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Michael Meehan's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.

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Michael Meehan has demonstrated Political Courage by telling citizens where he stands on the issues he may face if elected.

What is the Political Courage Test?

Presidential Election 2012 Political Courage Test

Pro-life Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
Start with the most asinine question first. Republicans pro-life, democrats pro-choice, right? WRONG. They're all anti "Average Joe." They side for the votes only. Democrats play for the minority vote and it's the minorities who have the most abortions. It's as if they either have to KILL them or take care of them. Republicans want you to live so they can hold you in servitude from $8.00 to $18.00/hr. After you're 62 years old, then republicans want you dead. Pro-choice is really pro-convenience. And pro-lifers aren't nearly doing enough to help these young women. We call ourselves a Christian nation???

BudgetIndicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing the federal budget.In order to balance the budget,SpendingIndicate what federal spending levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category; you can use a number more than once.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.

Yes do you support reducing defense spending?
No do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
Yes do you support reducing Medicaid spending?
Yes do you support reducing Medicare spending?
Yes Is balancing the budget an administrative priority?
Greatly Decrease a) Agriculture
Maintain Status b) Arts
Slightly Decrease c) Defense
Eliminate d) Education
Slightly Increase e) Environment
Maintain Status f) Homeland Security
Greatly Decrease g) International aid
Maintain Status h) Medical Research
Slightly Decrease i) Scientific Research
Slightly Decrease j) Space exploration
Slightly Decrease k) United Nations
Eliminate l) Welfare
Greatly Decrease m) Other or expanded categories
Slightly Increase a) Capital gains taxes
Maintain Status b) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status c) Excise taxes (alcohol)
Maintain Status d) Excise taxes (cigarettes)
Maintain Status e) Excise taxes (transportation fuel)
Maintain Status f) Income taxes (low-income families)
Maintain Status g) Income taxes (middle-income families)
Maintain Status h) Income taxes (high-income families)
Maintain Status i) Inheritance taxes
Maintain Status j) Payroll taxes
Greatly Decrease k) Other or expanded categories
700+ bases around the world. Bring percentage of our troops home. (Ron Paul, "At least they'll be spending our tax $$ here.") Salaries/benefits cut from the top (Generals, etc.), not the bottom. Reductions in Medicare/Medicaid through realistic payments to pharmaceuticals/insurance companies. I can stop fraud with no cost to government. Balancing the budget is my #1 priority, along with eliminating retirements and benefits for congress when they leave office. Jefferson said, "You leave your job, come in and serve, go back to your job." Congress won't, so we'll GO AROUND THEM and do an amendment by "Convention of the People"
Our government shouldn't be taking care of 50 states and/or 308 million people. States need to take care of their own. The feds have proven they can't take care of us, yet they continue to try. LEAVE 50% OF OUR INCOME TAXES in our cities/counties, 30% to states (if they choose), 20% to the feds. Welfare/education become a county or state issue. Lee Iacocca, "Administrators should aspire to be teachers, not teachers aspiring to be administrators." Administrator would not make more than a 10yr veteran teacher. Minimum 60% of budgets go directly to students. But this is a county issue.
Capital gains is income, isn't it? 15% tax bracket for the poor and the rich. Average American without CGs gets screwed!!! First, we keep the small businesses in this country going. Reduce taxes to 3% or 5%. Start up companies ,especially employee owned, pay no CGs for 3yrs. A 5% rate would interest corporations, wouldn't you say. Carrot on a stick theory. Corporations that make products outside of our country and sell inside or outside our country are taxed higher. Corporate $$ held outside the country will be taxed regardless. They can leave our country, they don't need us anyway!
Yes Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
Another easy one. Contributions from individuals only. Limit 10,000 to 25,000 dollars per person. The only real election outside of a state is for the presidency. Corporations are not people. The only way to get $$ away from corrupt congresspersons is with a balance budget amendment. They take money from us (fed gov't) that we don't have and take it back to the states and corporations. "See what I got you. Now send me back to congress." Balancing the budget takes away the money and they leave. These people still screw us, but they'll do it from the private sector.
No Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
Sorry if I don't understand. If you are pro-life, how can you be pro capital punishment? I'd hate to be there when God says, "This man didn't commit that crime!" OK, let's take God out of it and tell me- There has never been an execution of an innocent person. Case Closed.
No Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Yes Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation?
No Do you support spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
No Do you support the 2010 temporary extension of unemployment benefits?
No Do you support the 2010 temporary extension of tax relief?
Federal spending to promote economic growth. The question blatantly shows us how congress knows how to do only one thing- SPEND $$. Tax incentives for small businesses. See first page under "Taxes." Unemployment- Person works at a company for 5 years and if laid off receives one full year of pay & benefits. 10yrs = 2yrs, and so on up to 25yrs = 5yrs of full pay and benefits. Win/Win for everyone: 1) Businesses pay no unemployment insurance after a employee has been there 5yrs. 2) Takes the federal government out of unemployment. 3) Helps workers with security.
No Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants?
The federal government will have nothing to do with education, but keep stats.
Yes Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change?
Yes Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
No Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production?
Let's forget climate change for a moment. Simple question- Does a car or factory pollute? The thought of oil/drilling companies with few, if any, regulations scares the hell out of me. They proven over and over again how they have THEIR best interest at heart. Anyone old enough to remember Lake Erie on fire. I'm sorry, but in a major incident, I don't have a belief that our federal government has the competence to tell us the truth or handle problems. Examples: Katrina. BP spill. If BP spilled oil in your yard, would you pump gas from their filling station.
No Do you support United States' combat operations in Afghanistan?
No Do you support a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan?
Yes Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict?
If I leave troops there (and I don't see that happening) or sent them in elsewhere, I guarantee you, they will be ALLOWED to do the job! War today is no longer armies fighting other big armies. Terrorism is a newer type war, which the armed forces have taken 10 years to learn how to fight. NO ONE has ever won a war in Afghanistan! Not the Mongolians, not the Soviet Union and now not the United States!
No Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
My belief is the 2nd amendment is there to overthrown the government, if need be. I've been campaigning for two years. Everyone knows people are Pissed Off. What most don't know is that people are very nervous. There is a fear for their families. People see the government taking us down a road towards anarchy. This country is afraid to take action against those who illegally possess weapons. It was once said that gangs are terrorists. Terrorizing communities. Yet they walk free. A policeman needs to be able to search someone he believes is carrying an illegal firearm in public.
No Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
No Should individuals be required to purchase health insurance, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
I guarantee you there's something good in this act for the American people. Maybe not all of it, but some of it. So WHY haven't Republicans ever even tried to come up with a better solution. Tell me WHY their only goal is to scrap all of it. WHY IS THAT? Insurance companies want it repealed and they own our congress, republicans and democrats.
No Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
Yes Do you support allowing illegal immigrants, who were brought to the United States as minors, to pursue citizenship without returning to their country of origin?
Yes Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration law by state and local police?
One more time, the federal government proves they can't take care of us. So they go after states and local municipalities for doing the job, that they can't or won't. It's no wonder our country is declining when different governmental agencies refuse to work towards a common goal. So you want to secure our borders. Remember Ronald Reagan, "Tear down that wall, Mr Gorbachev." President Obama's lie- He takes credit for less border crossings. Maybe that's because there is no work in this country. I guess we can use some of those soldiers we're bringing back from overseas military bases!
No Do you support same-sex marriage?
This is a state issue. States need to take care of their own people. Why is our federal government trying to control all 50 states and/or all 308 million people. I have a gay friend, who if I needed help, would be right there for me. And I would be for him. We both agree that "Marriage" is not the answer. I hear the passion when he talks about a lover, yet the gay idea is way out of my comprehension. He is a human being, exactly like me.
No Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?
NO! And I have several reasons. Instead here's how I CAN SAVE SOCIAL SECURITY. During my 2 months of campaigning in New Hampshire, I attended "College Convention 2012." A speaker had the typical narrow minded solution- "Raise the cap." Better Solution- Permanently lock cap at $100,000 for earners and businesses paying 6.5%. Raise cap for earners to $150,000 at 3%. Businesses pay no additional tax. Win/Win. Billionaires pay their entire SS within hours on Jan 1st. Their contribution to us "poor folks" would be pay 3% on incomes between 1 and 10 million, till the boomers past through the system.
I am disappointed with this website. Every answer has several variables. They did not touch on the corruption in our finance or corporate systems. I am pro-business, but I'm anti corruption. Most of these problems are solvable. Trouble is they ask questions which basically split the country 50/50. I have spoke with many, many people and the feelings on abortion and gay marriage run so deep. These are not problems that myself or anyone else for that matter can solve. To me the biggest problem facing America is to stop the bleeding, The National Debt. They've taken our children's future.

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