Issue Position: Civil Liberties And Civil Rights

Issue Position

Protecting Our Heritage

One of the fundamental tenets of our American way of life is that all individuals receive full and equal protections before the law. I am honored to have been chosen to serve as co-chair of the Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Section of the Boston Bar Association. In that role, I work with leaders on the front lines of the ongoing battles waged for the protection of our civil rights and civil liberties. I will continue to fight for their protection as your State Representative.

Safeguarding Our Civil Liberties

My legislative actions will reflect my beliefs in the sanctity of our civil liberties. I believe our citizens can decide who they can love and what they want to do with their own bodies. I support marriage rights for all individuals and will fight for the rights of all families to receive full state and federal benefits regardless of their sexual orientation. I believe each individual has the right to make their own reproductive decisions, and I believe women must have unfettered freedom in making their own personal health choices.

I am very concerned with the rampant intrusions into our private lives, and believe unchecked data gathering by both the government and private industry will chill our rights to free speech and free association. I will work to enact limits on the type and amount of private data that can be gathered and reviewed. I will also support legislation that regulates civilian and domestic government drone operation, which can be used to gather audio and video information on private citizens.

Checking Corporate "Rights"

Corporations are not citizens. I will support legislative and, if needed, constitutional measures that affirm the fact that corporations are not entitled to the same freedoms guaranteed to individuals in the Bill of Rights. Corporations must not be allowed to treat individual protections and rights like an a la carte menu. I will also work to ensure that we know the source of all money spent in elections and that groups spending money in an attempt to influence campaigns abide by the same regulations that apply to the candidates themselves.

Government Transparency

I believe in the axiom that the best disinfectant is sunlight. Transparency in government allows our citizens to educate themselves and to trust and participate in our government. The criminal convictions of Legislators and other government officials abuse the public trust and often foster suspicions into the motivations behind certain legislation. I will work to ensure that all levels of our government are open, accessible and accountable to our citizens and will work to restore faith in our government.

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