Joseph Hoeffel'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.
Joseph Hoeffel has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2018 Political Courage Test.
Pennsylvania Congressional Election 2018 Political Courage Test
| Pro-choice | Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| I strongly support a women's right to control her own reproductive destiny. I further object to the the term "pro-life," asserting that the factions that use this term are "anti-choice," they do little to support women, families and children once they are born. No women should be enslaved by her own body. I was the leading opponent of the Abortion Control Act in the Pennsylvania legislature, opposing that punitive legislation on the floor of the House, and offering the comprehensive amendment that if passed would have transformed the legislation to truly support women?s health and reproductive rights. | |||
| Yes | In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? | ||
| Yes | In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending? | ||
| I fought against both of the tax cuts pushed through by George W. Bush in 2001 and 2003. The latest Republican tax catastrophe will cost $1.8 trillion and will be devastating for the middle class and young people. It is a giveaway to corporate America and the wealthy that burdens those who can least afford it to benefit the richest layer of society. Irresponsible Republican tax swindles plunge the federal budget into deeper debt while creating an excuse to cut crucial funding elsewhere. | |||
| No | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| Yes | Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| No | Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| I favor improvement of infrastructure and investment in renewable energy technologies, in order to create jobs in as well as to reduce the production of climate-disrupting greenhouses gases (that lead to economic devastation from ever more powerful weather events). Among such proposals, I will champion the extension of the commuter lines to western Montgomery County, to take cars off route 422, give people a ways to get to jobs, and reduce emissions. I believe that investing in jobs means protecting the environment and quality of life. | |||
| No | Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards? | ||
| Adopting federal education standards that carry penalties has frequently had the unintended consequence of punishing in economically struggling regions and has created the erosion of true education in favor of "teaching to the test." | |||
| Yes | Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)? | ||
| Yes | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| Too many leaders and citizens believe that environmental protection is a luxury - a frill that can only be afforded once other ?essentials? have been funded. I understand that environmental protection creates prosperity and leads to greater economic justice, and will make it a top priority. | |||
| Yes | Do you generally support gun-control legislation? | ||
| While I support the Constitution, all of it, including the Second Amendment, I see no sense to civilians having access to military and assault weapons. In much the same way that cars are inspected and licenses required to drive them, I favor greater regulation of guns and strictures on who can use them. | |||
| Yes | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? | ||
| I advocate for Medicare for all and the understanding that healthcare is a human right. | |||
| No | Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border? | ||
| No | Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? | ||
| I celebrate the contribution that immigrants make to American society and prosperity. I favor passage of the Dream Act and legislation that would offer DACA recipients a pathway to citizenship. | |||
| No | Should the United States use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a nuclear weapon? | ||
| Yes | Do you support increased American intervention in Middle Eastern conflicts beyond air support? | ||
| Yes, if necessary, to protect Israel. | |||
| Economic justice: I will fight for a living wage and an increase of minimum wage to $15 per hour. I will work to lessen the gap between the richest and the poorest in our society. I have consistently fought for women's rights, particularly with regard to birth control and reproduction and will continue to do so. With regard to gun safety, we need the political courage to extend background checks to gun shows and to ban assault weapons. |
Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.