Dean Morstad's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Dean Morstad has demonstrated Political Courage by telling citizens where he stands on the issues he may face if elected.
Presidential Election 2012 Political Courage Test
| Pro-life | Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| I believe that all life is valuable and that life begins at conception. In order to balance the sanctity of life and freedom of choice, the conversation regarding abortion rights needs to revolve around a scientific definition of when life begins. America must invest in this scientific research to create a definition of life which we can use to support equitable legislation that substantially protects an unborn human being without limiting the rights of individuals. | |||
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? | ||
| Yes | 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 | ||
| Greatly Decrease | b) Arts | ||
| Greatly Decrease | c) Defense | ||
| Greatly Decrease | d) Education | ||
| Slightly Decrease | e) Environment | ||
| Greatly Decrease | f) Homeland Security | ||
| Eliminate | g) International aid | ||
| Slightly Decrease | h) Medical Research | ||
| Slightly Decrease | i) Scientific Research | ||
| Slightly Decrease | j) Space exploration | ||
| Slightly Decrease | k) United Nations | ||
| Greatly Decrease | l) Welfare | ||
| Eliminate | m) Other or expanded categories | ||
| Slightly Decrease | 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) | ||
| Greatly Decrease | g) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Greatly Decrease | h) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| Eliminate | i) Inheritance taxes | ||
| Greatly Decrease | j) Payroll taxes | ||
| Greatly Decrease | k) Other or expanded categories | ||
| I advocate the reduction or elimination of federal spending across the board. | |||
| I would eliminate agriculture and energy subsidies. | |||
| In the first three years of my administration, we will reduce personal income taxes to a flat rate of 15% across the board for all incomes (including capital gains). The standard deduction will remain to prevent tax increases on the poor and middle class. All other deductions will be eliminated. I support elimination of the inheritance tax. In the fourth year of my administration, I advocate the elimination of all personal income taxes. Excise taxes will remain in place at current levels. | |||
| Yes | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| Corporations, unions and non-profits should be restricted from campaign contributions of any type to any political organization. Contributions to any campaign, or PAC should be limited to $2,500 individual contributions from US Citizens per organization per election cycle. | |||
| No | Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| As a firm believer in the sanctity of all human life, I will not support the termination of any human life. | |||
| No | Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| No | 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? | ||
| I do not support federal spending of any type on economic growth. All tax cuts should be permanent. Job creation is not driven by tax incentives, but through increased customers and sales. The 2010 temporary extension of unemployment benefits is an unfair burden to the states which must repay these federal loans. The 2010 temporary extension of tax relief is an unethical reduction in Social Security receipts without reducing liabilities and puts the Social Security Trust Fund at risk. Reducing taxes will spur economic growth, which will in turn generate jobs. | |||
| No | Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants? | ||
| I recommend the elimination of the Department of Education, Federal education funding, and all educational requirements for the states (e.g. standardized testing and curriculum requirements). Each state should be responsible for their own educational standards and funding. Reduced Federal income taxes on individuals will allow states to increase state taxes to make up for the eliminated federal education funds. With the elimination of Federal education requirements, each state will have the freedom and power to customize their own education standards to become more competitive, both nationally and internationally. | |||
| Yes | Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change? | ||
| Yes | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| Yes | Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production? | ||
| Human activity does impact the environment we live in, but on a micro level. The largest impact for climate change comes from other sources (like the sun). If America wants to invest in the research of climate change, we must bring all core research back to the US from the Climate Research Unit of East Anglia University (England). I am still committed to protecting the air quality in the US and the Federal government must continue to regulate emissions which threaten that quality. I support the current level of restrictions on off-shore energy production to protect our natural resources. | |||
| No | Do you support United States' combat operations in Afghanistan? | ||
| Yes | Do you support a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan? | ||
| No | Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict? | ||
| The United States is in Afghanistan fighting against rebel forces that don't want foreign troops on their soil. These are the Taliban. The Afghani people fought the Soviets until they left and we face the same fate. We need to withdraw from Afghanistan and let the people of that country decide their own future. My time-table for withdrawal from Afghanistan would be before the most current Defense Authorization Act expires. As President, I will not sign any more Defense Authorization Acts unless Congress explicitly declares war and outlines a funding source to pay for it without borrowing. | |||
| Yes | Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| I am a firm supporter of the Second Amendment and firmly support gun ownership rights in America. I also believe that there are dangerous people in our society, such as convicted felons, who should not own guns. I support conceal and carry legislation and I would work with Congress to repeal any Federal programs which track the purchase or ownership of guns. | |||
| Yes | 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 do not believe that the Federal government should be providing medical payments of any type to private insurance companies. I also believe that the Federal government should not be in the business of providing health services. These are services that should be provided by the individual states. I would work with Congress and the states on phasing out Federal health care benefits in exchange for State-sponsored programs. The state programs could be funded through reduced Federal income taxes for individuals. | |||
| Yes | 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? | ||
| All Federal laws on immigration and naturalization should be enforced to the fullest extent. Immigrants who are in the United States illegally should return to their countries of origin before they are eligible for citizenship, regardless of their age when they arrived. There are some immigrants who are in the US illegally who have been here for a substantial amount of time and are contributing members of society. I would support legislation in Congress that allows immigrants to apply for temporary resident visas if they have been here for 20 years or longer, provided they applied for citizenship. | |||
| No | Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
| I do not support the Federal government defining or regulating marriage at all. DOMA should be amended to recognize the definition of marriage for each individual state. And Article IX, sections 1 and 2 of the Constitution requires that each state should recognize the laws of every other state (even regarding marriage), and each state should allow the citizens of any state to marry under their laws. | |||
| No | Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? | ||
| I support amending the Social Security laws to allow citizens to opt out of the Social Security program, and thus out of payments into the program. Any funds paid in by someone who opts out would be held in the Social Security Trust Fund until that citizen passes away (or renounces their citizenship), after which those funds will be redistributed among remaining Social Security participants. No future enrollments would be allowed and the program will be replaced by state programs, and can be funded by savings from reduced federal income taxes. | |||
| My first top priority after being elected is to restore fiscal responsibility. I will freeze the federal debt ceiling, reduce the federal budget and start paying down the federal debt. My second top priority will be to bring US troops home from abroad. As commander-in-chief, I will draw down troop levels around the world and bring them home to protect our borders. My third priority after being elected will be to simplify and reduce the Federal tax codes. I will work with Congress to reduce and eliminate federal income tax rates for individuals, and eliminate subsidies and loopholes for corporations. |
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