Shaun McCausland's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Shaun McCausland has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2014 Political Courage Test.
Utah Congressional Election 2014 Political Courage Test
| Pro-life | Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| I do believe that there are some instances where abortion may be indicated when the life or health of the mother is at stake. In most cases I am in favor of carrying to term and adopting if the child is not wanted. | |||
| Yes | In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending? | ||
| No | In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? | ||
| I prefer to abolish the IRS and Income tax and institute a national sales tax administered by the states on all nonessential purchases (excluding food, housing, medical care, etc.) This makes it so the poor do not pay taxes but the rich can not hide behind loopholes. It also taxes previously untaxed people such as criminals and those who receive inheritances, insurance settlements and lottery winners. | |||
| Yes | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| I believe we should allow individuals only to contribute to campaigns and not hide behind (or be forced to contribute by) corporations, unions, PACs, SuperPACs, etc. I believe all registered candidates should have access to sufficient time on public TV and radio to make their case and state their platform. That equals the playing field. | |||
| Yes | Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| I also think that the burden of proof for capital convictions must be higher so as to minimize the possibility of wrongful conviction and execution. | |||
| No | Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| Yes | Do you support lowering taxes as a way of promoting growth in the economy? | ||
| Yes | Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| As a general rule, I believe the best government is the least possible government. Again, get rid of the IRS and individual and corporate taxation. That is the way to promote growth and create jobs. Doing it any other way favors the specific individuals and corporations singled out to be helped and leaves out small business which is the lifeblood of this country. Excise taxes and tariffs and a national sales tax on nonessential items will raise the same amount of money while lowering the cost of goods and services and creating jobs and prosperity. | |||
| No | Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants? | ||
| The Federal government should not be involved in funding, designing or mandating anything in the educational field. That is rightly and Constitutionally the responsibility and opportunity of the parents, the local schools (government, private and home) and the individual states. The department of education should be closed and No Child Left Behind and Common Core should be terminated immediately. | |||
| Yes | Do you support building the Keystone XL pipeline? | ||
| Yes | Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production? | ||
| In both these cases, we need to be sure that we are considering impacts on environment and especially ground water supplies. If those considerations are cared for, I am all for increasing domestic supplies and reducing our involvement in foreign governments and the oil produced there. | |||
| Yes | Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change? | ||
| No | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| This requires more explanation than I am given room for. I believe humans have a small effect on climate, but we do have responsibility to be good caretakers of our environment and need to consider the scientific data carefully. I do not believe that carbon dioxide is a pollutant and carbon emissions are not the prime worry. Pollution of known poisons is different than CO2 (which feeds plants and is a natural byproduct of existence for humans and animals). | |||
| No | Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| Except as it applies to known violent criminals and people under the care of psychologists/psychiatrists that have violent tendencies. The right to bear arms is not about targets and squirrels only. It is also about being able to defend ourselves and families against any tyranny or threat, foreign, criminal or domestic including government if it becomes tyrannical and oppressive of Constitutional rights. | |||
| Yes | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act? | ||
| It has not solved the problems that is was supposed to address. We need to scrap it and reform health care in the areas that are actually needed - tort reform, medical responsibility including removing the license of practitioners that are careless or incompetent, public access to comment and records about medical providers including doctors, hospitals and other care-givers. What we are doing now leaves many without access to coverage while penalizing them because they can't afford it, but benefits those who can most afford their own care. Not a good solution! | |||
| Yes | Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? | ||
| The borders must first be controlled so that criminals, gangs and terrorists can not come here. I believe we need to increase access to legal immigration and even eventual citizenship, but those who are here illegally need to go back with their families and come through the front door after being invited instead of sneaking in the back. They need to pass a background check and do it the right way so they can have confidence in and respect for the laws they will need to obey while here. | |||
| No | Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
| I believe that government should not be involved in marriage in any way - not restricting it or approving or licensing it. I believe in equal legal rights for all and making all those rights available through contract. In that situation, same sex couples can consider themselves married if they want, but the government is not involved. I believe that the term "marriage" refers to a man-woman relationship. If they want to consider themselves married, I don't care. If they want the government to force me to call them married, I have a problem with that. | |||
| 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 governments hostile to the United States from possessing a nuclear weapon? | ||
| Problem with the question. Who decides? American citizens should never be targeted without due process and a chance to defend themselves. What is an "official theater"? If they are not employed by a government, they are fair game wherever they are if they are a known terrorist. If they are employed by a foreign government, that government is responsible for their actions which then can be used as an act of war with resulting consequences. | |||
| Yes | Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? | ||
| I believe everyone should be able to opt out of Social Security, but they should not be able to collect any SS funds if they do so. The same process for Medicare/Medicaid. | |||
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 | ||
| Eliminate | b) Arts | ||
| Slightly Decrease | c) Defense | ||
| Eliminate | d) Education | ||
| Greatly Decrease | e) Environment | ||
| Eliminate | f) Homeland Security | ||
| Eliminate | g) International aid | ||
| Eliminate | h) Medical Research | ||
| Eliminate | i) Scientific Research | ||
| Slightly Increase | j) Space exploration | ||
| Eliminate | k) United Nations | ||
| Eliminate | l) Welfare | ||
| Eliminate | a) Capital gains taxes | ||
| Eliminate | b) Corporate taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | c) Excise taxes (alcohol) | ||
| Slightly Increase | d) Excise taxes (cigarettes) | ||
| Slightly Increase | 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 | ||
| Eliminate | j) Payroll taxes | ||
| Defense should be decreased as we bring our service people home and focus on a defensive military, closing most foreign bases. We need to pay our enlisted people better and stop paying mercenaries (up to $700 per day) to protect corporations who can pay for their own security. Environmental concerns are a state issue unless a company is polluting multiple states - that is the limited role the EPA can choose at a greatly decreased funding rate. Space exploration is best done by private concerns, except as it pertains to national defense. We need a presence in space. | |||
| Tariffs, excise taxes and a national sales tax on non-essential items is the best revenue producer and the most fair to all. Eliminate all the others first so we do not get taxed multiple times. | |||
| Congress (every member) needs to take their role seriously as a check and balance on abuse of power by the President and the Judiciary. Executive Orders should be examined and nullified if they exceed the power granted to the President or violate the US Constitution in any way. Congress should also stop judicial over-reach by either removing judges that are incompetent or violating the Constitution or by passing new law if necessary to stop judicial creation of law and policies carrying the weight of law. |
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