Bruce Payton
Independent | Louisiana
Candidate Profile
Moderate
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Bruce Payton
Party
Independent
Election Year
2023
Election
Primary
Race
Lt. Governor
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, La., Business, 1985
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
I prefer to keep my charitable and volunteerism private.
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
OTHER INFORMATION
Bruce Payton completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
This is a controversial subject; just yesterday a WWL-TV poll showed that Louisiana is almost split down the middle on Abortion. I would like the Legislature to put this issue before the people for a vote to settle it once and for all. Personally, I am compassionate to cases of rape, incest, and where the baby is known to have severe medical complications.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Agree
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Agree
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
Plenty of changes! We need to simplify the tax codes and reduce the tax rates on citizens. We also need to remove some of the tax credits that Louisiana businesses get.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
I'm told we're headed for a $2B deficit in 2025; that's huge! We're going to have to tighten the belt across the board.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Disagree
Not everybody is College material; some people aren't even high school material; we should better utilize our Community Colleges and Vo-tech Schools to educate these people so they can make a living and be successful in society.
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?
If the Church is doing illegal things or raping children, that's pretty damming. I graduated high school from St John Prep in New Orleans; I know the story on pedophile priests better than anyone. I have schoolmates who were not as lucky as I was; they were raped and their lives ruined by this cover-up by the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
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.
C
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
In a Pandemic, it makes sense; but it was rolled-out so badly in Covid, that I think it should not be required.
NATIONAL SECURITY
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
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Only persons who can become successful, productive, tax paying citizens. Additionally, they must assimilate to our Country and apply for citizenship.
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Agree
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Agree
I support adding gender identity as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
Neutral
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.
Neutral
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 was raised Catholic and attended a high school seminary; I have numerous friends who are priests, but I have lost confidence in the Catholic Church. There is a God and he is great; he protects us in times of peril and illness. I would say I'm spiritual, but not religious.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
You can't get a book at the Public Library without an ID. Photo ID's to vote are an absolute MUST.
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
Mail-in Ballots are too easily manipulated; that needs to change. Also voting machines must be certified to insure they are not in any way tampered with.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Yes; there are racist hate group and violent gangs operating in the USA.
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.
This is a catch 22; stricter laws do hurt the economy! But certain protections must be in place to keep Oil and Gas companies (in particular) honest. I'm told a variance was granted to allow thousands of dolphins to be killed when building coastal protect for Louisiana. I am 100% against this. This will be an environmental disaster in the coming years.
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Disagree
There is no doubt that fracking causes earthquakes! Look at Oklahoma; they had practically no earthquakes prior to fracking, now they have mini tremors every month.
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
To protect and 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).
My Activote.com see my rating
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
Nope; clean as a whistle.
What else would you like voters to know about you, including your legislative priorities?
I'm only running for one term; this forces my successor to serve two different Governors. This is good for Louisiana. I also plan to have the Louisiana Legislature term limit the Lt. Governor's Office.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Disagree
Sadly, there are bad cops! What that percentage is, is unknown...but it's too high probably. Police should be tested for steroids; that's a good starting point to weed-out bad apples!
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Disagree
Don't use Police funds to do this use another source. Robbing Peter to save Paul in this case waters-down the Polie Dept. and makes them less able to do a good job.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
I like concealed carry permits; I'm a conceal carry gun owner. Open carry is dangerous if the people are not tested beforehand.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Disagree
Guns don't kill people, people kill people.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Gambling should be limited to existing forms and should not be de-regulated or expanded.
Agree
Children should be protected from sexualization on the internet, in public schools, and in the public libraries
Agree
I was in a public library the other day; they had some creepy guys on the public PC's.
