Jim Hahn's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Jim Hahn has demonstrated Political Courage by telling citizens where he stands on the issues he may face if elected.
Michigan State Legislative Election 2012 Political Courage Test
| Pro-choice | a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| No | b) Should abortions be illegal after the first trimester of pregnancy? | ||
| Yes | c) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | ||
| Yes | d) Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| No | f) Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| No | g) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures? | ||
| No | h) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions? | ||
| No | i) Do you support increased licensing restrictions for abortion providers? | ||
| j) Other or expanded principles: | |||
1) State Spending:Using the key, indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.2) State Taxes:Using the key,indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.3) Budget Stabilization:Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Michigan's budget.
| Slightly Increase | a) Education (higher) | ||
| Greatly Increase | b) Education (K-12) | ||
| Slightly Increase | c) Environment | ||
| Slightly Increase | d) Health care | ||
| Greatly Decrease | e) Law enforcement/corrections | ||
| Greatly Increase | f) Transportation/infrastructure | ||
| Maintain Status | g) Welfare | ||
| h) Other or expanded categories: | |||
| Slightly Increase | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | b) Cigarette taxes | ||
| Greatly Increase | c) Corporate taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | d) Gas/Oil taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | e) Property taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Sales taxes | ||
| Greatly Decrease | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | h) Income taxes (mid-income families) | ||
| Greatly Increase | i) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| No | j) Do you support requiring a two-thirds vote of the legislature in order to approve all future tax increases? | ||
| k) Other or expanded categories: | |||
| Yes | a) Tapping into Michigan's "rainy day" fund | ||
| No | b) Increasing tuition rates at public universities | ||
| No | c) Reducing or eliminating public worker collective bargaining | ||
| No | d) Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions | ||
| No | e) Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees | ||
| No | f) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients | ||
| g) Other or expanded principles: | |||
a) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions for state candidates?
| Yes | 1) Individual | ||
| Yes | 2) Political Action Committee | ||
| Yes | 3) Corporate | ||
| Yes | 4) Political Party | ||
| No | b) Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting? | ||
| No | e) Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls? | ||
| No | f) Do you support Michigan's emergency manager law? | ||
| I support mandatory, not voluntary spending limits | |||
| No | a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana? | ||
| No | d) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | ||
| No | e) Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
| With respect to the two questions on minors, I believe these cases should be decided on an individual basis. As a general principal, we treat minors differently in the eyes of the law for a very good reason, they are not fully mature or intellectually developed. However, there may be certain cases in which exceptions are warranted. | |||
| No | a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | ||
| No | d) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support a constitutional amendment affirming a right to collective bargaining in Michigan? | ||
| Yes | h) Do you support construction of a new bridge across the Detroit River to Canada? | ||
| No | i) Should Michigan allow more casinos? | ||
| The question regard government regulations is quite broad. Some regulations are critical, some are unnecessary. Regulation of the private sector is an important function of government. However, those regulations must be made in a common sense way that protects the interests of consumers and citizens without being unnecessarily burdensome on business. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative? | ||
| No | b) Do you support a merit pay system for teachers? | ||
| Yes | c) Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers? | ||
| No | d) Do you support replacing pension plans for new teachers with 401(k)-style retirement plans? | ||
| No | e) Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school? | ||
| No | f) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid? | ||
| Yes | h) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Michigan high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| i) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy? | ||
| No | b) Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support state funding for improvements to Michigan's energy infrastructure? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support state funding for open space preservation? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change? | ||
| f) Other or expanded principles: | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| Yes | b) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | ||
| Yes | c) Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns? | ||
| No | d) Should a license be required for gun possession? | ||
| I support only those restrictions that are presently in place. I am a strong supporter of Michigan's concealed carry law, which has caused a dramatic decline in gun violence in our state. I believe the laws currently in place requiring training and registration of handguns are working well. I do not support licensing or registration of long guns. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support establishing a state-run health insurance exchange? | ||
| No | f) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes? | ||
| I support a single-payer approach to health care. The ACA is a half-measure, utilizing the for-profit insurance industry to provide coverage. Until we can get to a true single payer system, as a state or as a nation, bypassing private insurers altogether, this approach will have to suffice. | |||
| No | a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman? | ||
| Yes | b) Should same-sex couples be allowed to form civil unions? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Michigan's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Michigan's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| I support equality for all citizens. Same-sex couples should be afforded every single right enjoyed by traditionally married couples. Whether that should be called marriage or Comprehensive Civil Unions is a matter of semantics. It is long past time to afford equal rights to all people. | |||
| I will strengthen and support public education, protect and defend women's rights, including the right to choose and access to health care. I will work to protect Michigans precious natural resources and fight for expansion of clean, renewable energy. I will strenuously defend workers rights to organize and collectively bargain, and push for stronger enforcement of worker safety and wage compliance laws. I will invest in our decaying infrastructure, and work with existing training programs to expand career opportunities in the construction trades. I will be the voice for working families and the middle class. |
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