denied to any public or private entity, such as a sanctuary city, that is not in compliance with immigration laws.
Agree
There need to be repercussions for Sanctuary Cities disregarding the federal law - whether that is best accomplished by denying funds, or some other mechanism (expulsion from office for example) is up for debate
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Our immigration system should prioritize the current needs of the country - our needs change constantly so our immigration system needs to be flexible as well. The standard of living for our citizens and overall health of the nation should be the highest priority - that may mean more, or less immigrants over time, and targeting specific skill sets. Some preference should be given for family, but within the confines of what's overall best for our nation. We should have a firm financial foundation, improving standards of living, and solvent social programs at the minimum before we prioritize further immigration
VALUES
Sexual orientation and gender identity should be protected classes in non-discrimination laws.
Disagree
Current discrimination laws are sufficient in this area
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
America is not fundamentally racist
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
Christian; active in church and pursuing Jesus
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
This is a reasonable criteria to vote
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
I believe in universal photo ID; if there are reasonable protections in place like ID checks and registrations, we can expand drive-in voting, voting hours, mail in ballots, etc.
EQUALITY
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
This is a massively dangerous precedent, that would be expanded to all historical inequities like Native Americans, Japanese internment, and many more; we are not responsible for the sins of our fathers, and we have other mechanisms for increasing equity in today's society that are more equitable to all citizens - like affirmative action and economic incentives for low income areas
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
As a diverse society if we cannot see past race we will eventually be thrown into conflict. If racism is left unchecked and if it is growing then yes it can be a security threat, but I do not believe there is much current threat.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Agree
Fracking has proven effective, cheap and has minimal environmental consequences. We should still be advocating for Nuclear and other sources that are even better long term, but we should recognize this has been a good step in reducing emissions and cost.
Which comes closest to your view? A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost.
A - Especially since we are pursuing globalism over America first policies. Our over-regulation directly hurts us economically when firms go overseas and that hurts the environment in the long run since our current protections are significantly more than those overseas and in China for example.
ABOUT YOU
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Conservative
No one ideology is perfect but the principles of limited government, individual liberty, state's rights, and economic freedom are the goals to be pursuing; sometimes we don't properly balance these goals, which has led us to our current situation of ballooning debt and subsidizing human rights' abuses in China for cheap materials, while watching our communities be hollowed out.
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
www.gjt2022.com
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No
What else would you like voters to know about you, including your legislative priorities?
A balanced budget, ensuring the solvency of our social programs, and putting China on the embargo list are my top priorities. I believe we need to refocus on the American citizen and be unapologetically nationalistic.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Agree
There are some potential abuses and issues to address with qualified immunity, but in general it is the correct approach to ensure cops are best able to perform their duties and protect the community
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Neutral
We have seen the dire consequences of the Defund the Police movement, but we need a balanced budget. Mental health and community programs are also of importance, and need to be funded to increase our standards of living in society
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
We have more than sufficient restrictions at this time
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Disagree
This is a terrible precedent, that opens up liability to those that didn't cause the injury. There are cases where suing may be appropriate - knowingly selling to a felon who isn't legally allowed to buy a gun for example, those cases are the exception and not the rule
