Robert M. Moesinger

Agree

I come from a family of medical professionals, and palliative care is not always straightforward. The administration of drugs like Midazolam or Atropine do not serve health outcomes, but aid in the peaceful transition to death. Although "unnatural", this is a good practice. I believe that the fetus possesses dignity and aborting it is a moral ill. This stance brings a hefty educational obligation to decrease unwanted pregnancies and engineer good outcomes for individuals born into poverty.

Neutral

In-vitro fertilization is a modern miracle that allows couples to bring children into the world who otherwise wouldn't be able to. Inherent in that process is the fertilization of embryos aside from those that are actually implanted. While couples have the choice to indefinitely store, donate, or discard them, this is not a decision that requires legislative oversight. In contrast with abortion, the aim of conceiving new life is a strong enough good to outweigh their destruction.

Abortion should be unequivocally legal when medical medically indicated, such as an ectopic pregnancy. While the destruction of human life does not "undo" a wrong, abortion should be legal in the case of rape or incest: no woman should be compelled to carry a pregnancy resulting from such a violation. I also respect that others disagree with my fundamental premise of the dignity of the fetus. Approaching that disagreement without vilifying the opposition demands conversation and even compromise

Neutral

We as taxpayers have always funded some programs with which we agree and others with which we disagree: this is unavoidable in politics. From military funding to green energy subsidies to universities to faith-based groups, someone will always feel opposed to the way their tax dollars are being spent on *this* program. As it stands, PP federal funding cannot pay for most elective abortions, which is indicative of a conversation, instead of moral totalitarianism.

Disagree

While limiting the destruction of human life is a noble goal, using the Comstock Act to expand federal power above states' own abortion laws is deeply uncomfortable. The DOJ 2022 opinion that interprets the law to allow shipments when intended for a legal abortion is a fair compromise that respects federalism and the separation of powers. Our hyper-polarized political environment is destroying our ability to make legislative improvements, and resorting to shady tactics is a Faustian band-aid.

Strongly Agree

Although other countries in the world are free to use other economic systems, the United States is fundamentally built on principles of free enterprise. Protecting property rights, enforcing contract law, and providing security are among the least controversial roles of the government. That said, they (and others) are essential roles of government in a symbiotic partnership with private interests. Surrendering complete control to the market would be inferior to our mixed economy.

Strongly Agree

Taken literally, the elements of this statement are surprisingly non-controversial. A progressive tax system (where the marginal tax rate increases with income) has been supported in some form across the spectrum--from Keynes and Friedman--for optimal economic outcomes. I do not take "relief" to simply mean "entitlements" or "charity", but public goods with a focus on personal improvement and providing opportunities. We can disagree on how to implement this, but agree on underlying principles.

Strongly Agree

Although there is not an agreed-upon hard limit to the debt burden America can accumulate before our economy collapses, there is broad concern over our ballooning debt and what it means for the next generation. I do not want to bind our children to our current mistakes, and decreasing spending is a necessary half to reducing national debt. This, alongside raising revenue, is politically uncomfortable but vitally important to our future.

Any credible plan to tackle the national debt must address the greatest national expenses. By a wide margin, these are (1) Social Security, (2) Medicare/Medicaid, and (3) Defense spending. Other "bugbears" (like foreign aid, food stamps, housing) could be eliminated without making a dent in the deficit. Raising the retirement age, increasing the social security tax ceiling, reforming healthcare spending, and reducing military costs are all likely important parts of a real solution.

Neutral

There are two scales implicit in this statement, and the requirement should change depending on where they intersect for each case: the severity of the moral violation (from "I'm just making this up to prove a point" to "my faith system is at stake") and the vitalness of the service (from "just a whim" to "clear universal need"). In the case of small moral violation and essential service, a requirement is defensible; a grave moral question over a whimsical service should not create a requirement

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". There is reasonable disagreement over the practical application of this Constitutional principle. It clearly offers enormous liberty to the exercise of personal devotion, but limits any state-sponsored favoritism towards one religion over another. I am at peace as long as no law interferes with my efforts to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, and it offers everyone the same freedom.

Although a case for effective reform could be made with any of these options, I would prefer either (A) or (D). Our current healthcare system's enormous cost is largely the result of "the worst of both worlds." Free market efficiencies are frustrated by a lack of consumer information and choice, and state-driven fairness is frustrated by enormous private latitude and loopholes. Singapore's free market system or Canada's public system can both work: we desperately need to alter the status quo.

Disagree

While I am strongly in favor of gathering and using data to drive public policymaking, a mandatory database that tracks all individuals and their medical histories is too strong a privacy violation to justify. Our current system of voluntary disclosure, national surveys, and publicly-funded longitudinal studies accomplishes most of this purpose, while protecting individual privacy.

(C). I take immense pride in the Americans who have served our country, from the Greatest Generation to the men and women serving today. But America's leadership in the world should not rest primarily on military supremacy. Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan demonstrate that overwhelming military strength is often insufficient to produce lasting political change. America is strongest when it leads by the example of its institutions, innovation, and values, with militarism as a last resort.

Agree

International competition is good when it fosters innovation, moral reflection, and prosperity. However, the CCP presents genuine challenges through military expansion, cyber espionage, and intellectual property theft. America's greatest counterpoint to these dangerous inclinations has never been simply its military or economy—it has been the strength of its ideals. If our democratic institutions continue to erode, we weaken our credibility to say that democracy is superior to authoritarianism.

Our special relationship with Israel is undoubtedly important. We should honor our long-standing alliance, but this should be tempered with understanding and concern for the displaced Palestinian people. This is clearly a difficult problem, or we'd have have already found a solution sometime in the last 70 years. Above all, as Israel's long-standing ally, the United States has a special obligation to help facilitate a sustainable, peaceful outcome to the current conflict.

Agree

There is a difference between "Islam is evil" and "some Islamist movements and religious institutions encourage dangerous extremism", which is claimed even by some Islamic writers. The United States is Constitutionally bound to safeguard and respect the individual exercise of all religions, so long as they do not infringe on others' rights. Some extremist movements portray the West as an existential threat, and a commitment to democratic institutions and radical tolerance should be our response.

The people around the world who have immigrated to the US have long been a source of American strength. Both to invest in our own future and to honor our commitment to freedom, we must improve our immigration system to create a robust pathway to citizenship. This includes encouraging international students to stay here for their careers and expanding legal pathways to create opportunity for all. However, it is simultaneously reasonable to regulate immigration to avoid fraud or exploitation.

Strongly Disagree

Sanctuary cities are a stress test of our Constitutional order. Regardless of one's immigration views, governments shouldn't intentionally create legal conflict as a policymaking strategy. This is often termed "Constitutional hardball", and it's part of the vicious cycle of our current dysfunction. In order to weaken incentives for flashy, conflict-based brinksmanship, we must break the toxic two-party duopoly. Then we can find real immigration solutions instead of these Faustian band-aids.

Neutral

DOE serves an important function in collating data from the educational outcomes of states and regions and providing national metrics and standards. However, the increasing federal influence over educational priorities is directly opposed to American ideals of competition, diversity, and pluralism--and the slipping academic outcomes of American students shows that our recent approaches are failing. So, let's return power to the communities, but preserve the national perspective of the DOE.

Agree

Education should remain independent from foreign government influence, but we should be careful not to confuse foreign governments with foreign scholars, universities, or students. America's universities have become world leaders precisely because they welcome talent and ideas from around the globe while remaining accountable to American laws and institutions.

Agree

It's important to recognize that there are rare cases of severe gender dysphoria during childhood that deserve careful evaluation and individualized treatment to preserve the child's life and psychological well-being. However, encouraging children to adopt alternate gender identities or keeping such a situation hidden from the child's parents are likely not in the child's best interests. Continued research and frank communication without an agenda are necessary to prevent negative outcomes.

Neutral

While I personally believe that marriage is God-ordained, I respect that other Americans with different religious beliefs may earnestly resist that construction. Furthermore, it is Constitutionally reasonable to create a secular definition for the basic social unit outside of a religious context--for civil purposes--in the spirit of religious liberty. I can affirm the eternal nature of the divine family without needing others to conform to my personal beliefs.

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My upbringing in the church informs my worldview and moral lens. I have a deep personal devotion to my Savior, and I seek to emulate Him as closely as I can in my actions. I served as a missionary to preach His gospel, and I strive to always be a disciple. While this faith is critical in my life and I treasure the freedom in this country to practice it, I recognize that it affords the same freedom to all other Americans, regardless of their religious practices or abstention thereof. In the public sphere, I can acknowledge that faith informs my view and still have a productive discussion with someone who is not religious, based in rationality and mutual Constitutional respect.

Disagree

While legislating arbitrary barriers to voting has a deeply painful history in American politics, a photo identification can be a useful means to expand confidence in our electoral process. It is vital to reiterate that American elections are fair with extremely rare cases of fraudulent voting. However, the perception of fairness is itself a vital public good. If this policy promotes confidence and all eligible voters are able to obtain valid identification, it can be a worthwhile requirement.

Agree

Transgender individuals deserve to be treated with dignity, respect, and equal protection. It is also reasonable for biological females to be uncomfortable sharing intimate spaces with biological males. In women's sports, it can be unfair for biological females to compete against biological males. The bundle of policy decisions in this statement ought to be treated individually, instead of a blanket acceptance or rejection for the set.

A resilient electrical grid can never rely on a single energy source. To meet our ever-growing demand for energy, a portfolio of nuclear power, fossil fuels, renewables, and innovation in storage and transmission is necessary.

No, I have not.

No, I have not.

Choose not to answer

My political views do not neatly fall on a traditional left-right axis. While I lean conservative on some topics and lean liberal on other topics, I am rarely trying to "split the difference" and find a lukewarm middle ground. My instinct is to reject the false dichotomy and look for systemic improvements that can produce better outcomes. My focus as a representative is to break the two-party duopoly that creates polarizing and toxic incentives for our politicians.

Strongly Agree

In many cases, it is reasonable for government to interfere little with the raising of children and delegate that responsibility wholly to the parents. However, online activities present a unique danger to children, especially one that can be concealed from parents. A growing body of evidence demonstrates the negative effects of pornography and social media use for children, and effective legislation to protect underage individuals is absolutely warranted.

Widespread civilian gun ownership and serious expectations of firearm responsibility can coexist. We should not be afraid to borrow some successful policies from other countries with strong firearm traditions, such as thorough background checks, safe storage education campaigns, and serious consequences for criminal misuse. Through it all, we should rely on evidence to inform which policies we should adopt, revise, and repeal to protect public safety without undue infringement of our rights.