Nicholas Sawall
Independent | Tennessee
Candidate Profile
Moderate
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Nicholas Sawall
Party
Independent
Election Year
2022
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 81
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of Memphis, Memphis, BS, 2020
Full Sail University, Winter Park, AS, 2007
WORK & MILITARY
Army, SPC, 4
AFFILIATIONS
Irreverent Warriors, District Coordinator (Tennessee), VFW Post 7175
Trustee, Libertarian Party of Tipton County, Chairman
American Legion, Member, Tipton Veterans Council
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
OTHER (1)
Libertarian Party of Tennessee
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (2)
Libertarian Party of Tennessee
Tennessee Growers Coalition
OTHER INFORMATION
Sawall completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
While I am personally pro-life, I fully believe in and support the individual right to choose what is best for their situation. Abortion is an extremely personal choice, and the government should not be involved.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Agree
I support the individual's right to choose what is best for their situation, but the government should not be funding elective procedures.
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Strongly Agree
While I've done significant work in the suicide prevention arena, people should be allowed to die with dignity if they see fit.
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
I support a flat tax system, where we eliminate deductions and credits, and everyone pays a set percentage, with 10% being a number used often. I'd have to crunch the numbers, but I would support the exemption of the first $30-40,000.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
The military budget can be cut significantly. We can cut it in half and still be the most well funded military in the world by a large margin. As a veteran of the Army, I have witnessed more reckless spending than I can count. We need to bring our troops home and quit being the global police force.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Neutral
Tennessee has a great plan with Tennessee Promise to fund community or technical college for high school graduates. I fully support this program.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
Capitalism is a beautiful thing. In the age of social media and the internet, I believe these situations will sort themselves out without government involvement. Government services should be required to provide their service to everyone, no matter what, but I support the individual or businesses choice to serve who they choose for whatever reason.
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
The government does not have the right to close a church.
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 support providing healthcare for the needy and elderly, but for the most part, the government should not be in the health care business. As a veteran in the VA system, I am well aware of how government healthcare works.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
I'm a believer in the thought that good ideas do not require force. That said, some vaccines may be strongly recommended for personal safety, but the individual will have the final choice if they choose to receive it. I'll give an example. My daughter was diagnosed with cancer at age 3, we kept her out of public schools until she completed treatment because she was mostly unvaccinated. Once she was caught up on her vaccines, she started public school. As her parents, her mother and I made that choice for her best interest.
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
Stop dropping bombs in the middle east. After 20 years of war, we have radicalized the next generation of war fighters to hate us.
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 don't believe the United States should have a position on this. We have enough problems here on the home front to worry about.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
Secure borders are essential to a free nation.
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
This may seem contradictory to my previous question, but almost anyone. We need to significantly reduce the cost of immigration and ease the process as much as possible. We are a nation of immigrants. We should be welcoming to all and make the process as safe and easy as possible. That said we still need to know who is coming into our country.
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Disagree
I support school choice that parents can choose between schools in a district. Tipton county does this very well, and our school system is the best (in my opinion) district in the state. I do not support the voucher system being rolled out in our state, as I believe it will hurt our already struggling school systems.
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Disagree
I know Christians who are morally corrupt, and I know agnostics who are amazing people. I don't believe that Judeo-Christian values should be used in the framework of our government. Our country was founded because the Founding Fathers were fleeing a corrupt religious guided government. We are a diverse population of people of all religions and backgrounds.
I support adding gender identity as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
Agree
As stated earlier, I don't believe in the age of social media and the internet we are currently in that non-discrimination laws are still needed among the private sector. I do support adding this inclusion to be protected for public services.
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition
Disagree
While I believe marriage is God-ordained and sacred, if the government choose to get involved it should be open to anyone who chooses to marry.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
While our institutions are not fundamentally racist, I do acknowledge that our country has a deep history of race related issues. Segregation was legal during my parents lifetime. I believe we need to study and learn actual American history from all perspectives so we do not relive the errors of our past. I did not learn about events like the Black Wall Street or the Tuskegee Experiments until just a few years ago. If we do not teach and learn about our history, then we are doomed to repeat it.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I was raised as a Presbyterian, attending Mandarin Presbyterian Church during my youth in Jacksonville Florida.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
I think Tennessee does it pretty well. I'm not aware of any issues currently.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
While there is still racism in our country, I don't believe it is a domestic security issue. Race is only an issue only because people allow it to be an issue.
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 believe there needs to be a balance. Nuclear energy is by far the safest, cleanest, and most cost-efficient energy there is, yet we continue to subsidize wind and solar, which are on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. The united states could cut 100% of our greenhouse emissions, but if India and China continue on their path, we will change nothing.
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Strongly Agree
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
To support the individuals right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We need to take it back to the basics...government has gotten way to big and powerful over the past century.
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).
You can see most of my views in my Facebook and twitter posts.
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?
Term limits are at the top of my agenda going into 2023. Would also love to see legalized marijuana, as it will be a huge cash crop for our agriculture-based state, among its other benefits.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Neutral
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Disagree
Mental health and community programs need to be funded, but not in place of our police departments.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
People convicted of a violent felony is about the only restriction I can think of that I agree with. . I fully support the right to keep and bear arms, and believe that right shall not be infringed.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Strongly Disagree
