Allen Buckley in State of Georgia Archives
On Abortion:
No regulations or funding regarding abortion
Abortion needs to remain a private matter without government funding. Personally, I do not like abortion. However, the question is: What is the best government policy? Given the facts that it is very hard to stop an abortion
(i.e., policing-wise) and a person who is willing to have an abortion to prevent herself from being a mother would be the parent of the unwanted child, I believe the best government policy is to stay out."
Source: 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate campaign BuckleyForSenate.org
May 2, 2020
On Drugs:
End Federal illicit drug regulations
The country is gradually moving towards the legalization of marijuana. When I first ran in 2004 that was my position, to make marijuana legal. The Federal government should get out of [illicit drugs] altogether and let the states do whatever they want.
The States are all broke. Are they gonna spend huge amounts of money to incarcerate people or are they gonna do something more cost effective? The states would do different things to figure out what is the best deal with any particular drug."
Source: The Red & Black on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate race
Feb 11, 2016
On Education:
Help college debt, but no government load payoff
Q: Under what circumstances should taxpayers help pay off existing student loans?A: In event of death or legitimate disability. Some things can be done to help those with existing debt, including allowing tax-free payments of debts by employers
up to a limit (e.g. $10,000 per year). Going forward, like health care, the existence of a third party in the equation causes college to cost more than it would absent huge federal involvement. Federal loans and grants need to be decreased.
Source: AFA iVoterGuide on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate
Nov 3, 2020
On Environment:
Preserve the EPA within bounds of statutory rights
Q: So you're in favor of preserving the EPA, when so many Libertarians want to completely nix it.Allen Buckley: Yes. That's where I agree with the
Democrats, about preserving the environment. I don't agree with the way that's it's being done; through Executive Order, and issuance of regulations which go beyond statutory rights to regulate.
Source: The Red & Black on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate race
Feb 11, 2016
On Foreign Policy:
We face significant problems, including foreign intervention
Libertarian enters Senate race: "My campaign will emphasize the real issues and provide solutions to the significant problems our country faces,
including excessive debt, entitlements, regulation and foreign intervention," Buckley said.
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution on 2016 Georgia Senate race
Oct 7, 2015
On Government Reform:
Our country faces excessive debt, entitlements, & regulation
Buckley lost bids for the Senate in 2004 & 2008, and lieutenant governor in 2006. Buckley said this time around he thinks he can "possibly" win the election on a campaign of cutting the size of federal government and reining in programs. "My campaign
will emphasize the real issues and provide solutions to the significant problems our country faces, including excessive debt, entitlements, regulation and foreign intervention," Buckley said. "I do not believe any opponent I will face shall do the same."
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution on 2016 Georgia Senate race
Oct 7, 2015
On Gun Control:
Uphold the Second Amendment with background checks
I believe the law should be: Persons determined by a state-certified physician to possess a significant likelihood of causing physical harm or death to any person, mentally institutionalized persons, persons under investigation with respect to terrorist
activities, illegal aliens and persons convicted of a federal or state law felony in which deadly force was possessed should not be permitted to access guns. Every other adult should have access. (Background checks should apply to purchases.)
Source: 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate campaign BuckleyForSenate.org
May 2, 2020
On Health Care:
Eliminate premiums; raise coinsurance contribution
[We should] change healthcare so people don't have to pay premiums, but they have to pay a higher percentage of the cost in terms of coinsurance, so they have significant skin in the game when they make a healthcare decision; and also change the
subsidies for healthcare in the tax system for employer based coverage. Everyone needs to care about their purchases, instead of the situation now where a lot of people don't care because they pay for very little of their healthcare"
Source: The Red & Black on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate race
Feb 11, 2016
On Health Care:
Tax subsidies for health savings accounts (HSAs)
Q: How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?A: By reducing the impact of the third party in the health care equation, thus creating competition and incentive for individuals to control costs.
All should be eligible for coverage, and there should be no discrimination based on pre-existing conditions except conditions brought on by the individual (e.g. smoking). I recommend modifying high deductible health plans and only allowing tax
subsidies for high deductible coverage and health savings accounts (HSAs) contributions, while creating incentives for states to increase competition (such as by reducing Medicaid funding to states that maintain certificate of need (CON) laws).
Aside from changing the Medicare eligibility age (discussed below), I recommend slight modification to Medicare benefits to achieve competition and incentive for individuals to control costs.
Source: AFA iVoterGuide on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate
Nov 3, 2020
On Homeland Security:
Reduce excessive foreign military bases
I would do everything I could to eliminate a lot of foreign military bases, and not all of them, but we don't need 800. The rest of the world combined has 30.
We don't need 800. We could get rid of most of them; we'd be fine.
Source: The Red & Black on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate race
Feb 11, 2016
On Homeland Security:
We don't need 800+ foreign bases; rest of world only has 60
We need to keep the strongest military, by far, but we don't need 800+ foreign bases,
when the rest of the world combined has approximately 60 foreign bases.
Source: AFA iVoterGuide on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate
Nov 3, 2020
On Immigration:
Include those who don't have a great skill set
Q: Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?A: The immigration laws need to be enforced. We have a logical system, except it has not been brought up to date for decades.
The numbers need to be "indexed" for world inflation, so that we annually let a reasonable number of additional people in, including those who don't have a great skill set.
Foreigners who come to our country and excel in school and wish to stay should be granted visas that can potentially lead to citizenship.
Innocent children brought to the U.S. by their parents should be eligible for visas that can potentially lead to citizenship. Chain migration needs to be reasonably reduced. Details are set forth on my website.
Source: AFA iVoterGuide on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate
Nov 3, 2020
On Principles & Values:
Absolute separation of church and state
Separation of church and state: Absolutely.Abortion needs to remain a private matter without government funding. Given the facts that it is very hard to stop an abortion (i.e., policing-wise)
and a person who is willing to have an abortion to prevent herself from being a mother, I believe the best government policy is to stay out.
Separation of church and state should be maximized.
Source: 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate campaign BuckleyForSenate.org
May 2, 2020
On Social Security:
Raise retirement to age 70 to save Social Security
I would try to reform all entitlements. Social Security; if we put in the tax system
I propose, all you need to do is move the Medicare retirement age to 70.
Source: The Red & Black on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate race
Feb 11, 2016
On Social Security:
Financial Sanity Act: raise age to 70
Q: How would you guarantee Social Security benefits for future generations?A: By enacting the Financial Sanity Act, a bill I drafted that can be found on my campaign website. It gradually moves the normal retirement age for Social Security and the
Medicare eligibility age to age 70, and then adjusts it every ten years based on changing life expectancy, so that everyone gets a constant percentage of life expectancy coverage (e.g. 20% of life expectancy).
It also slightly modifies the cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) by slightly reducing it, in accordance with the tax laws' COLA. It should be noted that the "trust fund" is a fallacy, as the notes are simply IOUs issued by the Treasury
Department to the Social Security Administration. Note: I don't think you'll find another candidate who will even address the issue, let alone provide a bill designed to fix the problems.
Source: AFA iVoterGuide on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate
Nov 3, 2020
On War & Peace:
Involvement in Iraq hurt the US domestically
Q: During your stump speech you mentioned the Iraq War.AB: It made me sick, to see that war taking place, because I knew it would make our financial problems a lot worse and new we had deep, ingrained financial problems.
I knew it would make our terrorism problems a lot worse. And not to brag, I was right about both and it made me sick, because I knew it was based on a pack of lies. It really bothered me."
Source: The Red & Black on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate race
Feb 11, 2016
On War & Peace:
Plan to exit the Middle East
Q: What should the US do to help eradicate the threat of radical Islamic terrorism?A: Continue what we generally have been doing, but not make mistakes like the war in Iraq, that made our terrorism problems worse. Leaving jet fighters in Saudi Arabia
after the Gulf War was a mistake. And, we should plan to exit the Middle East. In this regard, we are now energy independent and Israel is doing fine. (Yes, it is enemies with Iran, but so are most of the countries in the Middle East.)
Source: AFA iVoterGuide on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate
Nov 3, 2020
On Welfare & Poverty:
Entitlements spending needs to be reasonably reduced
Q: What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?A: Entitlements spending needs to be reasonably reduced. Eliminate the Department of Education, saving $71B/year. Per the CBO, on average, federal workers make 17% more than
their private sector counterparts. Their compensation needs to be frozen until is 90% of private sector pay, saving $30B/y. We should cut discretionary spending by
Source: AFA iVoterGuide on 2019-20 Georgia 2-year Senate
Nov 3, 2020
Page last updated: Feb 18, 2023