2014 Survey Response: 2014 State Questionnaire   THE NATURE OF PRO-LIFE ISSUES 1. Direct threats to human life include first of all abortion, which takes the lives of well over a million US children annually; embryonic stem cell harvesting; euthanasia; and cloning.  Additional threats to human life include poverty, capital punishment, racism, war, nuclear arms proliferation and exploitation.  Since each and every human being is unique and important, one's personhood or worth should not be arbitrarily determined by another's choice.  No one exists solely as a means to someone else's happiness.  The choices we make, as individuals and as a society, must be weighed in light of their impact on human life and dignity.  Do you acknowledge both the breadth of pro life issues, and the primacy of some of those issues, namely abortion, embryonic stem cell harvesting, euthanasia, and cloning?  Yes, Life begins at conception.     ABORTION 2. Do you believe that a unique human life begins at conception?  Yes      If not, when?  ___  3 mths  ___  6 mths  ___ 9 mths  ___  1 yr  ___ 18 yrs?     3. The 14th Amendment states "nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." The Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade, 1973, stated that "if this suggestion of personhood is established, the appellant's case, of course, collapses, for the fetus' right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the [14th] Amendment." The Court regrettably concluded though that "we need not resolve the difficult question of when life begins. When those trained in the respective disciplines of medicine, philosophy, and theology are unable to arrive at any consensus, the judiciary, at this point in the development of man's knowledge, is not in a position to speculate as to the answer." Do you believe that  the State has a compelling interest in protecting human life beginning at conception? Yes 4. Is taking the life of a pre-born child through abortion ever morally permissible?  Check all that apply: _____ No, it's never permissible __x___ Yes, to save mother's life ___x__ Yes, in cases of rape or incest ____ Yes, for physical deformity _____  Yes, for gender _____  Yes, for race _____  Yes, to punish spouse _____ Yes, it's always permissible EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS AND CLONING 5. Do you oppose embryonic stem cell research or human cloning, whether publically or privately funded? Yes   PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN ABORTION 6. Peer reviewed studies have shown that parental involvement laws reduce the occurrence of risky sex in teens, and more than 30 states currently have some form of them.  Either the teen refrains from engaging in sex or is more careful before having sex.  These laws help teen mothers and fathers get the support and guidance they need from parents in this important decision.  Not having them risks parental estrangement or alienation from the child when in the greatest need and denies the dignity of the family.  Minors already must have parental approval for even the most minor types of medical procedures or medications and should also for the complex procedure of abortion.   Without parental involvement, a minor impregnated by an adult often times is pressured into having an abortion so as to conceal the fact that the adult is guilty of statutory rape.  Will you promote/support parental involvement laws (with judicial override) for minors when seeking an abortion? Yes and the removal of Plan Parenthood from our schools.     MEDICAL CONSCIENCE CLAUSES 7. "The trend toward accepting the termination of some human lives as a normal part of medicine is accelerating ... Courts, policymakers, media leaders - even the elites of organized medicine - increasingly assert that patient rights and respect for patients’ choices should trump the consciences of medical professionals.  Indeed, the time may soon arrive when doctors, nurses, and pharmacists will be compelled to take, or be complicit in the taking of, human life, regardless of their strong religious or moral objections thereto." (Westlie J. Smith, 2009).  Should doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other medical professionals be granted the right to refuse participation in the provision of medical services that violate the person's moral, ethical or religious beliefs? Yes always.   PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE 8. Washington State Initiative 1000 which was passed in 2008, legalized Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) by allowing doctors to prescribe lethal doses of barbiturates to certain patients.  An objection to this sanctioning of suicide is that some vulnerable persons, such as those who are feeble, depressed, mentally ill, or handicapped, will likely experience coercion to end their lives.  For them a right to die, already protected in the Natural Death Act, (RCW 70.122), may become a duty to die.  The American Medical Association (policy H-140.952) as well as the Washington State Medical Association (2007 Resolution A-7) oppose PAS.  The AMA stated that "physician assisted suicide is fundamentally inconsistent with the physician's professional role."  The initiative uses vague language that enable doctors "acting in good faith" to assist mentally ill or depressed patients to commit suicide, while protecting doctors from civil and criminal lawsuits.  Health care insurers can cut costs by providing prescriptions for suicide.  Will society's sanction of suicide have unintended consequences?  Sponsor and former governor Booth Gardner says that this is only a “first step” in legalizing assisted suicide for anyone who wants it.  When society fails to protect vulnerable people in their troubles, but instead offers them the violence of suicide, has not society abandoned them?  Do you oppose physician assisted suicide? Yes, We are not GOD.   MARRIAGE PRESERVATION 9.  Children develop best within the context of a biologically related family.  This is a scientifically proven fact which the Washington State Supreme Court referenced when in 2006, it ruled on the state's 1998 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  The court determined that the state's limitation of marriage to heterosexual couples "is constitutional because the legislature was entitled to believe that limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples furthers ... the well-being of children by encouraging families where children are reared in homes headed by the children’s biological parents."  In concurrence, Justice James Johnson wrote "The unique and binary biological nature of marriage and its exclusive link with procreation and responsible child rearing has defined the institution [of marriage in law]."  In order to affirm and protect children’s rights and the primacy of those rights over adults’ aspirations for novel family forms, do you oppose laws that change the definition of marriage to include homosexual and polygamous relationships?  I do not support same sex marriage nor Polygamy, but also believe government shouldn’t be in the marriage business or stating whom can marry whom.   PUBLIC SCHOOL SEX EDUCATION 10. The Washington State Legislature in 2007 passed ESSB 5297 requiring school districts to teach "scientifically accurate" (aka comprehensive) sex education, if they teach sex ed at all. The typical comprehensive sex education program spends as little as 5% of the time teaching abstinence principles (Zogby 3/27/07), instead spending significantly more time teaching students how to put condoms on models of male genitalia and promoting alternative forms of sexual activity called outercourse, which may include showering together and mutual masturbation as effective ways to avoid pregnancy and disease. In contrast, an emphasis on abstinence means teaching students about building healthy relationships and bolstering self worth and self-control.  Given that ESSB 5297 allows school districts a wide range in how the law is applied, will you work to maximize sex education that is wholesome, not dehumanizing and truly safe? Yes and see to it children are not starting this at the age of 12 or earlier.  It is wrong to have schools start children that early. Let the parents decide when children should begin these types of classes. DEATH PENALTY 11. The death penalty in the United States should: ___x__ not be used _____ be used about the same _____ be used less _____ be used more GAMING 12. A proposed casino off I-5 near Ridgefield is projected to be one of the largest in the nation.  What is your position on the building of this casino?  The latest news can be found here on the Citizens Against Reservation Shopping blog. As American’s we have free will. Our state needs jobs, will they provide jobs for those in our communities? Yes, Casino’s provide jobs, and entertainment as well. Not everyone that goes to a Casino, goes to play the games, so go for the shows, some for the hotels to have a nice time away with the ones they love, others for the friendly environments that can come with some Casino’s. Most important are the jobs and funds that are brought to the communities.  Yes there are those that do not know how to budget their money, then again those that have money issues problem have had them for a long time.   QUALIFICATIONS AND COMMENTS 13. Please state your qualifications for office such as professional, educational, family and community accomplishments.  You may also add any further comments regarding the relationship of your candidacy to respect life issues. Military Background: US Army and US Marine Corps Education: Moses Lake Community College Graduate 1982 From 1979 - 1986 Honorable Discharges, both my wife and I served in the military in many different aspects. Each taking an oath to protect and uphold the Constitution, we believe in that Oath and working hard. Service in: Germany - Fort Benning, GA - Fort Bragg, NC - Fort Lewis, WA - Camp Lejeune, NC - Camp Pendleton, CA - Beaufort SC - 3rd Inf Div, 82nd Airborne Div, 9th Inf Div, 22 Inf Det Transportation Industry 1979 - Current: Contractor Owner / Operator - Household Goods Relocation Specialist - Relocation of military, businesses and civilian families coast to coast. Electronic / Technology Industry 1986 - Current: Contractor - Web services, Networking Environments, Computer Engineering; PC's and Main Frame Structures, Programmer. FRG (Family Readiness Group) Leader 2007-2009: Fort Bragg, NC - Serving over 420 Military Families and their dependents. Married to an awesome wife, love my eight fantastic kids. Why I decided to become a Candidate? To reignite Constitutional fervor with "We The People", get government out of our personal lives. Give the responsibility back to the individual, allowing so, builds strong families and businesses, so they can grow without overbearing regulations and taxes. I will work to end unnecessary regulations, which hamper small and large businesses. Without growth of our local businesses or development of new business, jobs for our families will vanish. What I will accomplish: Reduce spending; stop federal government's intrusion in to our homes, schools, businesses, jobs, healthcare, and environmental control of Washington's borders. Promote growth of business in our districts and state wide. Put an end to taxing communities for other projects that have no impact on communities in the 19th district. Encourage and support businesses that bring jobs to our communities that are responsible and respect each communities concerns of environmental impact. These are just a few issues that I and millions of others feel are important across this state and our country. Time is now; to take action to correct non-action from those we have entrusted to do a job on the behalf of "We The People" is just not getting done. There has been too much talking about getting our citizens back to work and expanding business. All talk and no action had created our country to fall from the top in economic strength. Our countrymen and women continue to feel the lack of effort from those whom were given the task to improve and protect our Constitution. In schools our future is being attacked by progressive idea's that have hindered our children from learning about the beginnings and founding’s of our great nation. Leaving out the struggles of the men and women that fought to gain our freedom is a progressive tactic to leave our children uneducated in the teachings of our Constitution, the Framers and the will to be "Free" from tyranny.  I will also tell you, I am an American first, former Army Soldier and a Marine. I took an oath to protect and defend our Constitution, our citizens, and this land. As a Washington resident, I will continue to work hard to help our communities, our youth and our seniors. We need to get control of our government put it back into the hands of "We The People". "We The People" control government, not government controlling "We The People".     14. Do you have a campaign website?  Yes.   What is the address? www.votesteenson.com  Also Facebook. www.facebook.com/votesteenson   WEBSITE POSTING PERMISSION 15. May Life Pac post your survey response on its website? Yes you may.