Bruce Skarin in Survey of 2014 Senate campaign websites

On Education: Minimize standardized testing; maximize public resources

Our traditional teaching methods are unable to meet this challenge, but providing a more integrated approach requires significantly more effort to build and develop. As Senator I will push for reforms to minimize standardized testing and put the focus on developing resources that improve long-term outcomes such as college graduation and job placement.

As Senator I will advocate for a program that helps educators develop a set of public and open resources that can be shared and remixed to align skill development with the economy of the future. I will also fight to end the paywall that prevents the latest government funded research from getting into the hands of students and teachers.

On Environment: Account for polluting our commons

We can ensure a more sustainable future by taking risk seriously, by correcting market distortions that do not account for polluting our commons, and by transitioning to renewable sources that will only get cheaper and more efficient.

As Senator, I will help lead the way on this issue, making sure that we have truly independent and comprehensive solutions that strengthen our economy and protect our planet for generations to come.

On Civil Rights: Don't use religious values to restrict civil right to love

On Crime: Focus on prevention and more effective long term solutions

With smart, sensible drug policy reform we can relieve the strain put on our nation's courts and prison system. We also need to make simultaneous reforms in our education system to ensure that youth are on a path to becoming healthy and productive citizens.

On Drugs: War on drugs creates more problems than it solves

With smart, sensible drug policy reform we can relieve the strain put on our nation's courts and prison system and begin to focus on treating all substance abuse problems equally. We also need to make simultaneous reforms in our education system to ensure that youth are on a path to becoming healthy and productive citizens.

On Gun Control: Right to gun ownership with safety as priority

For too long we have let ourselves get distracted by fundamental disagreements that will never be resolved. As Senator I will shift the focus onto policies that reduce the outcomes that nobody on either side wants to see.

On Homeland Security: Individuals control when private information is accessed

On Welfare & Poverty: Hunger is still a very real problem for our nation's poor

The recent attacks against food assistance and unemployment show a Congress out of touch with the reality of the problems faced by a large number of Americans. Hunger is still a very real problem for our nation's poor and without a stronger economy and improved access to education and training, we can expect little change. We need to stop applying solutions to the symptoms and develop programs that provide the right incentives and services so that they become a stepping stone to a better life instead of just a means for surviving.

On Families & Children: Much-needed deep social change begins with family

There is an increasing risk of catastrophic consequences for problems like long-term climate change, national debt, and many others that took decades to create and will now take decades to fix. Put plainly, when I look to the future I see a world filled with problems that my generation should have solved.

As a scientist I know that these problems can indeed be solved when we use the right approach, when we represent the people first, and most importantly when we stop waiting to address them. The kind of deep social change needed begins with family, builds into a community, a country, and carries all the way through to how our society works as a whole to create liberty and justice for all

On Principles & Values: Three main principles: transparency, independence, diversity

Instead of yet another generic platform, my positions on the issues will be entirely transparent, linking high level summaries all the way down to the detailed models and data used to support them. This platform will also not be developed by exclusive think tanks, but rather openly sourced to a community of experts, universities, and organizations. Lastly, instead of being funded by the very industries that the policies impact, my platform will be paid for as part of my 100% citizen funded campaign.

On Technology: It is time to upgrade the operating system of government

Using technology that simply did not exist just ten years ago and working with a community of professionals and feedback from supporters like you, we will create a sustained effort for getting to the root of problems and solving them. It is time to upgrade the operating system of government and I believe it begins with more direct participation in Congress from scientists like me.