Jason Kendall's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
Key
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.
Jason Kendall has refused to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2016 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.
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 2012.
- Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? "Pro-choice" (votesmart.org)
- Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? “Pro-choice” (votesmart.org)
- “Mandatory sexual education starting in 6th grade for all public school children. Keep contraceptives inexpensive and accessible. Stop funding failed abstinence only programs. Keep abortions rare and limited but do not take away a woman's right to choose.” (votesmart.org)
- "Mandatory sexual education starting in 6th grade for all public school children. Keep contraceptives inexpensive and accessible. Stop funding failed abstinence only programs. Keep abortions rare and limited but do not take away a woman's right to choose." (votesmart.org)
- Jason Kendall. Foreign Policy: Power, Peace, Fortune, and Fundamentals. 11 April 2012. "The Federal Government's main objective with foreign policy is to defend against foreign invaders with diplomacy and force while promoting our interests abroad. Other
- Jason Kendall. Issue Position: Defense Department. 1 January 2012. "It's refreshing to see at least one department in the United States government that is making the necessary sacrifices (as they always do) in order to help America retreat from the brink
- 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.
- Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? "No" (votesmart.org)
- Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? “No” (votesmart.org)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- “I have no problem with tying federal funds to schools based upon the physical education of that school. States and local communities must be allowed to set their own standards for education.” (votesmart.org)
- Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants? “Yes” (votesmart.org)
- “I believe that the federal government should only have 4 roles in public education. 1.Pay for the National School Lunch Program 2.Help pay for E-books, Nooks, Ipads and other technology that will help all American Public schools go digital 3.Set a nationwide fitness standard and grant federal funds based upon fitness/wellness achievement of each school 4.Support States with research information about the progress of educational achievements from other States “ (www.votekendall2016.com)
- “I will vote to repeal No Child Left Behind. Instead of standards-based education reform based on the unrealistic high standards with unachievable goals, I support true education reform by introducing technology into every classroom in America. By getting rid of traditional hardcover textbooks and replacing them with e-readers and digital books, every school in America will be saving money while teaching students on a platform they understand and can learn on. I also support National Fitness Standards that will be tied to federal grants based upon the overall fitness and well-being of the students in that school.” (votesmart.org)
- Jason Kendall. Issue Position: Energy. 1 January 2012. "We must begin smart and safe offshore drilling. Over 200,000 new U.S. jobs can be created once we begin to open up our natural gas and oil reserves in the Gulf. Once Congress creates a proper liabi
- “I support reducing the budget of the EPA and making the agency more efficient and reducing its overall cost to taxpayers. I also support subsidizes for new commercial building construction in order to help build more energy efficient buildings.” (votesmart.org)
- Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? “Yes” (votesmart.org)
- “I don’t think that we should be loosening up any of the regulations that we currently have. We do need to focus on the issue with climate change and work towards reducing our dependency on fossil fuels.” (www.facebook.com)
- "I donât think that we should be loosening up any of the regulations that we currently have. We do need to focus on the issue with climate change and work towards reducing our dependency on fossil fuels." (www.facebook.com)
- "I support reducing the budget of the EPA and making the agency more efficient and reducing its overall cost to taxpayers. I also support subsidizes for new commercial building construction in order to help build more energy efficient buildings." (votesmart.org)
- Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? "Yes" (votesmart.org)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Jason Kendall. Issue Position: Health Care. 1 January 2012. "It is immoral for such a so-called Christian Nation to have an industry that is profiting off the death and illness of others. We had a good health care system until Wall Street in the 1980s decided to begin to profit off health insurance. Since then we have seen our health care cost skyrocket while more and more people cannot afford basic coverage [¦] President Obama's Health Care Plan does nothing to rein in the high cost of medical treatments. American businesses cannot compete against international rivals due to the high cost of health care in America." (votesmart.org)
- Jason Kendall. Solutions: Illegal Immigration. 11 April 2012. "The FairTax helps solve part of the illegal immigration problem by forcing everyone to pay into our tax system and allows us to move to the next issue which is providing a clear pathway to cit
- Jason Kendall. Issue Position: Immigration. 1 January 2012. "Is it feasible to chase down all illegal immigrants and deport them? No." (votesmart.org)
- “At the same time, we need to have a process in place to legalize the current illegal immigrants that we have in the this country, after we have verified that they are nonviolent immigrants and that they are here to work.” (independentflorida.com)
- Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? “No” (votesmart.org)
- “In the court case, Gonzales v. City of Peoria, the Ninth Circuit ruled an immigration case that the "general rule is that local police are not precluded from enforcing federal statutes," 722 F.2d 468, 474 (9th Cir. 1983). Also a "state trooper has general investigatory authority to inquire into possible immigration violations," United States v. Salinas-Calderon, 728 F.2d 1298, 1301 n.3 (10th Cir. 1984). The states should be limited in their authority in cases involving immigration, however it is not unconstitutional for a local/state officer to inquire about the immigration status of anyone who has been arrested.” (votesmart.org)
- Jason Kendall. Issue Position: Gay Marriage. "The question is thus basic- does the government have the right to deny two consenting adults the ability to enter into a contract together? I would have to say no. Not only does the Constitution not discuss marriage- the Bible does not grant the State the right to sanction a marriage. I understand the argument against gay marriage and respect that there are many individuals who want to keep marriage between a man and a woman. In order to keep marriage only between a man and a woman, while also granting gay couples the rights that they should not be denied- Separate but Equal works in this situation. As long as the benefits and rights are equal and protected by the State, I support civil unions for gay couples and marriages for straight couples. I do not want to live in a society where two consenting adults are denied the ability to enter into a contract together or where someone's loved one is in the hospital and they are denied access to visit that individual." (votesmart.org)
- Jason Kendall. Moral Issues: Gay Marriage. 11 April 2012. "All Americans are guaranteed the Rights of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness- how they so choose to use these rights is up to each individual." (www.jhk2012.com)
- “I do not want to live in a society where two consenting adults are denied the ability to enter into a contract together or where someone's loved one is in the hospital and they are denied access to visit that individual.” (votesmart.org)
- “If a State wishes to honor a marriage contract between two consenting adults, the Federal government has no authority to absolve it. Both sides of the argument are compelling- one being that marriage is ordained by God and should only be between a Man and Woman and the other that denying two consenting adults the right to enter into a contract to be married is unjust and wrongly denies individuals their right to Liberty.” (votesmart.org)
- “I support civil unions that grant the same benefits, rights and obligations that a marriage does. I do not support forcing a church to define marriage nor do I support denying two consenting adults the right to enter into a contract together. I do not support a constitutional amendment defining a marriage as between a man and woman. Marriage is a contract based in property law. No gov't has the right to deny two consenting adults from entering into a contract together. Change the name of the institution for same-sex couples but guarantee the same rights and obligations.” (votesmart.org)
- “The question is thus basic- does the government have the right to deny two consenting adults the ability to enter into a contract together? I would have to say no. Not only does the Constitution not discuss marriage- the Bible does not grant the State the right to sanction a marriage.” (votesmart.org)
- "I do not want to live in a society where two consenting adults are denied the ability to enter into a contract together or where someone's loved one is in the hospital and they are denied access to visit that individual." (votesmart.org)
- "If a State wishes to honor a marriage contract between two consenting adults, the Federal government has no authority to absolve it. Both sides of the argument are compelling- one being that marriage is ordained by God and should only be between a Man and Woman and the other that denying two consenting adults the right to enter into a contract to be married is unjust and wrongly denies individuals their right to Liberty." (votesmart.org)
- "I support civil unions that grant the same benefits, rights and obligations that a marriage does. I do not support forcing a church to define marriage nor do I support denying two consenting adults the right to enter into a contract together. I do not support a constitutional amendment defining a marriage as between a man and woman. Marriage is a contract based in property law. No gov't has the right to deny two consenting adults from entering into a contract together. Change the name of the institution for same-sex couples but guarantee the same rights and obligations." (votesmart.org)
- "The question is thus basic- does the government have the right to deny two consenting adults the ability to enter into a contract together? I would have to say no. Not only does the Constitution not discuss marriage- the Bible does not grant the State the right to sanction a marriage." (votesmart.org)
- Jason Kendall. Issues: Foreign Policy: Terrorism. 11 April 2012. "The United States military must re-organize itself to combat the new threats to America. With the Cold War at an end, America is now threatened by religious extremist who owe no allegiance
- Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict? “Yes” (votesmart.org)
- “Only with greater free trade and better partnerships with all nations will war end. We also have a vested interest in protecting markets overseas and I believe that the United States has a right to intervene militarily if these markets are threatened.” (votesmart.org)
- Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? “Yes” (votesmart.org)
- “I support increasing the retirement age. Social Security is not an entitlement program but was an investment program which those workers who paid into the system must be rightfully paid back. I also support means-testing for benefits.” (votesmart.org)
- "I support increasing the retirement age. Social Security is not an entitlement program but was an investment program which those workers who paid into the system must be rightfully paid back. I also support means-testing for benefits." (votesmart.org)
- Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? "Yes" (votesmart.org)
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-choice | Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| Mandatory sexual education starting in 6th grade for all public school children. Keep contraceptives inexpensive and accessible. Stop funding failed abstinence only programs. Keep abortions rare and limited but do not take away a woman's right to choose. | |||
| Yes | Do you support United States' combat operations in Afghanistan? | ||
| Yes | Do you support a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan? | ||
| Pull all combat troops out by end of 2013. | |||
Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing the federal budget.In order to balance the budget,
| 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 a legislative priority? | ||
| Replace income tax with a consumption tax. Discretionary Spending Cuts- Security & non-security, entitlement reform, tax reform; Reinstate Glass-Steagall, Promote U.S. Energy Independence- National Gas Act of 2011; Reduce regulations on small businesses and promote a pro-growth environment; Oppose increasing the money supply (as by reducing the margin requirement of federal banks, or by simply printing money) as a means of promoting economic growth | |||
| Yes | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| Overturn Citizens United....Corporations are not people. | |||
| 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? | ||
| Yes | Do you support spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| Yes | Do you support the temporary extension of unemployment benefits? | ||
| No | Do you support the 2010 temporary extension of tax relief? | ||
| Yes | Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants? | ||
| I will vote to repeal No Child Left Behind. Instead of standards-based education reform based on the unrealistic high standards with unachievable goals, I support true education reform by introducing technology into every classroom in America. By getting rid of traditional hardcover textbooks and replacing them with e-readers and digital books, every school in America will be saving money while teaching students on a platform they understand and can learn on. I also support National Fitness Standards that will be tied to federal grants based upon the overall fitness and well-being of the students in that school. | |||
| No | Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production? | ||
| I support repealing The Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 (CFMA) which allows speculation in oil futures by investment banks, hedge funds and pension funds. Speculation alone rises each gallon of gasoline by 56 cents. Only by taking speculation out of the oil market, can a barral of oil hit its' natural price. Only after this step, would I even begin to consider reducing restrictions on offshore energy production. I think that once the speculation is gone, gas prices would be reasonable enough that offshore drilling would be unnecessary and greater investment into FlexFuels would be more beneficial. | |||
| Yes | Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change? | ||
| Yes | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| I support reducing the budget of the EPA and making the agency more efficient and reducing its overall cost to taxpayers. I also support subsidizes for new commercial building construction in order to help build more energy efficient buildings. | |||
| Yes | Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| I believe that all firearms sales at gun shows should be subject to background checks. | |||
| Should individuals be required to purchase health insurance, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act? | |||
| Unknown Position | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act? | ||
|
|||
| I support a single-payer healthcare system as it is the only system that can meet our nation's needs. I also support giving tax breaks to those Americans who are deemed healthy by their doctor. By giving incentives to people for better health via tax breaks, then there is motivation to eat better, reduce bad habits & exercise more. This will help reduce the overall cost of healthcare in America. Without incentives, Americans lack the motivation to lead healthier lives and thus, only more visits to the doctor will occur. | |||
| No | 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? | ||
| In the court case, Gonzales v. City of Peoria, the Ninth Circuit ruled an immigration case that the "general rule is that local police are not precluded from enforcing federal statutes," 722 F.2d 468, 474 (9th Cir. 1983). Also a "state trooper has general investigatory authority to inquire into possible immigration violations," United States v. Salinas-Calderon, 728 F.2d 1298, 1301 n.3 (10th Cir. 1984). The states should be limited in their authority in cases involving immigration, however it is not unconstitutional for a local/state officer to inquire about the immigration status of anyone who has been arrested. | |||
| Unknown Position | Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
|
|||
| I support civil unions that grant the same benefits, rights and obligations that a marriage does. I do not support forcing a church to define marriage nor do I support denying two consenting adults the right to enter into a contract together. I do not support a constitutional amendment defining a marriage as between a man and woman. Marriage is a contract based in property law. No gov't has the right to deny two consenting adults from entering into a contract together. Change the name of the institution for same-sex couples but guarantee the same rights and obligations. | |||
| Yes | Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict? | ||
| No | Should the U.S use military force in order to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon? | ||
| Yes | Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? | ||
| I support increasing the retirement age. Social Security is not an entitlement program but was an investment program which those workers who paid into the system must be rightfully paid back. I also support means-testing for benefits. | |||
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.
| Slightly Decrease | a) Agriculture | ||
| Slightly Increase | b) Arts | ||
| Slightly Decrease | c) Defense | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Education | ||
| Maintain Status | e) Environment | ||
| Slightly Decrease | f) Homeland Security | ||
| Maintain Status | g) International aid | ||
| Maintain Status | h) Medical Research | ||
| Maintain Status | i) Scientific Research | ||
| Maintain Status | j) Space exploration | ||
| Greatly Decrease | k) United Nations | ||
| Maintain Status | l) Welfare | ||
| Greatly Decrease | m) Other or expanded categories | ||
| Slightly Increase | a) Capital gains taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | b) Corporate taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | c) Excise taxes (alcohol) | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Excise taxes (cigarettes) | ||
| Slightly Increase | e) Excise taxes (transportation fuel) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | f) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Slightly Increase | h) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| Slightly Increase | i) Inheritance taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | j) Payroll taxes | ||
| The American Bureaucracy- | |||
| I support a consumption tax which would make all of these questions irrelevant. | |||
| Repeal No Child Left Behind. Create National Fitness Standards for schools. In order to get more federal funding, a school would have to meet these standards or exceed these standards. The money then could be used to being to eliminate traditional textbooks from schools and replace them with digital copies on ereaders. One textbook on average cost $70 while a digital copy costs $12-20. Reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act More investment into Natural Gas and greener technologies in order to become more energy independent. Eliminate excessive oil speculation- including jet fuel, heating oil, disel fuel. Tax breaks for healthy living. |
Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.