Ed Meer
No Party Preference | Washington
Candidate Profile
Leans Liberal
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Ed Meer
Party
No Party Preference
Election Year
2022
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 2 - Pos. 2
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Cincinnati State, Cincinnati, Ohio, Associate, 2018
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
WORK & MILITARY
US Navy, Parachute Rigger, 6
AFFILIATIONS
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
OTHER INFORMATION
The candidate answered Freedom Voter Guide's questionnaire.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Rape or if the mother's life is in danger,
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Disagree
Sometimes an abortion is needed to protect the mother's life. the funding for Planned Parenthood is for the healthcare of women and in these situations thats what the money is being used for.
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Neutral
if I start losing my mind I don't think I'll want to keep going. I can't imagine anyone would want to be a burden to their families.
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
I'm not a fan of Washington's state taxes. all the rich have to do is buy stuff out of state and they don't pay any taxes. I know most people I talk to like the way the state taxes are right now.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
there are many much more fun things to cut on the federal level like the pay of congress, or the money we give to oil companies. But on the state level it's more about the wasteful spending on things we need.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Agree
I think it could be done with funding for a 2 year degree as long as the grades stay above a point level. we are already sending kids in college prep to college and the tax payer is paying for it. I don't see why we can't train people to be the blue collar workers we need. this can help people move up in life.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Agree
I tend to find that people who get all bent out of shape about serving people who offend their religion, tend to not understand the teachings of Jesus.
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
a pandemic, if the church is being used as a front for child trafficking, when it becomes a cult and it's the day before the cool-aid is handed out?
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'm not sure I like this question. even if there was a universal healthcare you would have to have different plans and suppliers. would it be a 100% covered by the government? would you have to pay something to be on it? what's the deductible? on the simple side I do support Medicaid and Medicare, and I don't like what has been happening to it in the last few decades. it should be funded and have people making sure we don't overspend for things.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
military and government workers will have to take a vaccine if told too. but as for the rest, I can't say that there is a way for the government to force you to get vaccinated. in the old days people would get vaccinated on their own because it's the right thing to do. that said a company or school can tell you to that you need any vaccine if they require it. Some of the places I know of would bring the vaccines to the employees or students. if you want to keep working there this is what you have to do. I also know that because of the religious liberty people if I have a business I can require my employees or customers to wear a mask or get a shot.
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
I'm more worried about the domestic terrorist right now. But let me say this, We've been doing the wrong thing to look big and tough has cost us. the Islamic extremist are using recordings of things we've done to recruit and make themselves stronger. on top of that we literarily made some of these groups the powerhouses that they are. Afghanistan wasn't a muslim nation till we gave the muslims living and going there the fire power to beat the Russians. then they promptly turned those weapons onto the local public and took over. forcing everyone to change their religion or die. kind of reminds me of what the right wing extremist want to do here.
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.
Neutral
I think we need to pressure them to do something but I'm not sure this is the right thing to do. we will need decades of working with the Palestinian people and aiding them with the things they need and make sure that the Israel people stop trying to push them out.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Neutral
Well I'm only running for a state office, so this is a pay grade above me. but the wall is a failure. there are better ways to secure that boarder and its not even the worst part of our boarders.
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
there are things like we don't want criminals or people are sick with deadly diseases, but ignoring those things I don't see why anyone shouldn't be let in here. this is the place where we take all and accept them as one of us.
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Strongly Disagree
If you want to send your kid to a private school then you can find a way to pay for it. taking money from public school to give to an unregulated charter is not going to help anyone.
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Strongly Disagree
the founding documents were all copied from Native American group's documents. And if we were to follow the Bible and what Jesus said this should be a much more socialist country.
I support adding gender identity as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
Agree
I really don't care what you're drawn to or who you love or what you want to do to your body. thats doesn't matter to me. what does matter is if you're a good person and do what's right. But I know there are lots of people who can't handle that kind of thing. I remember being told about the looks my aunt got when she tried to get a credit card, or the time one of the women in my family drove a car. over mind the motorcycle she loved.
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 Disagree
there is marriage as the church see it, and there is marriage as the state sees it. the states must respect what every church said to a point. Shall I bring up the Mormons and their many wives? Or even the child brides in some religions? Heck, in the Bible it said you can have sex with your wife's servant because she's part of your wife.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Choose not to answer
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I'm Roman Catholic. beyond that I tend to keep things to myself. the short is that I just do what I think Jesus would want me to do.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Disagree
you should have an ID. even if the state has to give you a free ID. this is the law that the Democrats passed in Ohio in the 1990's.
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
I just want to make sure everyone who can vote will be able to.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
yes. when the klan is trying to scare a black woman into dropping out of a race then its a big deal.
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Neutral
we have to ask what is the right thing to do. just giving money to someone isn't the right thing. if reparations can be a free education or something of those lines then I'm fine with it. but there is a point where we have to draw a line.
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 support stricter environmental laws. I'm from Ohio where a near by river caught fire leading to the clean air and water act being passed by Nixon. lots of the water we drink are already pretty contaminated. If nothing changes these toxins will poison people and they will need to be treated. if we can clean the water we might be able to save thousands of lives.
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Disagree
Fracking is the most expensive way to extract oil. it's only profitable if oil is at 250 dollars or higher for a barrel.
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
to serve the people.
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?
Lean Conservative
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
Did not answer
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 live on an evacuation route that has traffic jams 3 times a day. it can't handle normal traffic, it will fail when its needed. the roads have been ignored for over 10 years even with the build up in our community. this is just unacceptable. I want to promote Washington made products and manufacturing in the state. I also want to reduce the pressure on the lumber industry. to do this I want to push for Hemp made paper products like the brown bags, TP, paper towels, and so on. it will also be a new cash crop for farmers. the last thing I want to push for is better management of renewable energy or green energy in the state. we don't need a 200 acer solar farm. they should be putting the panels in parking lots and on big box store's roofs, and then we can use that land to plant trees that we can use for a profit. Some rubber trees and Ohio white oaks that are used for barrels. we can also use better vertical wind turbines and hydro generators instead of the less effective solar.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Strongly Disagree
cops are not above the law. I come from a family of law enforcement officers. No one should be above the law.
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Neutral
I do believe the police are over taxed with too much. we have a shortage of police officers in Washington state right now. So we can probably move that money without causing major issues.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
The FBI background check system is outdated and needs to be brought up to the modern times. right now if you are flagged as a person who can't buy a gun, the system can take as long as 3 months to update. this is what happened to my friend. her stalker walked out of the sheriff's department and right across the street to a gun shop where he got the gun that he used to kill my friend and co-worker. she hadn't even been told yet that her stalker was out of jail.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Disagree
this would be like letting me sue Ford because thats what the drunk driver was driving.
