Brandon Bentrim

Abortion is a sad and challenging topic for anyone to discuss, and approaching this issue with a nuanced and compassionate approach should be the primary goal. Once a woman is at the point she is considering an abortion there have been multiple failure points in our society leading up to that decision already which should be addressed. While Brandon is personally against abortion he recognizes that government intervention is often the least effective way to address problems. Prohibition of alcohol created so many more issues than it solved, and any legislative proposals related to abortions should be approached with equal caution and consideration. Eliminating barriers to birth control and family planning options will be a top priority for Brandon. Women should, if they so choose, be able to purchase birth control over-the-counter. For those who wish to have it covered by insurance they should be able to get a prescription directly from a pharmacist after a brief consultation. Brandon believes that other conception-related options, like adoption and surrogacy, should be more accessible and affordable for the women and families who wish to utilize them. Brandon’s plan will be aimed to severely reduce the number of abortions preformed in Pennsylvania, while limiting the involvement of the government in the decision.

Strongly Agree

Taxpayer money should never directly fund organizations involved in providing abortions. Many people hold good faith objections to abortion on religious and moral grounds. Brandon believes that no American should be forced to pay for a practice that goes against their own religious views. Religious freedom is a cornerstone of America. Forcing people to fund, or perform, abortions goes against religious freedom.

Disagree

While an individual determined to end their own life often cannot be stopped, again efforts in our society should be made to help with greater access to mental health resources and basic human compassion. Euthanasia is a dangerous path which is fraught with opportunities for abuse.

The tax code should be eliminated and redone in its entirety. The convoluted system in which Pennsylvanian's are robbed on a daily basis is confusing, and immoral. Brandon's eventual goal is a complete refresh of how taxes work in Pennsylvania, a good first step would be an extreme simplification and reduction of the tax code. In particular property taxes are a moral affront to free society - one cannot truly own a private property that is taxed in perpetuity. Property taxes, disproportionately harm Senior Citizens and those who are on fixed incomes. The existing system in which virtually all revenue in Pennsylvania is directed into the general fund and then robbed for pork barrel projects is pathetic. Pennsylvanian's pay some of the highest gas taxes in the nation and suffer some of the worst roads and infrastructure - this is a direct result of funds being robbed from one tax to pay for another entitlement. This practice needs to end.

The simplest answer, is 'all'. Starting with legislators salaries, all spending in Pennsylvania should be cut immediately by 10% or more. The Pennsylvania Constitution should be the roadmap for determining what is constitutionally necessary and moral to fund, everything outside of that should be looked with extreme skepticism and we need legislators willing to make the hard decisions about reducing, and eliminating bloat. Private and civic organizations are more efficient and better suited to step into these areas.

Strongly Disagree

Since the creation of the Department of Education, every cent of taxpayer money spent on education has seen the scores, metrics, and success of the education system decline rapidly. Spending more taxpayer money - especially on higher education - will do nothing to increase the quality, affordability, or access to higher education.

Strongly Disagree

Every individual should have the freedom to make their own choices and free associations. A religious woman should not be forced to provide flowers to a pagan wedding. Likewise, a minority caterer should not be forced to provide food to a KKK rally. Free association is important in a free society and any government compulsion that people provide services against their moral, ethical, or religious beliefs is de facto slavery.

Never should the government be able to close churches, full stop. Freedom to worship is a fundamental constitutional right.

Tax-payer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, access to healthcare was better and more affordable in the past when assistance to healthcare was the purview of churches, private charities, and civic organizations.

Any organization accepting tax money in any form should not be able to discriminate against individuals who have chosen - or not chosen- any particular medical treatment, including vaccinations. Private companies, employers, and organizations that are fully privately funded and accept no special tax treatment or funding should be free to prohibit whomever they see fit.

While foreign policy is not the focus of the Pennsylvania State Senate Brandon points to the words of George Washington, "The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop."

Choose not to answer

This question is beyond the scope of the Pennsylvania State Senate.

Neutral

Securing the border has no perfect solution. Brandon supports streamlining legal and safe immigration using a sponsorship style program in which immigrants must find private citizens or organizations willing to sponsor them to come here so that taxpayers are not on the hook for any financial costs associated with immigrants - that should be the risk borne by sponsors.

Those who desire freedom, liberty, and opportunity should be welcome here under a program where they are not burdensome to American taxpayers who foot the bill for so many entitlement programs. Brandon supports a private sponsorship program where individuals or organizations screen and vouch for immigrants and are liable for any costs associated with them once they come here. This program promotes financial incentives for thorough screening and careful selection of high quality individuals to join our fine country and enhance it - instead of becoming a burden on it.

Strongly Agree

The best people to make education decisions for children are their parents. Opening up education to free market choice will incentivize schools to compete for students and dollars. A one-size-fit's-all approach does not work well for every child and education should be tailored to their special needs, abilities, and educational aspirations. Children and students should be in the drivers seat, and the priority.

Strongly Agree

Brandon is a man of faith and has friends in many other churches and denominations. Brandon believes that while government should have no place forcing a particular religion - or lack thereof - that a moral and robust society is more likely to thrive when a greater number of the citizens maintain such beliefs.

Disagree

Disagree

I disagree that government should be involved in marriage at all - marriage should strictly be administered and provided by churches with no government involvement. Any government involvement in free associations of any consenting adults should be limited to record keeping, not gate keeping.

Strongly Disagree

Brandon is a man of faith and an active faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Brandon believes in God, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. Brandon is also very comfortable maintaining friendships with individuals of radically different beliefs including many different dominations - Christian, Jewish, Islamic, non Judeo-Christian believers, and atheists. Every individual has value and we should strive to build those precious relationships and friendships in our lives.

Strongly Disagree

Aside from rare, fringe cases in which accommodation should be made for religious objections to being photographed it is reasonable in the interest of election integrity to require photo ID. To ensure fairness for economically disadvantaged voters, obtaining photo ID should be made free and available for every eligible voter to remove barriers. We deserve a fair balance between free access to voting, and fair elections and election integrity.

Any laws designed to enhance transparency in our election system are worth closely discussing and examining. Any changes at all must be done in a careful and considered way designed to enhance our system of free elections instead of to benefit a signal political party or cause.

While racism is disgusting behavior that should get universal condemnation, those who have racist views are rarely a domestic security threat. It is possible for someone to be racist, rude, obnoxious, and to be voicing their free speech so long as they are not being violent. Giving attention and focus to those individuals serves only to platform them.

Strongly Disagree

Taking taxpayer money from one group of people and redistributing it to another group on the basis of race will serve only to rekindle animosity between Americans. We should embrace that America has a complicated and sometimes disappointing history of treating minority groups unfairly. Black Americans of African decent subjected to Chattel Slavery, Indian or Native American's , Asian Americans in WWII, and other examples prove that we should learn from our history and strive for fairness for all

A. Stricter environmental laws and regulations hurt our economy here in Pennsylvania and disproportionately harm smaller businesses. Large corporations are more likely to just pay off fines and consider it a cost of doing business while knowing that the smaller companies will not survive the same fines and penalties. It does little to effectively protect the environment and ignores that one of the single biggest polluters is the Federal Government.

Agree

Private companies should be permitted to use modern techniques on private property with the full knowledge that if it affects other private or public properties they will be held liable for any damage.

Government should serve to do the least amount of harm to citizens while completing constitutionally enumerated responsibilities. In it's present form our federal and state governments are both acting beyond the scope that they should be, and should be scaled back. One of the most important functions of the government is to ensure that individual civil rights are protected.

Choose not to answer

An increasing number of Americans are rejecting the 'left vs right' divide and realizing that the more correct scale is 'authoritarian vs liberty'. Brandon is proud to be a Libertarian. What does that mean? While Brandon is personally what many would define as a socially conservative individual he does not look to force his views upon others so long as they are not causing harm. Libertarians wish to push back against authoritarianism at all levels of government.

Brandon is happy to make himself available to the media for interviews at any time to answer any questions about previous statements.

No, Brandon has no criminal record.

Brandon is committed to protecting the civil rights of all Pennsylvanians. This includes strong defense of second amendment rights, discussing police and bail reform, ending the expensive and ineffective drug war in Pennsylvania, ending dangerous 'no knock raids', and civil asset forfeiture programs. Brandon also wants to support our brave men and women in the Pennsylvania National Guard by introducing 'Defend the Guard' legislation. Most of all Pennsylvania is crippled by taxation, regulation, and policies that inhibit economic growth in a state that should be a economic powerhouse. Tax reform in Pennsylvania has the potential to build an environment friendly to mom and pop businesses along with corporations to make it an attractive destination with a clear and fair playing field for all to thrive and do business. Lastly, our infrastructure is in pathetic shape and the funding generated from fuel taxes should be lowered but also prioritized directly towards fixing our failing and crumbling infrastructure that our families traverse daily.

Disagree

Like other professional organizations like doctors, attorneys, dentists, we should expect a level of professionalism from our police officers. The solution is to remove qualified immunity and institute professional insurance policies just like other professions have instituted. Bad apples will be uninsurable and unemployable while those who maintain professional standards will have no problem carrying a policy that protects both them and the public.

Disagree

Funding for police departments should come from the local community and should be determined by the local community.

Brandon is an unapologetic defender of gun ownership and will defend it as spelled out in the Pennsylvania Constitution, where the right of the citizens to bear arms, "shall not be questioned". Brandon supports having Pennsylvania join the majority of states that have 'constitutional carry'.

Strongly Disagree

The only time a manufacturer should be liable for a legal, lawful product is if it somehow fails in it's operation. If a criminal commits a crime with a hammer the manufacturer or retailer of the hammer should not be liable, likewise there should be no special liability borne by those who sell or make guns.