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William Hedrick's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.
Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.

William Hedrick refused to tell citizens where he stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2012 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.

What is the Political Courage Test?
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.

California Congressional Election 2008 Political Courage Test

The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion.

a) Abortions should always be illegal.
X b) Abortions should always be legal.
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester.
d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
f) Dilation and extraction or "partial-birth" abortion procedures should be legal.
g) Medicare, Medicaid, and federal subsidies should be prohibited from being used on abortion procedures.
This is a medical decision that should be left to women and their families. I don't think that it would be the right choice for my family, but it's most certainly not my place or the government's place to tell a woman what the right decision is for her.

Indicate what federal funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.1) Budget Priorities2) Defense Spending3) TaxesIndicate what federal tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.Family Income TaxesOther TaxesDeductions/Credits

Maintain Status a) Agriculture
Slightly Increase b) Arts
Slightly Decrease c) Defense
Slightly Increase d) Education
Slightly Increase e) Environment
Slightly Increase f) FEMA
Slightly Increase g) Homeland security
Slightly Increase h) International aid
Slightly Increase i) Law enforcement (Federal)
Maintain Status j) Law enforcement (State)
Slightly Increase k) Medical research
Slightly Increase l) National parks
Greatly Increase m) Public health services
Greatly Increase n) Scientific research
Maintain Status o) Space exploration programs
Greatly Increase p) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Maintain Status q) United Nations
Maintain Status r) Welfare
s) Other or expanded categories
Maintain Status a) Armed forces personnel training
Slightly Increase b) Intelligence operations
Maintain Status c) Military hardware
Maintain Status d) Modernization of weaponry and equipment
Slightly Decrease e) National missile defense
Greatly Increase f) Pay for active duty personnel
Slightly Increase g) Programs to improve troop retention rates
Maintain Status h) Research and development of new weapons
Maintain Status i) Troop and equipment readiness
j) Other or expanded categories
Eliminate a) Less than $12,000
Slightly Decrease b) $12,001-$40,000
Slightly Decrease c) $40,001-$100,000
Maintain Status d) $100,001-$180,000
Maintain Status e) $180,001-$350,000
Greatly Increase f) $350,001 and above
g) Other or expanded categories
Maintain Status a) Alcohol taxes
Slightly Increase b) Capital gains taxes
Maintain Status c) Cigarette taxes
Slightly Increase d) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status e) Gasoline taxes
Slightly Increase f) Inheritance taxes
g) Other or expanded categories
Slightly Increase a) Charitable contribution deduction
Slightly Increase b) Child tax credit
Maintain Status c) Earned income tax credit
Slightly Increase d) Medical expense deduction
Maintain Status e) Mortgage deduction
Slightly Increase f) Student loan credit
g) Other or expanded categories
No 4) Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
Yes 5) Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year?
6) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.

a) Support increasing the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
b) Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
c) Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
d) Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties.
e) Support prohibiting ads containing candidates' name that are paid for by third parties from airing 60 days before a primary and 30 days before a general federal election.
X f) Support instant run-off voting (IRV).
g) Support designating Election Day as a national holiday.
h) Support giving the President the power of the line item veto for items concerning appropriations.
X i) Support limiting the President's use of signing statements in order to prevent an alternative interpretation of the bill.
X j) Support a federal shield law to protect reporter-source privilege.
k) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding crime.

a) Support the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
X b) Eliminate the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
X c) Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
X d) Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
e) Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
f) Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
X g) Support strict penalties for internet crime (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
X h) Require that crimes based on sexual orientation be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
i) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

X a) Support the federal government funding universal pre-K programs.
b) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any public school.
c) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any private or religious school.
d) Allow teachers and professionals to receive federal funding to establish charter or magnet schools.
X e) Increase funding for the Pell Grant program.
X f) Decrease interest rates of Stafford Loans.
X g) Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
X h) Ban university financial aid officers from owning stock in or accepting gifts from student loan lenders.
X i) Require universities to disclose financial relationships with lenders.
j) Support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
k) Eliminate all federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
The current law, No Child Left Behind, is a punitive system designed to punish teachers, students, and schools for not meeting unfair, unattainable standards. NCLB is predicated on the belief that every child, in every classroom, in every school is the same - that each district and each community has the same needs, same challenges, and same goals. This is simply not true. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for education. I will work to return local control of schools to communities. Visit our website, www.HedrickforCongress.com, for my education solutions.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.

X a) Increase funding for national job-training programs that retrain displaced workers or teach skills needed in today’s job market.
b) Reduce government regulation of the private sector.
X c) Encourage employers to offer child care services, flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
X d) Increase the federal minimum wage.
X e) Support the right of workers to unionize.
f) Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
X g) Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
X h) Include gender identity in federal anti-discrimination laws.
i) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

X a) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act.
X b) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
c) Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil).
X d) Strengthen emission controls on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
X e) Strengthen fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
f) Support domestic oil exploration in areas that are currently restricted.
X g) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels.
X h) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
i) Support research and development of nuclear reactors as an alternative energy source.
j) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits under "cap and trade" laws.
X k) Support international mandatory emission targets to limit global warming.
X l) Support international voluntary emission targets to limit global warming.
m) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.On (c) and (d), indicate what levels (#1-6) you support for the following categories.

a) Allow individuals to carry concealed guns.
b) Ban the sale, ownership or possession of handguns except by law enforcement and other government officials.
Maintain Status c) Enforcement of existing restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
Maintain Status d) Restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
I am a gun owner, target-shooter, and support our 2nd amendment right to bear arms. I believe we must work to end gun violence, and I am committed to keeping firearms out of the hands of felons, violent offenders, and mentally-ill individuals. I oppose military-style assault weapons, 'Saturday Night Specials,' and would support reauthorization of the assault weapons ban. These weapons have no useful purpose in our neighborhoods. I also support closing the gun show loophole that currently allows individuals to purchase guns at gun shows without having to submit a background check.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health.

X a) Implement a universal healthcare program to guarantee coverage to all Americans, regardless of income.
b) Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts.
X c) Allow the importation of prescription drugs into the United States.
X d) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
X e) Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
X f) Support expanding child healthcare programs.
g) Providing healthcare is not a responsibility of the federal government.
In the richest country in the world, it is unconscionable that we treat health care as a commodity instead of a basic human right. There needs to be a level of base coverage for all Americans - right now the only plan we have is the emergency room, the most fiscally irresponsible option. What should have been a $70 doctor visit turns into a $1500 visit that we pay for in increased premiums or through taxes. This is a broken system that needs to be fixed. Please visit our website, www.HedrickforCongress.com, for my health care solutions.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding immigration.

a) Decrease the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country.
b) Establish English as the official national language.
c) Support a temporary worker program.
X d) Support harsher financial punishments for those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants.
e) Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States.
f) Illegal immigrants should have to return to their countries of origin before being considered for citizenship.
g) Illegal immigrants should be given a pathway to citizenship.
h) Support merit-based visas over family-based visas.
I have a four part plan to address illegal immigration - to read my position in its entirety please go to our website www.HedrickforCongress.com and check out our issues pages.

International AidIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international aid.International PolicyIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international policy.International TradeIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international trade.

X a) Support the United States granting aid to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives.
X b) Support the United States granting aid to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States.
c) Eliminate United States aid for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
d) Aid granted by the United States should be scaled back and eventually eliminated.
e) Other or expanded principles
Yes a) Should the United States continue to provide leadership in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
Yes b) Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
Yes c) Should the United States impose greater international sanctions on Iran if it continues to defy United Nations mandates?
Yes d) Should the United States support the Lebanese government against insurgent forces?
No e) Should the United States maintain its troop levels in Iraq?
Yes f) Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?
Yes h) Should the United States apply greater economic and diplomatic sanctions against North Korea if it fails to abide by its agreement to suspend its nuclear program?
Undecided i) Should the United States increase financial support for Afghanistan?
Undecided j) Should the United States increase military support for Afghanistan?
Undecided k) Should the United States trade nuclear fuel to India for civilian purposes?
Undecided l) Should the United States decrease financial support for Pakistan?
Undecided m) Should the United States decrease military support for Pakistan?
Yes n) Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in Darfur, Sudan?
Yes o) Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
Yes p) Should the United States provide economic and military support to the Transitional Government of Somalia?
Yes q) Should the United States use sanctions to encourage the government of Zimbabwe to end its human rights abuses?
Yes r) Should the United States support the creation of an independent nation of Kosovo?
s) Other or expanded principles
No a) Do you support the United States imposing economic sanctions on China?
No b) Do you support the United States imposing trade sanctions on Venezuela?
No c) Do you support the United States involvement in free trade agreements?
d) Do you support the United States involvement in intergovernmental organizations dedicated to trade?
The military was given two jobs in Iraq - get rid of Saddam and make sure there are no WMDs. The military did their job. Now it's time for us to do ours and bring them home as quickly and safely as possible. I believe this was the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time. For my full position on Iraq, please visit our website www.HedrickforCongress.com, and check out the issues pages.
I know we need to trade with the world - I'm not an isolationist. I am a proponent of fair trade rather than free trade agreements. Our economy has been decimated by putting our workers in direct competition with people who earn $0.75 (or less) an hour. We need to enter into equitable, bilateral trade agreements with countries that will observe labor rights and environmental standards. Please visit our website, www.HedrickforCongress.com, to read more about my solutions for the economy.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding national security.

a) Do you support using military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical?
b) Should law enforcement agencies have greater discretion to monitor domestic communications, to prevent future terrorist attacks?
c) Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country?
d) Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?
e) Do you support pre-emptive military strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to United States national security?
f) Do you support the creation of a federal identification card system?
No g) Do you support long-term use of National Guard troops to supplement the armed forces in assignments overseas?
No h) Should the United States expand its missile defense shield?
These issues are too complicated for a simple yes or no answer, nor do I accept the premise of all the questions. For information on my positions regarding security, please visit our website at www.HedrickforCongress.com and check out our issues pages.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.

Yes a) Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?
No b) Do you support a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman?
Yes c) Do you support federal funding for research on existing embryonic stem cell lines?
Yes d) Do you support federal funding to create lines of stem cells from new embryos?
Yes e) Should the federal government consider race and gender in government contracting decisions?
Undecided f) Should the federal government continue affirmative action programs?
No g) Should the federal government regulate internet gambling?
h) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Social Security.

a) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts that they manage themselves.
b) Ensure the viability of Social Security by increasing the payroll tax.
c) Decrease benefits paid to retirees.
X d) Support proportional increases of Social Security benefits based on the cost of living index.
e) Raise the retirement age for individual eligibility to receive full Social Security benefits.
I support eliminating the Social Security taxable income cap.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare and poverty.

X a) Require welfare recipients to spend at least 40 hours a week in a combination of work and training programs.
X b) Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants.
X c) Support housing assistance for welfare recipients.
d) Abolish all federal welfare programs.
e) Other or expanded principles
My priorities are to restore our economy through fair trade agreements, and through a WPA-like initiative to rebuild our bridges, highways, ports, etc. I will work to end the occupation of Iraq and bring our troops home now. I support the Responsible Plan for a safe and orderly disengagement. I will work for a base universal health care plan that will cover all Americans' health needs and to re-write No Child Left Behind to actually achieve its guarantee of excellent opportunities and outcomes for all children. For more information about my legislative priorities, visit our website at www.HedrickforCongress.com

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