Atlanta Progressive News

(APN) ATLANTA — In our continuing coverage of the upcoming May 24, 2016 Primary Election and Non-partisan General Election, this article presents the APN Candidate Questionnaire responses from Debra Bazemore, candidate for House District 63.

 

A total of five candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination for this seat, which is being vacated by State Rep. Ronnie Mabra (D-Fayetteville).  The other four candidates are: Jasmine Bowles, Kelli Hooper, Kenneth Kincaid, and Linda Pritchett.

 

Bowles has no phone number listed as part of her public qualifying information.

 

As for Hooper, APN emailed a questionnaire to her on April 15, 2016.

 

As for Kincaid, APN left him a voicemail.

 

Pritchett previously completed an APN questionnaire in 2012.

 

Bazemore’s responses are as follows:

 

DO YOU BELIEVE ALL HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES SHOULD KEEP MINUTES INCLUDING A RECORD OF ALL VOTES, YEAS, NAYS, AND ABSTENTIONS; AND THAT THOSE MINUTES SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC?  DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL IDEAS FOR TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS?

 

Committees should keep minutes including a record of votes and they should be made public. Transparency and Public Participation can be empowered through the use of public access television and public radio programs that produce public policy information programs.

 

WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON NUCLEAR POWER?

 

Nuclear Power currently exists as an advantage and a disadvantage to the public.  It is an advantage in the area of mass produced energy and sustaining a global economy.  It is a disadvantage when we consider the shelf life of nuclear material.  It can not be easily stored and leakages are biology hazards to life on the planet.

 

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS, IF ANY, TO EXPAND WIND AND SOLAR IN GEORGIA?

 

My plan is to ensure that the subcommittees on wind and solar energy production have the latest available research.  Additionally, I intend to include small businesses in the economic development strategies of solar and wind energy production.

 

WOULD YOU SUPPORT REDUCING PETITION REQUIREMENTS FOR INDEPENDENT AND POLITICAL BODY (MINOR PARTY) CANDIDATES FROM THE CURRENT ONE PERCENT STATEWIDE, FIVE PERCENT NON-STATEWIDE REQUIREMENT?  IF SO, WHAT SHOULD THE NEW REQUIREMENT BE, IF ANY?

 

The current requirements are unfair and should definitely be reduced.  All parties should have an equal voice in the political arena and the democratic process.

 

WOULD YOU SUPPORT ADDING A VOTER VERIFIABLE PAPER AUDIT TRAIL TO ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEMS IN GEORGIA?

 

I would support adding a voter verifiable paper audit trail to electronic voting systems in Georgia in order to verify the electronic record.

 

WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THE REFERENDUM TO CREATE A STATEWIDE OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT TO TAKE OVER SO-CALLED “FAILING” SCHOOLS?

 

I don’t feel the referendum is fair to all.  The legislation will dismantle community based decision making processes on educational policy.  Additionally, the legislation will allow local educational policy to be formed by disconnected public policy leaders that are committed to Lobbyist, Special Interest Groups and Corporations.

 

DO YOU SUPPORT AN EXPANDED MEDICAL CANNABIS PROGRAM (IN-STATE CULTIVATION, FULL PLANT MEDICINE, EXPANDED LIST OF CONDITIONS)?  DO YOU SUPPORT DECRIMINALIZATION (NON-MEDICAL)?  DO YOU SUPPORT LEGALIZATION (NON-MEDICAL)?

 

Scientific based medical marijuana treatment is a medical model that is available under certified doctors in our nations [sic].

 

WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON CITYHOOD AND ANNEXATION IN GENERAL?  DO YOU BELIEVE GEORGIA’S CITYHOOD AND ANNEXATION LAWS SHOULD BE CHANGED?  IF SO, HOW?

 

I believe all citizens should have the right to vote.  A referendum would afforded all citizens that opportunity.  There are currently no standard annexation laws that can be applied to every situation.

 

WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THE PROPOSALS FOR NEW CITIES IN DEKALB COUNTY, SUCH AS STONECREST AND GREENHAVEN?

 

All proposals for cityhood can have maximum input from residences through the constitutional model called a Public Referendum.

 

WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THE PROPOSED CITY OF SOUTH FULTON?

 

The proposed city of South Fulton demonstrates the use of the American Constitutional Model called a Public Referendum.

 

DO YOU SUPPORT GMO LABELING?

 

I support Genetically Modified Organism labeling.  It is essential for consumers to know and have the options when purchasing and or consuming products.

 

DO YOU SUPPORT ANY OF THE RECENT PROPOSALS REDUCING THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD, OR ALLOWING LOCAL JURISDICTIONS FLEXIBILITY TO REDUCE EARLY VOTING?

 

I absolutely so not [sic] support any of the existing proposals.

 

DO YOU SUPPORT A U.S. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT IN RESPONSE TO THE CITIZENS UNITED RULING, CLARIFYING THE ABILITY OF CONGRESS TO REGULATE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS?  (THE STATE COULD EITHER CALL FOR SUCH AN AMENDMENT BY RESOLUTION OR CALL FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.)

 

The role of the U.S. Congress can use the committee system to propose clarifying amendments.  The committee system will allow for input from the general public and therefore, exist as a standard public policy for all states.  A state generated resolution or constitutional convention would invoke a cadre of specific stakeholders and not meet the standard of mass public participation.

 

(END/2016)