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Joe Tabor'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.

Joe Tabor 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.

What is the Political Courage Test?

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.

  • Joe Tabor. Issue Position: Important Issues. 11 October 2012. "Fight for all personal freedoms -- Pro choice on everything." (votesmart.org)
  • Joe Tabor. Project Vote Smart: 2008 Oregon Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked SUPPORT for "b) Abortions should always be legal; g) Medicare, Medicaid, and federal subsidies should be prohibited from being used on abortion procedures." Abortion Issues: h) Other or expanded principles: "Regardless of opinions on abortion, government regulation will only make matters worse. Those with strong feelings need to gently reach out to anyone who disagrees, or is considering an abortion, in order to make their point, as this is a spiritual matter, not a government matter. Spiritual matters involve one on one counselling. Government only provides the force of might."
  • Joe Tabor. Issue Position: Important Issues. 11 October 2012. "End the wars and end all foreign occupations." (votesmart.org)
  • Joe Tabor. Project Vote Smart: 2008 Oregon Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected NO for: "i) Should the United States increase financial support for Afghanistan?; j) Should the United States increase military support for Afghanistan?" International Policy: s) Other or expanded principles: "The United States needs to stop being the world's policeman, and a possible haven for warlords and empire builders. We should be "just another country," as we once were, setting the most positive example of fair trade with all and entangling alliances with none. This kind of humility can lead to greatness. It has been done before."
  • Joe Tabor. Project Vote Smart: 2008 Oregon Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected MAINTAIN STATUS for: "a) Armed forces personnel training; b) Intelligence operations; c) Military hardware; e) National missile defense; f) Pay for active duty personnel; g) Programs to improve troop retention rates; i) Troop and equipment readiness." Selected SLIGHTLY INCREASE for: "d) Modernization of weaponry and equipment; h) Research and development of new weapons." Defense Spending: j) Other or expanded principles: "A strong national defense is needed, not soldiers spread around the world, and not in wars that we should not be involved in. Ironically, our military weaponry needs improvement as our reckless government has been creating enemies with its empire building and arrogance, mostly coinciding with the times during the last three presidential administrations. Without better weapon systems, we may become too easy of a target for those whom we have antagonized for so long. The emphasis should be on a defensive military, not an offensive military."
  • Joe Tabor. Project Vote Smart: 2008 Oregon Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected MAINTAIN STATUS for: "c) Defense." Budget Priorities: s) Other or expanded principles: "National Defense needs to consist of both a world class formidable military and a nationally established process to protect our fellow Americans by a distributed local defense operations, such as food stores, and any appropriate equipment. The centralized FEMA and homeland security just don't cut it. States need to do more, the federal government needs to do less. The original concept and operation of a Civil Defense (now defunct) has a lot of merit for future consideration."
  • Joe Tabor. Project Vote Smart: 2008 Oregon Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected GREATLY DECREASE for: "Family Income Taxes: a) Less than $12,000; b) $12,001-$40,000; c) $40,001-$100,000; d) $100,001-$180,000; e) $180,001-$350,000; f) $350,001 and above."
  • Joe Tabor. Issue Position: Important Issues. 11 October 2012. "Pay back the national debt, without raising taxes." (votesmart.org)
  • 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 Tabor. Project Vote Smart: 2008 Oregon Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "k) Eliminate all federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind)."
  • 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 Tabor. Project Vote Smart: 2008 Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected ELIMINATE for: "c) Enforcement of existing restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns; d) Restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns."
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Joe Tabor. Project Vote Smart: 2008 Oregon Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "f) Illegal immigrants should have to return to their countries of origin before being considered for citizenship." Immigration Issues: i) Other or expanded principles: "The immigration process should be simplified. Any immigrant should be allowed to stay in the U.S.A. indefinately, as long as he or she is employed."
  • Joe Tabor. Project Vote Smart: 2008 Oregon Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected YES for: "a) Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?" Social Issues: h) Other or expanded principles: "I believe in keeping the government 'thought police' out of marriage, sexual acts of love between consenting adults, gambling, and other personal matters."
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Joe Tabor. Project Vote Smart: 2008 Oregon Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "a) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts that they manage themselves." Social Security Issues: f) Other or expanded principles: "It is up to retirees, a major voting block, to elect congressmen and presidents who will keep the cost of living stable for retirees on fixed income by responsible spending, responsible foreign policy, and responsible domestic policy."
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.
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.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion.

a) Abortions should always be illegal.
X b) Abortions should always be legal.
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester.
d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
f) Dilation and extraction or "partial-birth" abortion procedures should be legal.
X g) Medicare, Medicaid, and federal subsidies should be prohibited from being used on abortion procedures.
Regardless of opinions on abortion, government regulation will only make matters worse. Those with strong feelings need to gently reach out to anyone who disagrees, or is considering an abortion, in order to make their point, as this is a spiritual matter, not a government matter. Spiritual matters involve one on one counselling. Government only provides the force of might.

Indicate what federal funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.1) Budget Priorities2) Defense Spending3) 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.Family Income TaxesOther TaxesDeductions/Credits

Greatly Decrease a) Agriculture
Eliminate b) Arts
Maintain Status c) Defense
Greatly Decrease d) Education
Maintain Status e) Environment
Eliminate f) FEMA
Eliminate g) Homeland security
Greatly Decrease h) International aid
Greatly Decrease i) Law enforcement (Federal)
Maintain Status j) Law enforcement (State)
Maintain Status k) Medical research
Maintain Status l) National parks
Maintain Status m) Public health services
Maintain Status n) Scientific research
Maintain Status o) Space exploration programs
Greatly Decrease p) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Eliminate q) United Nations
Maintain Status r) Welfare
Maintain Status a) Armed forces personnel training
Maintain Status b) Intelligence operations
Maintain Status c) Military hardware
Slightly Increase d) Modernization of weaponry and equipment
Maintain Status e) National missile defense
Maintain Status f) Pay for active duty personnel
Maintain Status g) Programs to improve troop retention rates
Slightly Increase h) Research and development of new weapons
Maintain Status i) Troop and equipment readiness
Greatly Decrease a) Less than $12,000
Greatly Decrease b) $12,001-$40,000
Greatly Decrease c) $40,001-$100,000
Greatly Decrease d) $100,001-$180,000
Greatly Decrease e) $180,001-$350,000
Greatly Decrease f) $350,001 and above
g) Other or expanded categories
Eliminate a) Alcohol taxes
Eliminate b) Capital gains taxes
Eliminate c) Cigarette taxes
Maintain Status d) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status e) Gasoline taxes
Eliminate f) Inheritance taxes
g) Other or expanded categories
Greatly Increase a) Charitable contribution deduction
Greatly Increase b) Child tax credit
Slightly Increase c) Earned income tax credit
Greatly Increase d) Medical expense deduction
Maintain Status e) Mortgage deduction
Slightly Increase f) Student loan credit
g) Other or expanded categories
Yes 4) Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
5) Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year?
National Defense needs to consist of both a world class formidable military and a nationally established process to protect our fellow Americans by a distributed local defense operations, such as food stores, and any appropriate equipment. The centralized FEMA and homeland security just don't cut it. States need to do more, the federal government needs to do less. The original concept and operation of a Civil Defense (now defunct) has a lot of merit for future consideration.
A strong national defense is needed, not soldiers spread around the world, and not in wars that we should not be involved in. Ironically, our military weaponry needs improvement as our reckless government has been creating enemies with its empire building and arrogance, mostly coinciding with the times during the last three presidential administrations. Without better weapon systems, we may become too easy of a target for those whom we have antagonized for so long. The emphasis should be on a defensive military, not an offensive military.
The federal budget should only be unbalanced under situation where (1) a war has been declared by the strict procedure directed by the U.S. Constitution (not budget approvals for military operations), or some other unexpected calamity, under the condition of (2) the majority of the people believe that the a deficit is allowable, and they understand they will pay for it in higher taxes, and (3) any debt incurred should be paid off in 7 years.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.

X a) Support increasing the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
b) Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
c) Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
X d) Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties.
e) Support prohibiting ads containing candidates' name that are paid for by third parties from airing 60 days before a primary and 30 days before a general federal election.
X f) Support instant run-off voting (IRV).
X g) Support designating Election Day as a national holiday.
X h) Support giving the President the power of the line item veto for items concerning appropriations.
X i) Support limiting the President's use of signing statements in order to prevent an alternative interpretation of the bill.
X j) Support a federal shield law to protect reporter-source privilege.
All television and radio services, as allocated to their ownership by the FCC, should be required to accept no pay whatsoever for political ads, yet should be required by law to show a number of submitted ads, so that all candidates are represented fairly. The airwaves are owned by the people, and the survival of the people's rights requires honest election advertising, not dollar-controlled advertising. Any agency allocated to use the airwaves should respect the American people, and give all candidates the most fair, unbiased, and non-partisan support as needed.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding crime.

a) Support the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
b) Eliminate the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
X c) Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
X d) Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
X e) Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
f) Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
g) Support strict penalties for internet crime (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
h) Require that crimes based on sexual orientation be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
No one should be imprisoned for any victimless crimes, and this includes any crime with drugs where no theft or violent act has been committed. All mandatory minimum laws should be removed from the books, as judges are best qualified to handle sentencing, especially following the guidlines of the Eight Amendment, barring cruel and unusual punishment and excesive fines. Jurors need to be informed that they should judge the laws as well as the facts to prevent punishment for bad laws, or laws misapplied (otherwise, courts nullify the jury). Remove all "hate crimes" laws -- equivalent to Orwellian "thought crimes."

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

a) Support the federal government funding universal pre-K programs.
X b) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any public school.
X c) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any private or religious school.
d) Allow teachers and professionals to receive federal funding to establish charter or magnet schools.
e) Increase funding for the Pell Grant program.
f) Decrease interest rates of Stafford Loans.
g) Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
X h) Ban university financial aid officers from owning stock in or accepting gifts from student loan lenders.
X i) Require universities to disclose financial relationships with lenders.
j) Support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
X k) Eliminate all federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
l) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.

a) Increase funding for national job-training programs that retrain displaced workers or teach skills needed in today’s job market.
b) Reduce government regulation of the private sector.
c) Encourage employers to offer child care services, flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
d) Increase the federal minimum wage.
X e) Support the right of workers to unionize.
f) Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
g) Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
h) Include gender identity in federal anti-discrimination laws.
i) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

a) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act.
b) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
c) Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil).
d) Strengthen emission controls on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
e) Strengthen fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
f) Support domestic oil exploration in areas that are currently restricted.
X g) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels.
h) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
X i) Support research and development of nuclear reactors as an alternative energy source.
j) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits under "cap and trade" laws.
k) Support international mandatory emission targets to limit global warming.
l) Support international voluntary emission targets to limit global warming.
Use tax credits to businesses who improve the supply of alternate energy and energy conservation practices.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.On (c) and (d), indicate what levels (#1-6) you support for the following categories.

X a) Allow individuals to carry concealed guns.
b) Ban the sale, ownership or possession of handguns except by law enforcement and other government officials.
Eliminate c) Enforcement of existing restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
Eliminate d) Restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
e) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health.

a) Implement a universal healthcare program to guarantee coverage to all Americans, regardless of income.
X b) Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts.
X c) Allow the importation of prescription drugs into the United States.
d) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
X e) Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
f) Support expanding child healthcare programs.
X g) Providing healthcare is not a responsibility of the federal government.
The federal government needs to deregulate insurance and medical administration laws. More competition is needed. Until a deregulation takes place, some government subsidies to the poor might still be needed. The only case where healthcare should be unconditionallly supported by the government is for soldiers injured in any way during their military service.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding immigration.

a) Decrease the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country.
X b) Establish English as the official national language.
c) Support a temporary worker program.
d) Support harsher financial punishments for those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants.
e) Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States.
X f) Illegal immigrants should have to return to their countries of origin before being considered for citizenship.
g) Illegal immigrants should be given a pathway to citizenship.
h) Support merit-based visas over family-based visas.
The immigration process should be simplified. Any immigrant should be allowed to stay in the U.S.A. indefinately, as long as he or she is employed.

International AidIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international aid.International PolicyIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international policy.International TradeIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international trade.

X a) Support the United States granting aid to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives.
b) Support the United States granting aid to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States.
c) Eliminate United States aid for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
X d) Aid granted by the United States should be scaled back and eventually eliminated.
e) Other or expanded principles
Undecided a) Should the United States continue to provide leadership in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
Undecided b) Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
No c) Should the United States impose greater international sanctions on Iran if it continues to defy United Nations mandates?
No d) Should the United States support the Lebanese government against insurgent forces?
No e) Should the United States maintain its troop levels in Iraq?
Yes f) Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?
No h) Should the United States apply greater economic and diplomatic sanctions against North Korea if it fails to abide by its agreement to suspend its nuclear program?
No i) Should the United States increase financial support for Afghanistan?
No j) Should the United States increase military support for Afghanistan?
Yes k) Should the United States trade nuclear fuel to India for civilian purposes?
Yes l) Should the United States decrease financial support for Pakistan?
Yes m) Should the United States decrease military support for Pakistan?
No n) Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in Darfur, Sudan?
No o) Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
No p) Should the United States provide economic and military support to the Transitional Government of Somalia?
No q) Should the United States use sanctions to encourage the government of Zimbabwe to end its human rights abuses?
No r) Should the United States support the creation of an independent nation of Kosovo?
No a) Do you support the United States imposing economic sanctions on China?
No b) Do you support the United States imposing trade sanctions on Venezuela?
No c) Do you support the United States involvement in free trade agreements?
No d) Do you support the United States involvement in intergovernmental organizations dedicated to trade?
Get our soldiers out immediately. Congress should then consider a war reparation plan.
The United States needs to stop being the world's policeman, and a possible haven for warlords and empire builders. We should be "just another country," as we once were, setting the most positive example of fair trade with all and entangling alliances with none. This kind of humility can lead to greatness. It has been done before.
I oppose any so-called free trade agreement in existence, because they all have strings attached. The United States should under no circumstances give tax priviledges to any company that outsources labor at a lower cost.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding national security.

No a) Do you support using military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical?
No b) Should law enforcement agencies have greater discretion to monitor domestic communications, to prevent future terrorist attacks?
Yes c) Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country?
No d) Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?
No e) Do you support pre-emptive military strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to United States national security?
No f) Do you support the creation of a federal identification card system?
No g) Do you support long-term use of National Guard troops to supplement the armed forces in assignments overseas?
Yes h) Should the United States expand its missile defense shield?
A pre-emptive strike is never necessary. Ready status of troops and a superior defensive military with defensive weapons, strategy, tactics and a good border defense will make any attack upon us obviously suicidal, especially since a U.S. counterattack would open up a path for a decisive takeover. Any attack from within can be repelled by local forces first, and regular military enforcement backup shortly thereafter.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.

Yes a) Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?
No b) Do you support a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman?
No c) Do you support federal funding for research on existing embryonic stem cell lines?
No d) Do you support federal funding to create lines of stem cells from new embryos?
No e) Should the federal government consider race and gender in government contracting decisions?
No f) Should the federal government continue affirmative action programs?
No g) Should the federal government regulate internet gambling?
I believe in keeping the government "thought police" out of marriage, sexual acts of love between consenting adults, gambling, and other personal matters.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Social Security.

X a) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts that they manage themselves.
b) Ensure the viability of Social Security by increasing the payroll tax.
c) Decrease benefits paid to retirees.
d) Support proportional increases of Social Security benefits based on the cost of living index.
e) Raise the retirement age for individual eligibility to receive full Social Security benefits.
It is up to retirees, a major voting block, to elect congressmen and presidents who will keep the cost of living stable for retirees on fixed income by responsible spending, responsible foreign policy, and responsible domestic policy.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare and poverty.

a) Require welfare recipients to spend at least 40 hours a week in a combination of work and training programs.
X b) Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants.
c) Support housing assistance for welfare recipients.
d) Abolish all federal welfare programs.
Laws are needed to make it easier to help the homeless and poor. Tax credits, not just deductions, should be given to those contributing to local charities which have 80% (approx.)or better payoff to the subjects of the charity (less than 20% administrative costs). Many people would rather see their money go directly to help their local homeless people instead of government agencies.
1. Get the U.S. out of all wars immediately and all foreign involvements over a longer, but still reasonable time. 2. Work on paying off the national debt. 3. Work on transitioning most of the federal government functions (say 90%) to the states, where they can be managed better locally. Federal government should only interfere with states, and only temporarily so, during life threatening emergencies or where massive violations of civil rights are occuring, in a way where federal resources would be helpful.

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