Richard Speer'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.
Issue Positions
For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2022.
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- "I have long argued for fiscal responsibility and for a Balanced Budget amendment to enforce that fiscal responsibility. " (www.speerforcongress.com)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- "I believe in a strong defense. I believe a strong defense is the best deterrent to external aggressors." (www.speerforcongress.com)
- "Furthermore, I will not vote for any budget that does not reduce spending from that of the prior year. I will also fight to end all subsidies. Subsidies are nothing more than the government deciding which business will succeed and which will fail, using taxpayer money to execute their plan." (www.speerforcongress.com)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- "Locally, parents, in every state, need to demand unlimited school choice, meaning that the 100% of the education dollars follow the child to the education choice of the parent" (www.speerforcongress.com)
- "We have the ability to be energy independent; in fact, under the previous administration we became new exporters of energy products, coal, oil, and natural gas. If weâre worried about CO2, then the answer is expansion of nuclear power. The only cleaner, baseload source is hydroelectric, and we have been moving backward in that arena. Nuclear is clean, safe, and comparatively cheap when operating on an even playing field." (www.speerforcongress.com)
- "We have the ability to be energy independent; in fact, under the previous administration we became new exporters of energy products, coal, oil, and natural gas. If weâre worried about CO2, then the answer is expansion of nuclear power. The only cleaner, baseload source is hydroelectric, and we have been moving backward in that arena. Nuclear is clean, safe, and comparatively cheap when operating on an even playing field." (www.speerforcongress.com)
- "Letâs first clear up a common misunderstanding, the 2nd Amendment does not grant the right to the American people to keep and bear arms; quite the contrary, the Founders considered that a Natural Right and the 2nd Amendment was advanced to prevent government from interfering with that Right." (www.speerforcongress.com)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- "The United States is a nation of immigrants; to that end, I support, wholeheartedly, legal immigration from all corners. What this nation, and indeed no nation, can tolerate is the uncontrolled flood of immigrants seeking a better life, bypassing the normal and legal immigration process." (www.speerforcongress.com)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- "After nearly two decades in Iraq and Afghanistan, the countries themselves are not functionally any better off than when we entered." (www.speerforcongress.com)
- "That being said, I do not support military adventurism. In too many conflicts, some recent and others not so recent, we have gone in without a clear objective. " (www.speerforcongress.com)
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.
| Pro-life | Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| In todays lexicon, Pro-Choice means Pro-Abortion. Abortion is nothing more complicated than infantacide. Infanticide is murder. Regardless how the law treats the issue, the almighty will address the issue in the end. Those who support the act or enact law supporting or allowing the act will be judges as guilty as those who commit the act. That being said, from a legal stand point, it should be up to each individual state to decide what their laws should be regarding the topic, not the federal government. | |||
| Yes | Do you support United States' combat operations in Afghanistan? | ||
| No | Do you support a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan? | ||
| The act of engaging enemies of the United States residing within Afghanistan was a wholly proper and legitimate act. One can debate whether or not the campaign has been carried out effectively; I tend to think not. That said, determining and broadcasting a predetermined timetable for withdrawal form any action is irresponsible at best. It signals to the enemy that they have already won and allows them to sit back and await the withdrawal prior to resuming their own combat operations. | |||
Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing the federal budget.In order to balance the budget,
| No | 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? | ||
| No | do you support reducing Medicare spending? | ||
| Yes | Is balancing the budget a legislative priority? | ||
| On defense, that is one of the few primary responsibilities of the federal government, we need to spend more wisely, but we've already cut too far. On taxes, I support abolishing the income tax all together and implementing a form of national sales tax. Medicaid is currently used to support too many whom it should not and therefore spending should be redused and the remainder focused where it should be. Medicare should be phases out over time but not cut for those whom it has been promised and who have few current choices. A balanced budget should be first priority. | |||
| Yes | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| I support regulation of these contributions only so far as that the regulations 1) do not violate the ability of either to openly express their opinions, and 2) such regulations apply equally to each. For example, if unions can use union dues to fund political speach (e.g., backing a candidate, promoting an issue) them business should be able to use profits for the same purpose. The bottom line is that each party must be treated fairly and equally. | |||
| Yes | Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| Those crimes that involve the willful taking of life, whether as the primary purpose of or secondary effect of the crime, warrant consideration of capital punishment. | |||
| 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 temporary extension of unemployment benefits? | ||
| Do you support the 2010 temporary extension of tax relief? | |||
| Federal spending should be limited to those expendatures necessary to carry out the primary responsibilities of the federal government (i.e., defense, federal justice system, foreign relations), such other obligations as assumed by the government (i.e., servicing the debt, social security, medicare), and limited infrastructure projects which fall under federal jurisdiction. Regarding tax relief, income tax relief is supportable. In my opinion, the payroll tax relief program is nothing more than an irresponsible redistribution scheme. Ultimately the entire tax system should be redesigned eliminating all income tax and replacing it with a national sales tax. | |||
| Yes | Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants? | ||
| Yes, if federal funds are to be granted. In reality, I believe the Department of Education should be abolished. All responsibility for education should be reurned to the states. Federal revnue collection should be adjusted downward to reflect greater needs at the state level. Federal education spending should be limited to the service academys, education benifits for veterans, and limited educational benefits within other federal departments. | |||
| No | Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change? | ||
| No | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| Clean air is obviously important; it is even necessary for healthy living. That being said, human contributions to climate change via greenhouse gases is grossely overstated. Most of the studies proporting to show significant human impact have either been demonstrated to be based on poor data collection protocols or outright false information. A single moderate volcanic event spews gasses and particulate the equivelant of several years worth of human activity. Solar flares are another significant factor in determining the climate on our planet due to the monumental amount of energy contained in a single flare. | |||
| No | Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| The second amendment states "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." This amendment speaks to a Militia, not Army; it speaks to the security of the state, not country; and it speaks to the right of the people, not government. I believe the founders, the crafters of the Constitution, were as concerned with protection from an abusive federal government as they were from a foreign army. That is why those rights are so important. | |||
| 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? | ||
| Regarding the need to repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act, it is my opinion that sections of the Act can be proven to violate the 1st, 4th, 5th, 7th and 10th amendments to the Constitution. Given these conditions, the Supreme Court should vacate the entire law, and if such decision is not forthcoming, congress should repeal the Act. | |||
| Yes | Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? | ||
| No | 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? | ||
| Given the current magnitude of the problem, at a very minimum, states should have the right to apprehend and hold illegal immigrants until proper custody is taken by federal authorities. If such federal authorities refuse to carry out their duly appointed responsibilities, then the states should have the right to step in and fulfill those duties. In addition, if inaction is directed at the political appointee level, impeachments should be forthcoming; if based on decisions at the federal employee level, terminations should be forthcoming. | |||
| No | Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
| Marriage is an institution based on religious foundations. This religious institution has been adopted by the state and federal governments as the legal contract binding the family unit. If same sex couples wish to co-habitate, that is their business, and governments may grant them civil unions or other such contenance, but marriage is union of one man and one woman. | |||
| Yes | Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict? | ||
| Yes | Should the U.S use military force in order to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon? | ||
| I believe it is in our national security interest to use whatever means are necessary to prevent the current Iranian government from obtaining nuclear weapons. In addition, I believe that the President, Vice President, Secretary of Defense, and Secretary of State should be held personnaly liable in a court of law for any injury forthcoming for the failure to take whatever means are necessary to prevent such acquisition. The current relations and demonstrated fanatism of the leaders of Iran dictate nothing less. | |||
| Yes | Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? | ||
| I believe a program should be implemented to phase out the entire Social Security System beginning with phased in personal retirement accounts. Such a program would likely take 40-years to fully implement, but should be a top priority. | |||
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.
| Eliminate | a) Agriculture | ||
| Greatly Decrease | b) Arts | ||
| Slightly Increase | c) Defense | ||
| Eliminate | d) Education | ||
| Greatly Decrease | e) Environment | ||
| Slightly Decrease | f) Homeland Security | ||
| Greatly Decrease | g) International aid | ||
| Eliminate | h) Medical Research | ||
| Greatly Decrease | i) Scientific Research | ||
| Maintain Status | j) Space exploration | ||
| Eliminate | k) United Nations | ||
| Eliminate | l) Welfare | ||
| Eliminate | a) Capital gains taxes | ||
| Eliminate | b) Corporate taxes | ||
| Eliminate | c) Excise taxes (alcohol) | ||
| Eliminate | d) Excise taxes (cigarettes) | ||
| Maintain Status | e) Excise taxes (transportation fuel) | ||
| Eliminate | f) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Eliminate | g) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Eliminate | h) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| Eliminate | i) Inheritance taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | j) Payroll taxes | ||
| Greatly Increase | k) Other or expanded categories | ||
| Defenst is one of the foundational responsibilities of the federal government and it should alwary be the goal to be capable of responding in to two theaters simultaneously. Agriculture, the Arts, and Medical Research all belong in the private sector. Scientific Research belongs mainly in the private sector, however, there are some areas of government interest such as Space Exploration. Education and Welfare are State responsibilities and funding should reside therein. The modern United Nations is largley an socialist, America bashing club and should be abandoned. Most International Aid, particularly that associated with the UN should be eliminated. | |||
| I believe we need to transition away from an income based tax system and adopt a tax system based on sales taxes. I wouls support certain excise taxes, such as a fuel tax, provided as near as acheivable 100% of said funds went maintaining and improving the sector (e.g., federal gas tax for highway improvement/maintenance, airline ticket fee (tax) for improvement/maintenance of federal aviation infrastructure). | |||
| Priority one, immediately reduce federal spending to 18% of GDP and continue reducing at a rate of one-third of a percent per year for twelve years. Enact Balanced Budget amendment. This is necessary to encourage job creation in the private sector. Priority two, establish energy independence. Open up all known reserves to development and encourage renewed nuclear development. Eliminate the Department of Energy and redistribute it's responsibilities. Priority three, reestablish educational preeminence. Eliminate the Department of Education and send responsibilities back to states and local school boards. Encourage the States to encourage competition in the education system. |
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