|
Question #2: Do you support restrictions on this right? If yes, please explain.
Desired Response = NO |
| Answer: NO |
Explanation: See answer to final question.
|
Question #3: Do you support the restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms that were passed by the Vermont Legislature in 2018
(Act 94)?
Desired Response = NO |
| Answer: NO |
|
Question #4: Would you vote to restrict the purchase, possession, sale, and/or manufacture of commonly owned firearms, including those which may be labeled as “assault style” firearms? If yes, please explain the criteria.
Desired Response = NO |
| Answer: NO |
Explanation: No additional comment.
|
Question #5: Would you vote to place restrictions on the purchase, possession, sale and/or manufacture of ammunition?
Desired Response = NO |
| Answer: NO |
|
Question #6: Would you vote to place restrictions on the use of lead ammunition for hunting, self defense, or other
purposes?
Desired Response = NO |
| Answer: 0 |
Explanation: Possibly - But only if there were easily accessible, equivalent alternatives.
|
Question #7: Would you vote for mandatory licensing for the carrying of firearms in Vermont?
Desired Response = NO |
| Answer: NO |
|
Question #8: Would you vote for mandatory registration of firearms in Vermont?
Desired Response = NO |
| Answer: NO |
|
Question #9: Would you vote for mandatory waiting periods before the purchase of a firearm?
Desired Response = NO |
| Answer: 0 |
Explanation: See final comments (I voted no in 2019)
|
Question #10: Would you vote for a mandatory “safe storage law” which required privately owned firearms to be kept locked up when not in use?
Desired Response = NO |
| Answer: NO |
|
Question #11: Would you vote to prohibit persons who have been arbitrarily placed on government watchlists -such as the “no fly” list- from possessing a firearm?
Desired Response = NO |
| Answer: NO |
|
Question #12: Would you vote to allow the State or its municipalities to designate “gun free zones” in which citizens may not lawfully carry a firearm?
Desired Response = NO |
| Answer: NO |
|
Question #13: Would you vote to expunge the criminal records of non-violent prohibited persons to recover their constitutional rights, if they have demonstrated good behavior and responsibility for a number of years?
Desired Response = YES |
| Answer: YES |
|
Question #14: Would you vote to allow firearm safety training in public schools?
Desired Response = YES |
| Answer: YES |
|
Question #15: Would you support the decisions of schoolboards to place armed guards and/or professionally trained faculty and staff in public schools and colleges?
Desired Response = YES |
| Answer: YES |
|
Question #16: Do you support Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) commonly known as “Red Flag Laws” which allow the
seizure of firearms without due process?
Desired Response = NO |
| Answer: NO |
|
Question #17: Do you support the use of “no knock raids” by law enforcement?
Desired Response = NO |
| Answer: NO |
|
Question #18: Would you vote to repeal the restrictions on magazine capacity imposed by Act 94?
Desired Response = YES |
| Answer: YES |
|
Question #19: Would you vote to repeal the restrictions on the private transfer of firearms commonly known as “Universal
Background Checks” imposed by Act 94?
Desired Response = YES |
| Answer: YES |
|
Question #20: Would you vote to repeal the age restrictions for the purchase of a firearm by persons under 21 as imposed by Act 94?
Desired Response = YES |
| Answer: YES |
|
Essay Question: Please tell us in your own words: what does the right to keep and bear arms mean to you?
To me, the right to bear and keep arms means that we have a fundamental right to firearms as a means of self-protection. This is not just a "sportsman's issue" as some people focus on (i.e., "why would you need that for hunting?") The roots are inclusive of the rights of the people against overreach by the state itself. I do not support restrictions on any constitutional rights, but the underlying rights themselves are not neccessarily absolute. Thus, I do not want to be dishonest and say that I would never support any initiative that others might construe as a restriction of the right to bear arms. For example, I did support the current "red flag" law because it included due process rights, and I did support the NCICs law that reported psych commitment information because it included a reasonable means for restoration of rights.
Additional Comments: (continued)
Either of those could be seen as having restricted Article 16 rights, so it would be disengenuous for me to say that I believe the right to keep and bear arms is absolute in all circumstances. However, most of the proposals in Vermont have been for restrictions that clearly violate Article 16, and I have not and would not support them. If there are situations where I believe it is possible that a reasonable interpretation of the right to bear arms would include a specific limitation (as in the examples above), I would always seek the advice and insights of Vermont gun rights groups before reaching any conclusion.
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