Andrea Zopp's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
Key
Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
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Andrea Zopp has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2016 Political Courage Test.
Illinois Congressional Election 2016 Political Courage Test
| Pro-choice | Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| Andrea is a strong supporter of keeping women in control of their healthcare. In fact, she signed on to a ?friends of the court? brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case, Whole Women?s Health v. Hellerstedt, that argued recent changes to laws in Texas placed an undue burden on women. | |||
| Yes | In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending? | ||
| Yes | In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? | ||
| Andrea would support many of the tax reforms that President Obama has proposed, such as: incentives for locating jobs within the U.S.; adjusting the minimum tax on foreign income; closing corporate loopholes; limiting the ability of domestic entities to expatriate. Andrea would support simplifying tax code for small businesses and providing tax relief for expenditures. Andrea would support reform that incentivizes clean energy, like extending credits for renewable electricity production and creating a carbon dioxide sequestration tax credit. Andrea would support making permanent the child care tax credit, and expanding the earned income tax credit to workers without qualifying children. | |||
| Yes | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| No | Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| Yes | Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment? | ||
| No | Do you support mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders? | ||
| Andrea has substantial experience with criminal justice. As a former prosecutor she fought to keep neighborhoods safe by taking on illegal guns, violent crime and gangs, worked to protect victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse, and handled tough cases ? including the prosecution of a police officer for killing an unarmed homeless man. Andrea?s comprehensive criminal justice reform policy calls for the federal government to direct federal funds towards: organizations that promote open dialogue, tracking data on shooting incidences for more transparency and informed policy, and police training and equipment that support local law enforcement and address community concerns. | |||
| Yes | Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| No | Do you support lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| Yes | Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| Andrea supports increasing economic opportunity and rebuilding the middle class through: 1) good-paying jobs through public capital investments and federal investments in infrastructure, scientific research, clean energy, and health technology; 2) tax incentives that encourage private sector job growth; and 3) federal support for small businesses. | |||
| Yes | Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants? | ||
| Yes | Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change? | ||
| Yes | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| Andrea strongly supports the Paris Climate Agreement and the Clean Power Rule. Andrea believes that we must strive for energy independence, work to lower energy prices and promote a cleaner, smarter, more cost-effective energy future. Andrea will push to: advance clean energy, increase energy efficiency, and reduce carbon pollution from power plants. Andrea would support: making the Production Tax Credit permanent, promoting use of bio fuels, ending tax breaks for "big oil," and modernizing the electric grid. | |||
| Yes | Do you generally support gun-control legislation? | ||
| Andrea would support: Banning military style guns by reinstating ban on semiautomatic guns including a limit on ammunition magazines. Funding CDC research on the causes and effective ways to prevent gun violence, and expanding the National Violent Death Reporting System. Requiring background checks for all gun sales and ensuring information is readily available to sellers and states. Improving law enforcement and prosecution of gun crimes by addressing straw purchasers and tracking data on purchased, lost, and stolen guns. Curbing youth access to firearms by support initiatives that offer positive opportunities in their communities. Addressing mental health issues. | |||
| No | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? | ||
| Andrea believes that full implementation of the ACA, namely expansion of Medicaid in all 50 states, will truly maximize the number of Americans that have unfettered access to the health care system. She also believes that we must work diligently to address health disparities and improve access to mental health care. | |||
| No | Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? | ||
| Andrea believes that fixing our broken immigration system will ultimately boost our economy and help all workers. As such, Andrea believes that a viable plan for comprehensive immigration reform must include 1) comprehensive reform measures such as those in Senate Bill 744 ? but without the unnecessary militarization of U.S. borders and 2) better and more humane enforcement of existing laws. | |||
| Yes | Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
| Andrea has been a supporter of increased LGBT rights since the 1990's. 16. While the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to recognize marriage rights for same sex couples was monumental and overdue, Andrea believes that was the beginning of a broader movement for equality and not the end-point. Andrea believes we must build on this momentum and address all areas where LGBT individuals continue to face discrimination, like ensuring that hate crimes are prosecuted fully, employment discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibited, and youth homelessness is addressed. An example of this would be her support for the Equality Act. | |||
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 Increase | a) Agriculture | ||
| Maintain Status | b) Arts | ||
| Slightly Decrease | c) Defense | ||
| Slightly Increase | d) Education | ||
| Slightly Increase | e) Environment | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Homeland Security | ||
| Maintain Status | g) International aid | ||
| Slightly Increase | h) Medical Research | ||
| Maintain Status | i) Scientific Research | ||
| Slightly Decrease | j) Space exploration | ||
| Slightly Decrease | k) United Nations | ||
| Slightly Increase | l) Welfare | ||
| m) Other or expanded categories | |||
| Slightly Increase | a) Capital gains taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | b) Corporate taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | c) Small business taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | d) Excise taxes (alcohol) | ||
| Slightly Increase | e) Excise taxes (cigarettes) | ||
| Slightly Increase | f) Excise taxes (transportation fuel) | ||
| Greatly Decrease | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | h) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Slightly Increase | i) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| Maintain Status | j) Inheritance taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | k) Payroll taxes | ||
| On the Social Security payroll tax, Andrea would support a slight increase in tax rates for income above the current Social Security cap for the highest earners. She would support decreases in payroll taxes for businesses hiring new employees. | |||
| Comprehensive criminal justice reform that reduces over criminalization, addresses the juvenile justice system, and promotes successful reentry. Andrea also believes the issues of community policing and gun control reform are critical components to criminal justice reform and should be addressed concurrently. Increasing economic opportunity and rebuilding the middle class, through: good-paying jobs through federal investments in infrastructure investments, clean energy, and health technology; tax incentives encouraging private sector job growth; federal support for small businesses. 3. Immigration reform that provides pathways to citizenship and includes better, more humane enforcement of laws. Immigration reform should not focus on militarizing our borders. |
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