B.J. Lawson - Political Positions

Political Positions

Taking positions that are conservative and libertarian, Lawson has taken "strong stands on civil liberties protections" and against legislation such as the USA PATRIOT Act, citing concerns over rushing legislation through Congress without ample time for representatives to read it. Lawson is also against the death penalty. Lawson spoke in opposition to the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility which was proposed to be located in Butner, North Carolina. Lawson stated that various rare diseases, such as foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever, and Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, would be studied at the laboratory and could pose hazards for North Carolina citizens located near the facility. His general election opponent David Price lobbied the federal government for the facility to be located in Butner.

Lawson is against the Iraq War.

Lawson has spoken against government borrowing and debt, saying "talk of an additional 'stimulus plan' that results in still more government borrowing simply pushes our economic crisis further onto our children and grandchildren." He believes money from entitlement trust funds should not be spent for other purposes. He did not support the Wall Street bailout bill, calling it the "No Bank Left Behind Act" and saying: "In our economy, the bailout plan assumes we need to fight a necessary reduction in debt with yet more debt. To use a medical analogy, debt is like amphetamines. It takes from the future to stimulate you today, and too much of it can kill you. We've become addicted to debt – why do we need more debt-fueled growth, and how much more can we tolerate? We need sustainable, long-term growth fueled by people saving and creating value in their communities – not artificial growth fueled by still more government debt that creates additional burdens for the future."

Lawson has said that he would attempt to eliminate the Congressional pension plan, calling it "an insult to the American worker"; he says if elected, he will not participate in the pension plan. He is also against subsidies for oil companies and believes getting rid of them would help foster alternative energy sources. Lawson has said that alternatives to a federal income tax should be looked into, including a carbon tax: "We want more jobs, productivity, and income – so it doesn't make sense to tax jobs, productivity, and income."

Lawson opposes a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage and "unrelenting globalism driven by corporate interests." He has a "disdain" for giving corporations the same legal rights as individuals.

For health care, Lawson is a proponent of health savings accounts and catastrophic insurance coverage. The Independent Weekly wrote: "Lawson is right in that insurance companies and bureaucracies are taking health care out of the hands of doctors and patients."