Brian Sweeney
Republican | South Carolina
Candidate Profile
Conservative (Conditional)
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Brian Sweeney
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
Republican Primary Runoff
Race
State Rep., Dist. 106
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
SUNY at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, BS/BA, 1973
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
SC Republican Party, Member, Horry County Republican Party
Precinct President, Concerned Citizens of the Grand Strand, Member
Palmetto Performers, Volunteer/Performer, Help4Kids/Backpack Buddies
Contributor, Belin Methodist Church, Contributor
Greater Burgess Community Association, Member, USA Dance
Member, Ballroom Dance Preservation Society, Member
Surfside Moose Lodge, Member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
Previous Races
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
All abortions should be banned unless necessary to preserve the life of the mother.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Agree
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Strongly Disagree
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
Which tax code? If the question refers to the Federal tax code, that would not be in my bailiwick as a SC State Rep. If the question refers to the SC tax code, my first order of business if elected to the SC State House, would be to either repeal the City of Myrtle Beach Tourism Development Fee (TDF) or modify it so that no portion of it goes to the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce (MBACC) or its PACs. I would also require that Horry County, the Town of Surfside Beach, and the City of North Myrtle Beach modify their hospitality tax codes so that no portion of those funds would be remitted to the MBACC. The second priority would be to specifically require that a fixed percentage of state revenue be used to offset the the current $30 billion state pension fund underfunding.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
Which budget Federal, State or local. Federal budget questions would not be in my purview. Theoretically, the State budget is already balanced although I personally would debate that as I do not subscribe to using one time Fed windfalls to permanently cut SC taxes. I also do not accept that the budget is balanced as long as there is a $30 billion pension underfunding.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly Disagree
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
First, you have to define churches.
HEALTHCARE
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.
I do not agree with the way the question is worded. Universal healthcare or Medicare for all is often interpreted as including coverage for illegal aliens. Does the question assume that interpretation or not? There is no mention in the question of coverage for Veterans via the VA. The use of the word de-funded is also suspect in my mind. Both Medicare and Medicaid are not presently "funded". They are bankrupt. In theory, Medicare is at least partially funded by money withheld from paychecks. Does the question suppose that de-funding would be immediate or phased in over some period of time? Does the question suppose that all Medicare monies withheld from paychecks would be refunded to the persons whose paychecks were docked thereby allowing them to purchase their own coverage?
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Under no circumstances. There is no mention of such in The Constitution.
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
What the Federal government does in this regard would not be in the purview of the SC State House unless such Federal action extends beyond the powers granted to it by The Constitution or it infringes on the rights of the State of South Carolina.
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.
Choose not to answer
This question does not apply to the position for which I hope to be elected.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
Again, this is a Federal government related question but the Federal government's embarrassingly bad management of the situation already has had a direct negative impact on South Carolina.
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
The answer to this question is already codified in Federal law. Granted, the law is not being enforced as it should be.
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Strongly Agree
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Choose not to answer
I cannot properly answer the question as asked. There is no doubt that Judeo-Christian values were an integral part of who the founding fathers were. Many would argue that the values were not strong enough when it came to the issue of slavery. Many would also argue that, despite the best intentions of the founding fathers, we do not have a system of limited government. We have a government(s) at all levels that is overly intrusive in too many aspects of our lives.
I support adding gender identity as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
Strongly Disagree
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition
Strongly Agree
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried;* the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic** church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
Convert the entire system back to paper ballots.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
True racism is a threat to domestic security and domestic tranquility. Of late, racism has been redefined to include disagreeing with any number of social constructs which propose that there are certain kinds of facts which, rather than depending on reality itself, instead depend on the shared ways of thinking about and representing the world that groups of people develop collaboratively. Fighting true racism is one thing. Including in the term racism the demands of any number of fringe groups with beliefs that run counter to our Judeo-Christian values as well as the real world must also be resisted.
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
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.
I think there needs to be a balance that has clearly not been achieved.
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Choose not to answer
I do not know enough about the long term effects of fracking to offer an opinion.
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
To establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,
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?
Very Conservative
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
You can search my FaceBook posts any time you like.
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?
I am running for office in order to take back control of District 106 from the RINO establishment, many of whom are trans Democrats, and return it to the people in the district.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Agree
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Strongly Disagree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Convicted felons should not be allowed to own firearms nor should people with documented violent mental disorders. Identifying convicted felons is easy enough. Identifying people with violent mental disorders, documented or otherwise, is very difficult which is why constitutional carry is so important.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Strongly Disagree
