I briefly summarize here my positions on wider key issues that may be of interest. While it is not my intention to be controversial, some of these are inevitably controversial and polarizing issues. Unlike many candidates who avoid taking a public stance, I present my opinions with the goal of inviting interesting conversations and debate. I am an open book, and my mind is open to change.
Of course, these issues are far more nuanced than a brief web-page summary can accommodate, so please contact me directly to discuss any issue in more depth. Thank you!
Gun Rights
I fully support our rights to self-protection enshrined by the Second Amendment to the US Constitution and Article 16 of the Vermont Constitution. I strongly oppose the recent statutory intrusions into these rights enacted by S.55 (Act 94), S.221 (Act 97) and H.422 (Act 92).
Abortion
I am pro-life. I do not support H.57 - Act 47 which legalizes unrestricted abortion right up until the moment of birth in Vermont. To protect the rights of both the mother and her unborn child, I would support fetal personhood legislation in the third trimester of pregnancy. I believe no healthcare worker should be forced to assist in a procedure that he or she finds religiously, morally or philosophically objectionable. While I am pro-life, I am pragmatic and a firm believer in the legal tenet of stare decisis, upon which our judicial system is built. Roe v. Wade is settled law and I fully respect it.
Vaccines
I am not "anti-vax" at all, but I strongly oppose mandatory vaccination. After careful research, I have chosen to vaccinate my own children on the recommended pediatric schedule. As free citizens, I believe the right to our own bodily autonomy is the most sacred, and no government should have the authority to tell us what we must do in that regard. We do not have to look too far back in history to see that governments have made horrific mistakes with medications in the past, and we have every reason to believe they will in the future. In the 1950's and 60's the drug Thalidomide was assured by governments in over 40 countries to be a safe medication for pregnant mothers to relieve morning sickness. It led to terrible birth defects (brain, eye and limb deformities) in over 20,000 babies worldwide. We are human and we make mistakes. A mistake resulting from a decision of our own making is one thing, but a mistake forced on us by an overbearing government in the name of safety is — in my view — intolerable.
COVID-19
In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was prudent and wise of Governor Scott to err on the side of caution. The initial projections that formed the basis of our suppression strategy, from Neil Ferguson at Imperial College London, were alarming. However, these projections have since been shown to be based on a flawed model and bungled statistical calculations. Why then, have we not changed our strategy to reflect this? We are still in "suppression mode". We have long-since flattened the curve. It is time to switch to "mitigation mode" where we focus on the safety of the vulnerable populations and encourage the rest of Vermont to safely and carefully return to their normal daily lives. The long-term adverse effects of keeping the economy and our schools shut down any longer could be far more severe than our desire to completely suppress COVID-19.
COVID-19 Mask Mandates
I do not support any legislation or executive order which mandates the wearing of masks in public places for the ostensible purpose of slowing the rate of transmission of COVID-19. I fully support an individual's right to wear a mask. I also support a business owner's right to ask customers to wear masks.