Michael Pakko
Libertarian | Arkansas
Candidate Profile*
Moderate
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Michael Pakko
Party
Libertarian
Election Year
2024
Election
General
Race
Treasurer
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, BA, 1984
University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, MA, 1992
University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, PhD, 1994
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Libertarian Party of Arkansas, Treasurer, Chair
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
ENDORSEMENTS*
OTHER (1)
*Arkansas Libertarian Party
OTHER INFORMATION
AR ECONOMIST article by Michael Pakko: Arkansas Employment and Unemployment – June 2024.
Michael Pakko completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
Prior to some point well before viability.
Chemical abortion drugs should meet essential safety standards (such as in-person consultation with a medical doctor) and require reporting to gather evidence on reactions and outcomes.
Neutral
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer 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.
Agree
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
As an economist, this is one of my most fundamental beliefs.
What is your position on the minimum wage?
I am opposed to the existence of a minimum wage. When set too high it limits the availability of jobs for those it is intended to help. When kept too low it sets a government-sanctioned standard for maintaining low wages. Let the market set the wage.
Should environmental and social issues, like ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings, be used as criteria in deciding where to invest public monies?
No
Public monies should be invested with the interests of taxpayers in mind, period. That means that investments should be made with an eye toward liquidity, safety and rate of return.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
Never.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
Individuals and businesses should not be required to provide services, and may deny services for whatever reason they see fit.
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) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded.
"D) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded." That option comes the closest to my view, but it fails to recognize the importance of a transition phase. We cannot just abolish the programs without providing a transition for those who have paid in and are left dependent on them.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Government or (public) schools should only require vaccinations if there is an opt-out provision. Government should not restrict the ability of employers to set the conditions of employment, even if we might think their reasons are unjust or silly.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Neutral
We don't need to be looking for enemies around the world. We should trade freely with other nations, leave their internal politics to themselves, and let our freedom and openness set an example.
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Yes, in a strategic sense. Israel is an ally in a volatile region of the world. Nevertheless, we should always be wary of "entangling alliances" that might commit our country to war in defense of any nation or group of nations.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Agree
I agree that the southern border should be more secure. However, I do not believe that is feasible or desirable to do so with fences, walls, or military force. The problem with immigration is that we have restricted legal options to such an extent that desperate people are seeking illegal means to enter. We are a nation of immigrants, and demographics demand that we allow for immigration into this country. We can best secure the border by providing better options for legal immigration.
EDUCATION
The state should fund education by allowing dollars to follow the child through programs which protect parents' freedom to choose their child's school – public, private, or homeschool.
Agree
If the state both requires and subsidizes education, it should do so in a way that preserves the ability of parents and students to make their own choices.
VALUES
Children are the most vulnerable members of society and must be protected from abuse, including gender ideology, grooming, and bodily mutilation.
Choose not to answer
Of course children should be protected from abuse. The rest of the statement is a set ambiguous and leading set of questions using emotionally charged buzzwords or slogans that are not well defined. For example, should we throw parents in jail for allowing the "bodily mutilation" of allowing a teen to get a tattoo?
Parents should have the right to make decisions for their minor children.
Strongly Agree
The presumption should always be that parents have the best interests of their children at heart (certainly more so than the government).
Taxpayer funds should be used to provide gender transition services.
Strongly Disagree
Taxpayer funds should not be used to provide funding for any personal expenses.
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
Marriage is traditionally a cultural and religious institution, and as such should not be interfered with in any way by the government. But if the government discriminates on the basis of marital status, it should provide equal protection to those whose spiritual unions or living arrangements are not necessarily sanctioned or ordained by a church. That's a basic issue of separation of church and state.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. I was raised as a Lutheran and was very active in my church when I was growing up. I am presently not an active member of any organized religious body.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Neutral
Adequate protections should be in place to allow only those who are qualified voters to vote. But a photo ID is not the be-all, end-all standard to accomplish this.
States should join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact which makes the Electoral College irrelevant.
Disagree
The founders of our nation struck a compromise between nationwide democracy and representative government, recognizing that the states were forming a union in which they preserved important aspects of their autonomy. Despite being eroded over the years in many respects, it is a wise compromise between state and national sovereignty and that should be maintained.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Racism is a threat to social harmony and sows discord. Unfortunately, much of the "racism" in our nation is sown by the politicians who use it to divide us. Is it a threat to "domestic security"? That question seems to imply some sort of crack-down to enhance security, and I don't see that as a productive way to think about the real issues of providing equal opportunity to people of all races, creeds, and colors.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
Critical Race Theory is a warmed-over form of Marxist ideology, where all of our social problems are a consequence of a capitalist/racist system of exploitation. I do not agree with that premise, and I certainly do not agree with "solutions" that would radically change our economic institutions in response.
Biological males should not be allowed to participate in women's sports or occupy biological women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, or prison.
Neutral
There is a reason that women's sports exist in the first place: biological gender matters when it comes to certain aspects of physical prowess. Women's sports should be preserved to maintain a fair playing field. But when it comes to all of the other aspects of the question, there are various considerations that mitigate my response. Government coercion should not be involved, and voluntary freedom of association should be respected.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Which comes closest to your view? (Select all that apply) A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost. C) Stricter environmental laws undermine U.S. energy independence and deter development of reliable electricity sources. D) Climate change is real and requires urgent policy action.
Tough call ... option (C) probably comes closest. There are some basic environmental laws that make sense, like holding polluters accountable for damages to those who are harmed. All too often, however, environmental laws limit the ability of ability of companies to take innovative approaches to environmental sustainability, and reflect the vested interests of those who control the technology being imposed.
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
All of the above. Let all options compete freely in the economic marketplace.
ABOUT YOU
Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.
No.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
No.
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
To provide a framework for peaceful people to coexist in society. To protect individuals from those who would use force or fraud to deprive them of life, liberty, or property.
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?
Moderate
In the context of the contemporary understanding of "liberal" or "conservative," I am neither. I am Libertarian.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
I support redirecting funds from police departments to community programs.
Agree
I tend to agree in general, but with qualifications. There are many things we ask our law enforcement agencies to handle that are not best addressed by the use of government force. That doesn't mean we should underfund law enforcement in order to provide more social programs, but rather that we should seek a wider range of responses to calls from members of the community for assistance, not just sending in the guys with guns.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
None.
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
