Martin O'Malley (D)

Con
Should the Death Penalty Be Allowed?

"Forge Consensus for Ending the Death Penalty. The death penalty is a racially biased and ineffective deterrent, and the appeals process is expensive and cruel to surviving family members. O'Malley has long opposed the death penalty as a matter of principle and as a matter of policy. As president, he will continue to oppose capital punishment and work to abolish death sentences under federal laws."

Source: "Criminal Justice Reform," martinomalley.com, July 31, 2015

None Found
Should the United States Abide by Its Treaties with Native American Tribes?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Should Private Prisons Be Allowed in the United States?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Should Law Enforcement Be Allowed to Use Racial Profiling?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Should Supreme Court Justice Scalia's Replacement Be Chosen by President Obama?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Should the United States Continue the War on Drugs?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Should Churches (Defined as Churches, Temples, Mosques, Synagogues, etc.) Remain Tax-Exempt?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Does Lowering the Corporate Income Tax Rate Create Jobs?

No position found as of Nov. 18, 2015

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None Found
Should the Federal Government Continue to Subsidize Oil Companies?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Pro
Should Any Federal Taxes Be Increased?

"Implement a Financial Transaction Tax to Limit High-Frequency Trading: High-frequency trading creates volatility and unnecessary risk in financial markets, while serving no productive purpose in the real economy. A small tax should be applied to each sale and purchase of a financial instrument to limit this activity - one that would be nearly imperceptible to longer-term investors, but could dramatically cut down on high-risk, speculative activity on Wall Street.

Implement a financial transaction tax: The tax will be well-designed not to soak financial traders, but to fix bad incentives for speculation that comes at the cost of real job-creating investment."

Source: "Protecting the American Dream from Another Wall Street Crash," martinomalley.com, July 2015

None Found
Should There Be a Flat Tax on Income?

No position found as of Nov. 18, 2015

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Pro
Should Glass-Steagall Be Reinstated?

"Any Democrat running for president who expects to succeed in the general election I believe will need to make basic commitments... to pass a modern version of Glass-Steagall.

For 70 years we separated the speculative banking activities from the depository activities and it worked. We need to return to our true selves and put in a modern version."

Source: Jonathan Easley, "O'Malley seizes on Glass-Steagall," thehill.com, July 23, 2015

None Found
Should the US Return to the Gold Standard in Which Coin and Currency Are Backed by Gold?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Should Social Security Be Privatized?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Con
Is the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Trade Agreement Good for America?

"Yeah, I do oppose it [the Trans-Pacific Partnership]. What's wrong with it is first and foremost that we're not allowed to read it before representatives vote on it. What's wrong with it is that right now what we should be doing are things that make our economy stronger here at home. And that's my concern, that the Trans-Pacific Partnership, this deal, is a race to the bottom, a chasing of lower wages abroad. And I believe that that does nothing to help us build a stronger economy here at home."

Source: NPR, "Transcript: NPR's Full Interview with Martin O'Malley," npr.org, Apr. 20, 2015

None Found
Is the Growth of Charter Schools Good for Education in America?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Are the Common Core Standards Good for Education in America?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Should K-12 Teachers Get Tenure?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Should Any Public Colleges or Universities Be Tuition-Free?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Con
Was the Citizens United Supreme Court Decision Good for America?

"I would appoint judges who don't think corporations are people. We need to overturn Citizens United. And we need to recognize that big money is having a corrupting influence on our politics."

Source: Sahil Kapur, "Democrats' Supreme Court Litmus Test: Citizens United," Bloomberg.com, June 4, 2015

None Found
Should the Presidential Debates Include Third Party Candidates?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Pro
Should Felons Who Have Completed Their Sentences (Incarceration, Probation, and Parole) Be Allowed to Vote?

"Restore Voting Rights to People with Felony Records. All those who served time and reentered society should be allowed to vote. O'Malley will call for and strongly support legislation restoring voting rights to individuals with felony records. He will explore and take advantage of every opportunity to use federal funds and administrative solutions to encourage states to restore voting rights."

Source: "Criminal Justice Reform," martinomalley.com, July 31, 2015

Con
Should Voters Be Required to Show Photo Identification in Order to Vote?

"In 2014, Republican legislators in 29 states introduced more than 80 bills to require a photo ID, make voter registration more difficult, reduce early voting opportunities, and make it harder for students to vote.

As a result, a 2014 report found that voter ID laws in 32 states stood to keep as many as 23 million Americans from successfully voting.

Millions of Americans who voted in the last election are at risk of being turned away from the polls because of restrictive voting laws that require a photo ID, eliminate early voting, and make it harder to register...

Governor O'Malley believes that nothing is more important in our sacred democracy than the right to vote. As governor, he made it easier – not harder – for Marylanders to vote."

Source: O'Malley for President, "Why We Need a Constitutional Amendment to Secure the Right to Vote," martinomalley.com, Aug. 4, 2015

None Found
Should US Election Campaigns Be Publicly Financed?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Energy

None Found
Should New Fossil Fuel Leases on Federal Land Be Allowed?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Energy

None Found
Should Fracking Be Allowed?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Energy

None Found
Should the United States Build Additional Nuclear Power Plants?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Not Clearly Pro or Con
Is China an Economic or Military Threat to the United States?

"The first and foremost responsibility of the President of the United States is to protect the American people.

Today, this means transforming our military’s force structure to focus on 21st-century challenges...

It means re-thinking how we deal with nations like Russia and China—which are neither trusted allies nor total adversaries.

It means forging a New Alliance for Progress right here in our own American hemisphere, which we have under-valued and neglected for far too long.

And it means forming regional partnerships to address emerging threats—in places like the South China Sea, the Arctic, and the sea lanes of the Middle East."

Source: "Foreign Policy," martinomalley.com, June 25, 2015

Con
Should the United States Maintain Its Embargo against Cuba?

"Diplomacy creates opportunities. Embargoes don't. It's time to reset our Cuba policy & build closer ties b/t the American & Cuban people."

Source: Twitter post, twitter.com/MartinOMalley, Dec. 17, 2014

Not Clearly Pro or Con
Is the Nuclear Arms Deal with Iran Good for America?

"I think it holds a lot of promise... The key is that it has to be verifiable and enforceable. If Iran were our friend, we wouldn't have to negotiate... So the key now is to make sure that it is in fact enforceable, verifiable, tightly monitored, and that we're prepared to snap sanctions back into place in the event that the Iranians were to cheat on this. But I think it holds a lot of promise. And I think this is how an effective foreign policy works, not merely using our military powers, but also our diplomatic. We have to also be about waging peace. And perhaps this deal is that path forward."

Source: Clay Masters and Clare Roth, "Martin O'Malley on Minimum Wage, Iran, and ISIS," iowapublicradio.org, July 30, 2015

Pro
Should There Be an Independent Palestinian State?

"I think the relationship between the United States and Israel is strong, will remain strong, and must be strong for our own security... But also, we have to continue to wage peace, and in this context, waging peace means pushing for a two-state solution."

Source: Scott Conroy, "Martin O'Malley Wants U.S. and Israel to Get out of Each Other's Campaigns," huffingtonpost.com, Mar. 26, 2015

Pro
Should More Gun Control Laws Be Enacted?

"I'm pissed that we're actually asking ourselves the horrific question of, what will it take? How many senseless acts of violence in our streets or tragedies in our communities will it take to get our nation to stop caving to special interests like the NRA when people are dying?

I'm pissed that after working hard in the state of Maryland to pass real gun control--laws that banned high-magazine weapons, increased licensing standards, and required fingerprinting for handgun purchasers--Congress continues to drop the ball...

I proudly hold an F rating from the NRA, and when I worked to pass gun control in Maryland, the NRA threatened me with legal action, but I never backed down.

Here are some steps we should be taking:

1. A national assault weapons ban.
2. Stricter background checks.
3. Efforts to reduce straw-buying, like fingerprint requirements."

Source: Email to supporters, June 19, 2015

None Found
Should Schools Be Gun-Free Zones?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Should the Federal Government Study Gun Violence?

No position found as of Jan. 13, 2016

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None Found
Should People on the No-Fly List or the Terror Watch List Be Allowed to Purchase Guns?

No position found as of Dec. 29, 2015

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Pro
Should Abortion Be Legal?

"I believe that it is an issue that is best left to the individual conscience of women, and in the meantime, as a society, we should do those things that we can to advance the dignity of every human life."

Source: George P. Matysek, Jr., "O'Malley Touts 'Progressive' Agenda for State," catholicreview.org, Oct. 27, 2010

None Found
Should Any Vaccines Be Required for Children?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Pro
Is Obamacare Good for America?

"The Affordable Care Act has helped more than 17 million Americans access quality and affordable health coverage. Now that the Supreme Court has, once again, upheld the Affordable Care Act, we must continue to build and improve upon this hard won-progress. With the national goal of universal coverage now affirmed, we must reduce costs by improving wellness. Innovations for better coordinated care, personalized medicine, and the alignment of profit incentives to promote wellness make all of this possible."

Source: Sam Frizell, "Here's How Democratic Presidential Contenders Reacted to the Obamacare Decision," time.com, June 25, 2015

None Found
Should Parental Consent Be Required for Pregnant Minors to Have Abortions?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Should Euthanasia or Physician-Assisted Suicide Be Legal?

No position found as of Nov. 18, 2015

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Pro
Should Planned Parenthood Receive Federal Funding?

"Planned Parenthood provides critical health care services to millions of women. Today's vote to defund is wrong."

Source: Martin O'Malley, Facebook post, Facebook.com/MartinOMalley, Aug. 3, 2015

Pro
Should All Americans Have the Right (Be Entitled) to Health Care?

"Martin O'Malley... believes access to health care should be a right--not a privilege."

Source: "Goals and Values for Providing Quality Affordable Health Care," martinomalley.com, Dec. 13, 2006

Con
Should the Federal Government Use Raids to Enforce Immigration Laws?

"I am deeply concerned by recent news reports that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is planning a series of raids to deport families who risked their lives to flee violence, drug gangs, and death in Central America.

If these reports are true, they raise serious questions about due process for people seeking asylum, and these raids promise to needlessly rip apart more families and communities…

I am writing to respectfully request that D.H.S. reconsider this approach and instead look for ways to humanely treat people seeking refuge and to greatly improve the legal due process necessary for asylum...”

Source: Maggie Haberman, "Martin O'Malley Urges Obama Administration to Rethink Immigration Raids," nytimes.com, Dec. 30, 2015

None Found
Should Checking Employee Immigration Status (as in the E-Verify Program) Be Mandatory for All Employers?

No position found as of Nov. 18, 2015

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Not Clearly Pro or Con
Should the United States Continue to Build the Fence/Wall along the US-Mexico Border?

"Promote Smart, 21st-Century Border Security. Existing border security efforts can be wasteful and disruptive to border communities, while failing to address the fluid factors that drive migration. O'Malley will commit the resources needed to modernize and strengthen the border while respecting the rights of border communities. O'Malley will ensure that our border is secure through the strategic use of personnel and technology, extensive training and support for immigration officers, and policies that address the root causes of migration."

Source: "Immigration Reform," martinomalley.com, July 14, 2015

Pro
Should Undocumented Immigrants in the United States Be Allowed to Become Legal Residents?

"Comprehensive immigration reform means yes, sure, protecting our borders, protecting public safety but having a path to citizenship for all of those millions of our neighbors who have been caught in the switches. The pathway should be the ability to actually find the line that's actually a line and be able to become a citizen in fairly short order...

It is not only important for newly arriving American immigrants. It's important for all of us. Our fight for immigration reform is about bringing more of our neighbors out of the shadow economy and into the full light of an open and inclusive American economy."

Source: Hannah Fraser-Chanpong, "Martin O'Malley Promises to Expand Obama's Immigration Policies," cbsnews.com, July 14, 2015

None Found
Should Sanctuary Cities Continue to Receive Federal Funding for Law Enforcement?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Pro
Should the United States Allow Syrian Refugees into the Country?

"The concern about terrorists trying to take advantage of our refugee resettlement program is not new. That is the reason we have in place what is probably the most thorough and comprehensive refugee screening process of any country in the world. It involves more than a dozen steps and can take up to two years.

Every single refugee candidate completes an extensive interview with Department of Homeland Security officials. The process is so stringent that those wishing to do us harm will almost certainly pursue an alternative route into America. None of the 9/11 terrorists came to America as refugees.

Several months ago, I became the first presidential candidate to say the United States should welcome 65,000 Syrian refugees next year. I have personally met with Syrian refugees who fled the same type of violence that engulfed Paris on Friday [Nov. 13, 2015].

Keeping America safe and providing refuge to those fleeing death and destruction is not a zero-sum choice. France is showing the world that it is strong enough to overcome fear and remain true to its values. We need to do the same."

Source: Martin O'Malley, "America's Moral Obligation to Syrian Refugees: We Can Simultaneously Protect the Nation and Live up to Its Highest Values," nydailynews.com, Nov. 19, 2015

Labor & Wages

None Found
Should the Federal Government Guarantee Paid Family and Medical Leave?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Labor & Wages

Pro
Should the Federal Minimum Wage Be Increased?

"I strongly support the national movement to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, because it will lift millions of families out of poverty and create better customers for American businesses. Some people will say this is hard to do. And it will be. But leadership is about forging public consensus -- not following it. On this issue, we must lead with our progressive values to rebuild the American Dream."

Source: Marina Fang, "Martin O'Malley Backs $15 National Minimum Wage," huffingtonpost.com, July 16, 2015

Labor & Wages

None Found
Do Labor Unions Provide an Overall Benefit to Their Workers in the United States?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Marijuana & Alcohol

None Found
Should the Minimum Legal Drinking Age Be Lowered from 21 to a Younger Age?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Marijuana & Alcohol

Pro
Should Marijuana Be a Medical Option?

"As president, Governor O'Malley will... Declassify Marijuana as a Schedule I Drug. O'Malley will direct the Attorney General to move to reclassify marijuana, while supporting bipartisan congressional efforts to legislatively reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II drug."

Source: "Criminal Justice Reform," martinomalley.com (accessed Oct. 16, 2015)

[Editor's Note: As Governor of Maryland, O'Malley signed a bill to legalize medical marijuana in the state on Apr. 14, 2014.]

Marijuana & Alcohol

Now Not Clearly Pro or Con

Should Recreational Marijuana Be Legal?

"I think we need to have an open mind about that [legalizing marijuana]. I think there's a lot we can learn from Colorado and Washington State. They seem to be keeping very good records. They understand they are the first in the nation, and I think we should be guided by what they are doing in Colorado increases harm or reduces harm."

Source: Chris Moody and Alexander Rosen, "Fear and Loathing with Martin O'Malley," CNN.com, Oct. 9, 2015

[Editor's Note: O'Malley previously expressed a CON opinion on this question. Read O'Malley's former position on legalizing recreational marijuana]

None Found
Should the United States and Russia Collaborate to Combat Terrorism?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Not Clearly Pro or Con
Should the United States Continue Its Use of Drone Strikes Abroad?

"There will and should be much discussion in the coming days and weeks about examining the military and intelligence parameters that need to define our nation's use of drones."

Source: Ian Duncan and John Fritze, "O'Malley Calls for Discussion on Drone Use Following Hostage Deaths," www.baltimoresun.com, Apr. 23, 2015

Not Clearly Pro or Con
Should the United States Send Ground Troops to Fight ISIS?

"No threat probably better illustrates the unintended consequences of a mindless rush to war and a lack of understanding than the emergence of ISIS... We must be mindful that American boots on the ground can be counterproductive to our desired outcome. We will not be successful in degrading ISIS if the number of militants taken off the battlefield is exceeded by number of new recruits replacing them."

Source: Ken Thomas, "O'Malley: Islamic State a Result of Mindless Rush to War," bigstory.ap.com, June 26, 2015

None Found
Should the United States Close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Should the US Have Attacked Iraq in 2003?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Should the US Military Budget Be Increased?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Should the United States Have Mandatory National Service (Military or Civilian)?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Should the National Security Agency (NSA) Continue to Collect Phone and Email Metadata on US Citizens?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate’s position on this question.

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Con
Should Interrogation Techniques That Some Consider Torture, Such as Waterboarding, Be a Legal Option?

"The United States does not torture and should not torture... Our long-term security interests are not advanced by engaging in torture and the sort of behavior that runs totally contrary to everything we're about as a people.

We have considerable powers... but we should exercise those powers consistent with those principles. And when we exercise them in contradiction of those principles, when we torture detainees, we engage in reprehensible behavior. And it is that behavior that makes the United States more vulnerable to attack, and that sort of behavior which makes it harder for the United States to lead coalitions and to build coalitions.

I don't believe the United States should torture. Period. Full stop."

Source: Sheryl Gay Stolberg, "On Torture, O’Malley Stands to the Left of Clinton," Dec. 20, 2014

None Found
Should the Veterans Health Administration Be Privatized?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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None Found
Should Women Be Allowed to Serve in Military Combat Positions?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Race

None Found
Should Colleges and Universities Use Affirmative Action for Admissions?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate’s position on this question.

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Race

Not Clearly Pro or Con
Is the Black Lives Matter Movement Good for America?

"When I ran for mayor in 1999, Lester, it was not because our city was doing well. It was because we were burying over 300 young, poor black men every single year.

And that's why I ran, because, yes, black lives matter. And we did a number of things. We weren't able to make our city immune from setbacks as the Freddie Gray unrest and tragic death showed.

But we were able to save a lot of lives doing things that actually worked to improve police and community relations."

Source: Washington Post, "The 4th Democratic Debate Transcript, Annotated: Who Said What and What It Meant," washingtonpost.com, Jan. 17, 2016

[Editor’s Note: On July 18, 2015 during a speech at the Netroots Nation Conference, Governor O’Malley stated that "Black lives matter. White lives matter. All lives matter." Later that day O’Malley apologized for the comment, stating: "I meant no disrespect. That was a mistake on my part and I meant no disrespect. I did not mean to be insensitive in any way or communicate that I did not understand the tremendous passion, commitment and feeling and depth of feeling that all of us should be attaching to this issue [police brutality and the killing of black Americans]."

Source: Chris Moody, "O'Malley Apologizes for Saying 'All Lives Matter' at Liberal Conference," cnn.com, July 19, 2015]

Race

None Found
Is the Criminal Justice System Unfair to Black People?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Pro
Is Human Activity Primarily Responsible for Global Climate Change?

"Climate change is real, detrimental and human caused. As a nation we need to do much more to address its causes and consequences. We have an obligation to future generations to do so."

Source: Facebook post, facebook.com/MartinOMalley, Dec. 10, 2012

Not Clearly Pro or Con
Should Genetically Modified (GMO) Foods Have Mandatory Labeling?

"I need a better, clearer policy [on GMO labeling]. I'm inclined to believe that more information is always best, and that labeling, especially of things we put in our bodies and the food that we eat is something important and good…

I'm inclined... to believe that more labeling is good rather than bad."

Source: New Hampshire Right to Know GMO, "Governor O'Malley," nhrighttoknowgmo.org, Sep. 4, 2015

Con
Should the United States Authorize the Keystone XL Pipeline to Import Tar Sand Oil from Canada?

"I'm opposed to #keystoneXL bc we can't have a clean energy future if we rely on dirty, short-term fossil fuel fixes."

Source: Twitter post, twitter.com/MartinOMalley, July 27, 2015

None Found
Should the United States Transition Away from Fossil Fuels and Towards Renewable Energy?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Sex & Gender

Pro
Was the US Supreme Court Decision Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage a Good Decision?

"Today, the Supreme Court affirmed that marriage is a human right - not a state right. I'm grateful to the people of Maryland for leading the way on this important issue of human dignity and equality under the law. The American Dream is strongest when all are included."

Source: Zeke J. Miller, "Presidential Candidates Respond to Supreme Court Marriage Ruling," time.com, June 26, 2015

Sex & Gender

None Found
Should Religious Liberty Give People the Right to Deny Goods and Services for Gay Marriage?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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Sex & Gender

None Found
Should Transgender People Be Allowed to Use the Bathroom of Their Choice?

Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.

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