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Robert Hayes' 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.

Robert Hayes repeatedly refused to provide any responses to citizens on the issues through the 2008 Political Courage Test when asked to do so by national leaders of the political parties, prominent members of the media, Project Vote Smart President Richard Kimball, and Project Vote Smart staff.

What is the Political Courage Test?
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.

North Carolina Gubernatorial Election 1996 National Political Awareness Test

The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item.

1) Please answer the following questions.2) Indicate the importance of the following issues both to your state and to your administration if elected Governor.

b) Should your priorities require additional government funding, please explain how you intend to obtain this additional funding.
Very Important a) Abortion
Not Important b) Affirmative Action
Very Important c) Balanced Budget Amendment
d) Campaign Finance Reform
Very Important e) Crime
Very Important f) Economic Development
Very Important g) Education
Very Important h) Environment
Very Important i) Family and Child Issues
Very Important j) Gun Issues
Somewhat Important k) Health Care
Very Important l) Illegal Drugs
Very Important m) Moral and Ethical Decline
Somewhat Important n) Poverty and Homelessness
Very Important o) Taxes
Very Important p) Term Limits
Very Important q) Welfare
1. I will eliminate the state sales tax on food and improve education. It is not right that families have to pay tax just for putting food on the table. The lost revenue can be made up by placing a freeze on 2, 500 state jobs that come open each year. I will improve education by moving more control back to localities. Local school boards, parents, and teachers are best suited to know where education funds should be spent.

Indicate which principles you support concerning abortion.

a) Abortions should always be legally available.
b) Abortions should be legal in all circumstances when the procedure is completed within the first trimester of the pregnancy.
c) Abortions should be legal only when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape or when the life of the woman is endangered.
X d) Abortions should be legal only when the life of the woman is endangered.
X e) Abortions should be limited by waiting periods and parental notification requirements as decided by each state government.
f) Abortions should always be illegal.
g) Other

1) Indicate which principles your positions concerning affirmative action programs.

a) The state government should consider preferences to minority-owned businesses in granting government contracts.
b) The state government should consider preferences to minority students applying for college admission.
X c) The state government should prosecute cases of discrimination in the public sector.
X d) The state government should prosecute cases of discrimination in the private sector.
e) The state government should provide affirmative action programs as long as such programs do not include quotas.
X f) The state government should provide no affirmative action programs.
g) Other
No 2) Do you believe that sexual orientation should be included in any non-discrimination laws and programs that are provided by your state?
Yes Do you support amending the US Constitution to require an annual balanced federal budget?

1) Indicate what changes you support (if any) concerning levels of state funding for the following categories.2) Do you support the use of block grants given to states, rather than federal spending, in the following areas?

Slightly Decrease a) AIDS Programs
Slightly Decrease b) Arts Funding
Slightly Increase c) Education (K-12)
Maintain Status d) Environmental Programs
Slightly Increase e) Higher Education
Maintain Status f) Housing Projects
Maintain Status g) Job Training Programs
Slightly Increase h) Law Enforcement
Maintain Status i) Medicaid
Maintain Status j) Student Loan Programs
Maintain Status k) Transportation
Slightly Decrease l) Welfare (AFDC)
m) Other
n) Other
o) Other
Yes a) Agriculture
Yes b) Education
Yes c) Environment
Yes d) Farm subsidies
Yes e) Food stamps
Yes f) Housing
Yes g) Law enforcement
Yes h) Medicaid
Yes i) School lunches
Yes j) Welfare
k) Other

Indicate which principles you support regarding campaign finance reform.

a) Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for state office.
b) Provide public subsidizing of political campaigns.
c) Require legislation that would increase the limits on individual contributions.
X d) Pass legislation that would encourage complete disclosure of campaign finance information.
e) Remove all legislative limits on campaign financing.
f) Other

Indicate which principles you support to address crime.

X a) Broaden use of the death penalty for serious crimes.
X b) Increase spending to build more state prisons.
X c) Require "truth in sentencing" for violent criminals so they serve full sentences with no chance of parole.
X d) Require the use of "boot camps" as alternative sentencing for adult first-time felons.
X e) Limit the number of appeals allowed to inmates on death row.
f) Implement and encourage drug and alcohol treatment centers and other alternative, community-based options for non-violent convicts.
g) Expand funding for community policing programs.
X h) Increase funding for hiring of police officers.
X i) Prosecute youths, accused of murder, as adults.
j) Increase funding for local Boys & Girls Clubs and other independent organizations in communities with at-risk youth.
k) Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
X l) Require mandatory life sentences for third-time violent felons.
m) Other

Indicate which principles you support regarding economic development.

a) Provide tax credits for companies that move job-creating industries into the state.
X b) Increase state funding for job-training programs.
c) Increase state funding for public works projects such as the repair of roads, bridges and telecommunications.
X d) Eliminate government regulations of the private sector to encourage investment and economic expansion.
X e) Establish enterprise zones in areas with large numbers of unemployed.
f) Overhaul the current unemployment system by focusing on training and education in skills needed for certain industries.
g) Eliminate any government programs designed to promote the state economy.
h) Reform the current workers' compensation insurance system.
X i) Other
Reduce business taxes to make the job creation available to all businesses.

1) Indicate which principles you support concerning education.

a) Maintain the national standards and goals set forth in "Goals 2000".
b) Provide parents with vouchers to send their children to any publicly-funded school.
X c) Provide parents with vouchers to send their children to any participating school: public, private, religious or technical.
X d) Implement charter schools where teachers and professionals receive state authorization and funding to establish new schools.
X e) Require allowing voluntary prayer or a moment of silence in public schools.
f) Increase funding for student loan programs available for college students.
g) Increase funding for programs designed to reduce class sizes for elementary and secondary schools.
h) Support a pay raise for public school teachers.
X i) Other
Support a merit-based pay increase proposal.
I favor returning more control and money to localities. This allows parents and local school boards to allocate existing funds in a more efficient manner since they are familiar with local needs.

Indicate which principles or programs you support regarding your state's environment and natural resources.

a) Transfer public lands, such as federal forests and range lands, to the jurisdiction of state and local governments.
X b) Require the state to reimburse citizens when environmental regulations limit use of privately-owned lands.
c) Increase state funding to expand recreational spaces such as parks, forests and other open spaces.
X d) Change the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to limit the number of habitats eligible to be designated as endangered.
X e) Utilize cost-benefit analysis to determine economic impacts of proposed environmental protection and cleanup legislation.
f) Encourage development of alternative fuels and electric cars to reduce pollution.
g) Phase in a prohibition of pollution-causing products such as gas-powered automobiles.
h) Increase state taxes on gasoline and diesel fuels to promote conservation and alternative fuel development.
i) Require that a percentage of purchases made by state agencies include recycled components.
j) Promote the selling of pollution credits to encourage industries to decrease amount of pollution.
k) Other

Indicate which principles you support concerning family and children issues.

a) Increase funding for programs designed to reduce teen pregnancy.
b) Implement programs designed to decrease availability of cigarettes to children.
X c) Increase funding for programs that enforce and collect delinquent child support payments.
X d) Revoke state licenses and permits of parents that are delinquent in paying child support.
e) Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees.
f) Other

Indicate which level of government should have primary responsibility for the following services.

State a) Civil rights enforcement
Local b) Education
State c) Environmental cleanup
Local d) Job training
Local e) Law enforcement
Local f) Low-income housing
State g) Medicaid
Federal h) Medicare
State i) Welfare (AFDC)
j) Other

Indicate which principles you support concerning gun issues.

a) Expand the nationwide ban on the public sale of assault weapons to include all forms of semi-automatic weapons.
b) Increase restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
c) Maintain all registration procedures and restrictions on possessing firearms.
X d) Ease procedures on the purchase and registration of firearms.
X e) Repeal all bans and measures that restrict law-abiding citizens from owning legally obtained firearms.
X f) Allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms that are legally owned and registered.
g) Other

Indicate which principles you support regarding your state's health care system.

a) Implement a universal health care program to guarantee coverage to all state residents regardless of income.
b) Provide vouchers to the working poor so they can buy into a private health care plan.
X c) Support a "managed competition" health care plan to contain costs and improve access that does not include mandated health alliances, government cost control powers, or employer/employee mandates.
X d) Support community health purchasing alliances.
e) Promote programs that assist in child immunizations.
X f) Establish limits on the amount of damages awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
X g) Encourage tax-free medical savings accounts, which would be taxed if used for any purpose other than medical costs.
X h) Guaranteeing medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of government.
X i) Insure health insurance portability for workers who change jobs.
j) Expand Medicaid to provide health care to uninsured working individuals.
k) Other

Indicate which principles you support concerning illegal drugs.

X a) Increase penalties for selling illegal drugs.
X b) Require mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs near schools.
X c) Require capital punishment for convicted international drug traffickers.
X d) Require drug testing for state employees in sensitive positions (mass transit, state police, etc.).
e) Increase funding of drug education and drug treatment programs.
f) Decriminalize the possession and private use of certain illegal drugs such as marijuana.
g) Other
One of the cornerstones to my campaign is stronger families. We don't need a government that mandates values, but we do need a government that values families. Lowering families' tax burdens and returning education decisions to local parents and teachers are two ways I will strengthen families in North Carolina.

Indicate which principles you support regarding the poor and homeless.

a) Provide tax incentives for companies to hire and train homeless people who want to work.
b) Increase state funding of homeless shelters and low-income housing projects.
c) Increase state funding of programs that help alcoholics and drug addicts recover and find steady work.
d) Increase the minimum wage.
e) Provide homeless families with apartment vouchers they can use to supplement the cost of an apartment.
f) Provide government jobs for those who wish to work and cannot find a job in the private sector.
X g) Increase the income tax deduction on individual contributions made to charities that help the poor and homeless.
X h) Implement enterprise zones in communities with high unemployment.
i) Other

Indicate the changes you support (if any) concerning the tax levels for the following categories.1) Income Taxes2) Other Tax Issues

Slightly Decrease a) Retiree earning over $40,000
Greatly Decrease b) Family earning less than $25,000
Greatly Decrease c) Family earning $25-75,000
Slightly Decrease d) Family earning $75-150,000
Slightly Decrease e) Family earning over $150,000
Maintain Status a) Alcohol taxes
Eliminate b) Capital gains taxes
Slightly Increase c) Charitable deduction
Maintain Status d) Cigarette taxes
Greatly Decrease e) Corporate income taxes
Maintain Status f) Earned income tax credit
Eliminate g) Estate taxes
Slightly Increase h) Mortgage deduction
Slightly Decrease i) Property tax
Slightly Decrease j) Sales tax
k) Other
Yes Are you in favor of a limit on the number of terms which the Governor may serve?

['Indicate which principles you support regarding the United States welfare system.']

X a) Require a two-year limit on welfare benefits for recipients who are able to work.
b) Require welfare recipients to accept some form of government-sponsored job after two years if unemployed in the private sector.
X c) Require that unwed teenage mothers live with a parent or guardian (if possible) and attend school to receive welfare benefits.
X d) Limit the welfare benefits given to recipients if they have additional children while receiving welfare benefits.
e) Provide child care services to welfare recipients who work or attend school.
f) Increase funding of programs that help homeless people find shelter and employment.
g) Provide incentives for employers to hire and train welfare recipients.
X h) Require mothers to identify their child(ren)'s father in order to receive welfare benefits.
i) Make no substantial changes at this time.
j) Other

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