Congress will be taking up gun control this week. Do you support banning people placed on certain government lists, but who have not been arrested or even charged with a crime, from being able to purchase firearms?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/07/04/house-returns-resume-bitter-fight-over-gun-control-republicans-ryan-democrats/86669656/

With recent decisions upholding affirmative action and striking down abortion restrictions, some say the Supreme Court’s conservative era is over. Do you think it is proper to look at the court as having a “conservative” or “liberal” tendency? Is the court too politicized, or are political considerations inevitable on controversial questions?

://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/06/supreme-court-abortion-decision-rightward-run-over-213996

One limited government group is urging Congress not to enact individual spending bills this year. Instead, it proposes funding the government at current spending levels for the next two years and working on a plan to cut spending in 2018. This would end the threat of a government shutdown and give Congress time to find ways to trim spending. What do you think?

http://dailysignal.com/2016/06/21/koch-brothers-push-2-year-stop-cut-and-fix-spending-plan-on-congress/

In the wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and other politicians have called for reinstating the “assault weapons” ban first imposed during Bill Clinton’s term as president. This ban targeted guns based on certain cosmetic features of a firearm, such as a pistol grip or a folding stock. Do you think this type of law will have an effect on mass shootings in this country?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/06/13/clinton-calls-for-a-new-assault-weapons-ban-12-years-after-the-last-one-expired/

Senator Chuck Schumer is looking to introduce gun control legislation that would expand background checks to cover more private sales. Do you support stricter restrictions on buying guns? Or do you support other ways to deal with gun violence?

http://thehill.com/regulation/legislation/280024-schumer-to-offer-gun-control-bill

Some cities are looking for revenue by imposing special taxes on sugar-sweetened drinks. Do you think this is a good way to protect the public health? Or are cities simply targeting soda consumers to make a quick buck?

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/o-pinion/article77017592.html

The federal government is using a tobacco law to put strict new restrictions on e-cigarettes, even though e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco. Do you think this is governmental overreach? How should e-cigarettes be regulated?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/05/05/feds-expected-announce-final-e-cigarette-rule-could-nearly-ban-them/83951786/

The state Senate Education Committee has reported-out Senate Bill 826 to replace the “Common Core” curriculum in Michigan public schools with a model based on the one used by Massachusetts before Common Core was adopted there. Supporters say the Massachusetts curriculum is unique for having empirical evidence of effectiveness.

Common Core has been highly controversial in Michigan and elsewhere. It was adopted here by the state Board of Education, a move that was later grudgingly approved by the Legislature, which added conditions that the state’s statewide testing regime not be based on the model.
The legislation could be taken up by the full Senate at any time, at the discretion of the Senate Majority Leader.