Joe Selvaggi'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.
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Joe Selvaggi refused to tell citizens where he stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2012 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.
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.
- 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.
- Joe Selvaggi signed Americans for Tax Reform: The Taxpayer Protection Pledge. "I pledge to the taxpayers of the state of Massachusetts and to the American people that I will: ONE, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rate for individuals and business; and TWO, oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates." (votesmart.org)
- Joe Selvaggi. Press Release. 22 May 2012. "As we have seen over the past three years more government spending is not the answer to reviving the economy." (joeselvaggi2012.com)
- Joe Selvaggi. SELVAGGI ANNOUNCES STEP ONE IN ECONOMIC REVIVAL PLAN. 26 September 2012. "Our nation cannot compete while burdened with the second highest corporate tax in the global market place. We need to level the playing field so our businesses grow and add more people to the workforce. By lowering the rate from 35% to 25% we will stop pushing capital overseas [¦] We want to encourage our American entrepreneurs to stay here to develop their business not be forced overseas as a tax refugee." (joeselvaggi2012.com)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Joe Selvaggi. Issues. 12 September 2012. "I will work to pursue every possible safe source of domestic energy and encourage research into renewable technology, with the goal of strategic energy independence. I believe America can and should be a net energy exporter." (joeselvaggi2012.com)
- Joe Selvaggi. Issues. 12 September 2012. "Clean air and water are non-negotiable rights of every citizen. I will work to ensure that legislation, along with technology being developed here in Massachusetts, will make environmental responsibility the highest priority." (joeselvaggi2012.com)
- Joe Selvaggi. Boston.com: US Representatives-Eighth District. 13 September 2012. "We are a society in which there are 300 million legal guns and many more illegal ones. There are three groups that have guns: law enforcement, criminals, and law-abiding citizens. Gun laws only affect the law-abiding citizens. Our Second Amendment is clear in its granting to all citizens the right to bear arms. It is incumbent on us to teach the safe use, storage, and transfer of these weapons so as to reduce the risk of harm to others. However, I am not persuaded that limiting legal gun ownership will do anything to deter 'mentally unstable gunmen' from acting so terribly, as was the case in Aurora."
- Joe Selvaggi. Video: Joe Selvaggi on Obamacare. 10 May 2012. "I believe Obamacare is a mistake, its a mistake fundamentally because it its imposing a system at the federal level." (youtu.be)
- Joe Selvaggi. Video: Joe Selvaggi running for Congress in the 8th District, Massachusetts. 24 July 2012. "My first day, I would do everything I can to repeal Obamacare." (youtu.be)
- Joe Selvaggi. Press Release. 25 Jule 2012. (As part of Economic Revival Plan): "Repeal and replace Obamacare." (joeselvaggi2012.com)
- Joe Selvaggi. Issues. 12 September 2012. "I believe that if we solve the cost of health care, the access to the system will be cured. Unfortunately, the Affordable Care Act is anything but affordable. We need a leader with the courage to reform the insurance system in a way that allows the market to provide an offering for everyone." (joeselvaggi2012.com)
- Joe Selvaggi. Boston.com: US Representatives-Eighth District. 13 September 2012. " The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals decision was wrong for many reasons [¦] the law grants effectively permanent amnesty to nearly 2 million people who were brought here illegally. This fact means that they will compete for jobs and resources with 2 million America citizens. [¦] this act sets a precedent for those considering immigrating to the US illegally in the future. If they are confident that their children will be given legal status, those who plan to violate our immigration laws in the future will be more determined. I would address illegal immigration primarily by taking away the incentive to come here illegally. We must ensure that employers check the status of workers using E-Verify, we must ensure that we check the status of those who break our laws, and we must deny public benefits to those who flout our immigration laws." (c3.thevoterguide.org)
- Joe Selvaggi. Press Release. 16 June 2012. "His plan includes: [¦] Require deportation of criminal illegal immigrants by ending the 'Catch and Release' policy; Update visa program and standardize the technology for documenting; Allow for insourcing making it easier for students to convert their student visa to a H1-B visa; End funding ICE's hotline to help illegal immigrants fight deportation; Make English the official language of government; And most importantly, no amnesty." (joeselvaggi2012.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.
- Joe Selvaggi. Republican Congressional Candidate Joseph Selvaggi: I Want to Get Americans Back to Work. 5 September 2012. "Social Security is one of the most successful government programs ever designed. But is now is the biggest single expense of our federal government. Solving Social Security should not be a political football. [¦] I would also favor adjusting the annual increases to higher income seniors to better reflect the spirit of the program as a safety net. Those whose benefits would not satisfy their lifestyle would have the option for additional private retirement accounts. Although these solutions should be tackled immediately, their implementation should happen far enough in the future for beneficiaries to adjust." (jamaicaplain.patch.com)
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