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John Spratt, Jr.'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.

John Spratt, Jr. refused to tell citizens where he stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2010 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 2010.

  • National Right to Life Committee. 2009. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings. John Spratt supported the interests of the National Right to Life Committee 25 percent in 2009. (votesmart.org)
  • Planned Parenthood. 2008. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings. John Spratt supported the interests of Planned Parenthood 67 percent in 2008. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. H Amdt 509 to HR 3962. 111th Congress. An amendment printed in Part C of House Report 111-330 to codify the Hyde Amendment in H.R. 3962. The amendment prohibits federal funds for abortion services in the public option. It also prohibits individuals who receive affordability credits from purchasing a plan that provides elective abortions. However, it allows individuals, both who receive affordability credits and who do not, to separately purchase with their own funds plans that cover elective abortions. It also clarifies that private plans may still offer elective abortions. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted YES on 7 November 2009. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 760. 108th Congress. To prohibit the procedure commonly known as partial-birth abortion. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted YES on 4 June 2003. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. S 3. 108th Congress. A bill to prohibit the procedure commonly known as partial-birth abortion. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted YES on 2 October 2003. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. H Amdt 209 to HR 1815. 109th Congress. An amendment numbered 12 printed in House Report 109-96 to lift the current ban on privately funded abortions at U.S. military facilities overseas. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted YES on 25 May 2005. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 3660. 106th Congress. To amend title 18, United States Code, to ban partial-birth abortions. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted YES on 4 May 2000. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. 2004. Project Vote Smart: South Carolina Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy;" "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) Prohibit the dilation and extraction procedure, also known as 'partial-birth' abortion."
  • NARAL Pro-Choice America. 2009. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings. John Spratt supported the interests of NARAL Pro-Choice America 50 percent in 2009. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 5638. 109th Congress. To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the unified credit against the estate tax to an exclusion equivalent of $5,000,000 and to repeal the sunset provision for the estate and generation-skipping taxes, and for other purposes. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted NO on 22 June 2006. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 8. 108th Congress. To make the repeal of the estate tax permanent. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted NO on 13 April 2005. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. 2004. Project Vote Smart: South Carolina Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Selected NO for: "4) Do you support permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?"
  • National Taxpayers Union. 2009. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings. John Spratt supported the interests of the National Taxpayers Union 4 percent in 2009. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 1424. 111th Congress. To provide authority for the Federal Government to purchase and insure certain types of troubled assets for the purposes of providing stability to and preventing disruption in the economy and financial system and protecting taxpayers, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide incentives for energy production and conservation, to extend certain expiring provisions, to provide individual income tax relief, and for other purposes. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted YES on 10 March 2008. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 1. 111th Congress. Making supplemental appropriations for job preservation and creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency and science, assistance to the unemployed, and State and local fiscal stabilization, for fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted YES on 13 February 2009. (votesmart.org)
  • Club for Growth. 2008. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings. John Spratt supported the interests of the Club for Growth 0 percent in 2008. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. 27 January 2009. "The question before us is simply this: Will we act, act now and act boldly in an effort to restore our economy to a healthy status, or will we run the risk that this recession will become even deeper and longer?... I urge everyone to support H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act." (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. Spratt Statement on the Bailout Bill. 3 October 2008. "I spoke to the House on Monday, September 29, and began by saying, 'Nobody comes to the well of the House today with any relish or enthusiasm. This bill is as unappealing to those of us who will vote for it as it is to those who will vote against it.' Nevertheless, after weighing all the considerations, I felt that the cost of doing nothing was likely to be more than the cost of passing the Administration's plan with all the positive changes we had made. I decided that the right vote was a vote for passage. When the bill was first voted upon, five of the six members of our delegation came to the same conclusion. When the bill came back to the floor on October 3 for a second vote, this time with the Senate's amendments, I voted for it again. It passed easily by a vote of 263-171. All six members of our House delegation voted for the bill that time. Senator Graham voted for it, Senator DeMint did not." (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. 2004. Project Vote Smart: South Carolina Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "c) Invest a portion of Social Security assets collectively in stocks and bonds instead of United States Treasury securities."
  • John Spratt. Issue Position: Social Security and Medicare. "John Spratt is working to make sure both Social Security and Medicare remain structurally sound and financially solvent for generations to come. John is against any effort to privatize either program?.Those pushing privatization of Social Security would have you believe that you can invest all of your payroll taxes in a mutual fund; but to be assured of the disability and survivorship benefits that Social Security provides, you would first have to buy life, disability, and health insurance, and invest only the balance for retirement benefits in stocks or a mutual fund. Some of those investing in the stock market would come out better than they come out under Social Security, but others would not. The purpose of Social Security is to ensure that everyone has a foundation of basic benefits on which to retire. John favors tax incentives that make retirement saving more attractive, but he does not support radical changes like privatization or opting out, because these changes would alter the universality of Social Security and take away the financial foundation that it now ensures." (votesmart.org)
  • Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants. 2005-2006. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings. John Spratt supported the interests of the Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants 60 percent in 2005-2006. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. H Amdt 497 to HR 2181. 105th Congress. An amendment to add a new section which provides that in further consideration of death sentence recommendations, life imprisonment shall be imposed instead, if the court has any doubt that a defendent actually committed the offense. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted NO on 25 February 1998. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. 2004. Project Vote Smart: South Carolina Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "a) Support national standards for and testing of public school students;" "d) Allow teachers and professionals to receive authorization and funding to establish charter schools;" "e) Increase funding for block grants to states to aid in the hiring of additional teachers;" "f) Support teacher testing and reward teachers with merit pay;" "g) Increase funding for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings, infrastructure, technology);" "k) Support affirmative action in public college admissions;" "l) Increase funding of programs such as Pell grants and Stafford loans to help students pay for college;" "m) Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college."
  • Home School Legal Defense Association. 1999-2000. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings. John Spratt supported the interests of the Home School Legal Defense Association 20 percent in 1999-2000. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 1. 107th Congress. To close the achievement gap with accountability, flexibility, and choice, so that no child is left behind. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted YES on 23 May 2001. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. Issue Position: Education. "He wants to start all children on a strong foundation, using federal aid to hire new teachers, so that in grades one through three, no class in America will have more than 18 students. He wants to send "No Child Left Behind" back to the drawing board, and fulfill the federal funding commitment." (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. 2004. Project Vote Smart: South Carolina Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "a) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act;" "b) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act;" "f) Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil);" "g) Strengthen emission controls and fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles;" "i) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels to reduce pollution;" "j) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel;" "k) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits."
  • Environment America. 2009. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings. John Spratt supported the interests of Environment America 100 percent in 2009. (votesmart.org)
  • Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund. 2007. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings. John Spratt supported the interests of Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund 88 percent in 2007. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 2454. 111th Congress. To create clean energy jobs, achieve energy independence, reduce global warming pollution and transition to a clean energy economy. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted YES on 26 June 2009. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. Issue Position: Environment. "John believes that we have a right to breathe clean air and drink clean water, and a duty to leave the earth better than we found it. He voted to strengthen the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts, to increase the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and to limit out-of-state hazardous waste. He has fought waste dumps on the state line, acted as a watch dog over clean-up at Savannah River, and been named "Friend of the National Parks." (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. Issue Position: Energy. "As gas prices surge, many say, 'Drill here, drill now.' I am for anything responsible that will bring down prices, whether it's more drilling or less speculation. But everyone should know that we are drilling more now?. I voted to open 8.3 million acres to drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico , and more recently voted to tell the companies sitting on their leases, 'use it or lose it.' We need to drill more, but we also need to invest more. We need far more funds for alternative fuels across a broad range - ethanol, biomass, clean coal, nuclear, wind, and solar." (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 1025. 103rd Congress. To provide for a waiting period before the purchase of a handgun, and for the establishment of a national instant criminal background check system to be contacted by firearms dealers before the transfer of any firearm. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted YES on 10 November 1993. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 2122. 106th Congress. To require background checks at gun shows, and for other purposes. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted NO on 18 June 1999. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 4296. 103rd Congress. To make unlawful the transfer or possession of assault weapons. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted YES on 5 May 1994. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 6842. 111th Congress. To restore Second Amendment rights in the District of Columbia. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted YES on 17 September 2008. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. 2004. Project Vote Smart: South Carolina Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "a) Renew the ban on the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns, except those used for hunting;" "b) Maintain and strengthen the current level of enforcement of existing federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns;" "f) Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks on guns;" "g) Require background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows;" "i) Establish a national database of ballistic 'fingerprints' to track guns used in criminal activities."
  • Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. 2003. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings. John Spratt supported the interests of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence 70 percent from 1991 and 2003. (votesmart.org)
  • Gun Owners of America. 2010. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings. In 2010 Gun Owners of America gave John Spratt a grade of F. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. 2004. Project Vote Smart: South Carolina Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "c) Support a Patient's Bill of Rights which includes appeal mechanisms when claims are denied;" "d) Support a Patient's Bill of Rights which includes the right to sue when claims are denied;" "f) Establish limits on the amount of punitive damages awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits;" "g) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare;" "h) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under private managed care plans;" "i) Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage;" "j) Support automatic enrollment of children in federal health care programs such as CHIP and Medicaid;" "k) Allow 55-65 year-olds to buy into Medicare;" "l) Support stem cell research on existing lines of stem cells;" "m) Allow laboratories to create new lines of stem cells for additional research."
  • American Public Health Association. 2009. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings. John Spratt supported the interests of the American Public Health Association 89 percent in 2009. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 3962. 111th Congress. To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted YES on 7 November 2009. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. Spratt Statement on Health Care Reform, Update on Foot Surgery. 13 August 2009. "Both bills call for an insurance exchange, where individuals and smaller businesses have the advantage of competition. But the House bill contains a public insurance plan as one option in the insurance exchange. The purpose of the public option is to offer an alternative to private insurance and to have a yardstick to compare cost and coverage. Insurance companies oppose the public plan. They claim that it will be impossible to compete if the government subsidizes the public insurance policy. Sponsors say subsidies will be excluded. A public policy enacted as a backup, which is triggered into being only if the cost of private coverage escalates beyond certain benchmarks, may be a compromise." (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. Issue Position: Health Care. "The new health care law will make medical care both more available and more affordable. John Spratt voted for passage, to put insurance within reach of 32 million more people, raising coverage to 95% of all Americans. John Spratt believes that we have the best medical care system in the world, but it is also the world's most expensive, and care is not readily available to millions of Americans who need it. The rising cost is not sustainable, not only in household and business budgets, but in the federal budget as well. The challenge is to expand coverage while containing cost.[...]" (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. 2004. Project Vote Smart: South Carolina Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "c) Increase the number of visas issued for agricultural workers;" "f) Support the detention of asylum seekers from countries known to sponsor terrorism."
  • Federation for American Immigration Reform. 2007-2008. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings. John Spratt supported the interests of the Federation for American Immigration Reform 42 percent in 2007-2008. (votesmart.org)
  • National Latino Congreso. 2007-2010. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings. John Spratt supported the interests of the National Latino Congreso 40 percent in 2007-2010. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. Issue Position: Immigration. "Immigration reform has to include more staff and resources for enforcement. This was the most glaring shortcoming in Representative Sensenbrenner's bill. The bill stiffened penalties, but provided little for the enforcement of those penalties. By the same token, immigration reform needs to include not amnesty and not citizenship, but some sort of temporary worker program, but it has to provide for its proper administration and enforcement. The immigration service is woefully understaffed, and unable to handle this huge responsibility, and no reform will work without a substantial increase in staffing at the immigration service, border patrol, and customs." (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. Spratt Votes for Border Protection Bills. 22 September 2006. "Spratt voted for the following three bills this week: Border Tunnel Prevention Act, HR 4830 - The bill creates new criminal penalties for constructing illegal tunnels under the U.S. border, and doubles penalties for smuggling illegal immigrants, drugs, weapons of mass destruction, or other illegal items if done through an illegal tunnel. Community Protection Act, HR 6094 - The bill allows the Homeland Security Department to detain indefinitely illegal immigrants who cannot be returned to their native country, changing the current six-month maximum on such detentions. It also prohibits gang members from being admitted into the United States, and makes certain gang members subject to deportation. Immigration Law Enforcement Act, HR 6095 - The bill declares that state and local law enforcement officers have the "inherent authority" to apprehend illegal immigrants and transfer them to federal custody, and directs the Justice Department to hire more attorneys to prosecute alien smuggling cases." (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 4899. 111th Congress. Supplemental Appropriations Act. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted NO on Requiring Timetable for Withdrawal from Afghanistan on 1 July 2010. (votesmart.org)
  • Peace Action West. 2009. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings. John Spratt supported the interests of Peace Action West 46 percent in 2009. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 4899. 111th Congress. Supplemental Appropriations Act. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted NO on Limiting Afghanistan Military Funding to Withdrawal and Other Specified Purposes on 1 July 2010. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011. 27 May 2010. "This bill fully funds national security activities in the Departments of Defense and Energy, including top-line funding increases for DOD as well as fully funding Iraq and Afghanistan operations. This is the fourth consecutive year that the Congress has significantly increased funding for the military of this country. Overall, this bill provides $548 billion for DOD, $159 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a total altogether of $726 billion, if you include the Department of Energy." (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. Spratt Back From Afghanistan; Led Delegation As Budget Committee Chairman. 29 January 2010. "We came to see for ourselves what we can expect to accomplish this year and next, especially by adding troops, and what the cost is likely to be over the years to come. When our troops are deployed to a combat zone, they deserve our full support, and we made it clear to everyone that they have it. We also brought with us another message, especially to the Afghans, that our budget is strained and that limits our ability to make open-ended commitments for an indefinite time." (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. Issue Position: National Defense. "John Spratt believes our country needs to stay strong, second to none as a military power. From missile defense to military procurement, John has backed a strong but cost-effective defense. The Almanac of American Politics pinpoints him as "one of a handful who shape defense policy in the House." A strong supporter of our troops, John helped pass a hike in hazardous duty and separation pay, fought for a waiver of premiums on servicemen's life insurance, and pushed for funding of family separation centers and low-interest loans for reservists on active duty." (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. H J Res 88. 109th Congress. Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to marriage. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted YES on 18 July 2006. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. HR 3396. 103rd Congress. To define and protect the institution of marriage. Project Vote Smart Summary: John Spratt voted YES on 12 July 1996. (votesmart.org)
  • John Spratt. 2004. Project Vote Smart: South Carolina Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Selected YES for: "k) Should marriage be restricted to a union only between a man and a woman?" Other: "States should decide civil union issues."
  • John Spratt. 2004. South Carolina Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "Other: States should decide civil union issues."
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.
b) Abortions should always be legal.
X c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
X d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
X e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
X f) Prohibit the dilation and extraction procedure, also known as "partial-birth" abortion.
g) Prohibit public funding of abortions and of organizations that advocate or perform abortions.
h) Other or expanded principles

Using the key, indicate what federal funding levels you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category.Budget Priorities

Maintain Status a) Agriculture
Maintain Status b) Arts
Maintain Status c) Defense
Slightly Increase d) Education
Maintain Status e) Environment
Maintain Status f) Homeland security
Maintain Status g) International aid
Maintain Status h) Law enforcement
Maintain Status i) Medical research
Maintain Status j) National parks
Maintain Status k) Public health services
Maintain Status l) Scientific research
Slightly Decrease m) Space exploration programs
Slightly Increase n) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Slightly Decrease o) Welfare
p) Other or expanded categories

Defense Spending

Maintain Status a) Armed Forces personnel training
Maintain Status b) Intelligence operations
Maintain Status c) Military hardware
Maintain Status d) Modernization of weaponry and equipment
Slightly Decrease e) National missile defense
Slightly Increase f) Pay for active duty personnel
Slightly Increase g) Programs to improve troop retention rates
Slightly Decrease h) Research and development of new weapons
Maintain Status i) Troop and equipment readiness
j) Other or expanded categories

Using the key above, indicate what federal tax levels you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category.TaxesIncome Taxes:Family IncomeRetiree IncomeOther Taxes:Deductions/Credits:

Maintain Status a) Less than $25,000
Maintain Status b) $25,000-$75,000
Maintain Status c) $75,000-$150,000
Slightly Increase d) Over $150,000
e) Other or expanded categories
Maintain Status f) Over $40,000
g) Other or expanded categories
Maintain Status a) Alcohol taxes
Slightly Increase b) Capital gains taxes
Slightly Increase c) Cigarette taxes
Maintain Status d) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status e) Gasoline taxes
Slightly Decrease f) Inheritance taxes
g) Other or expanded categories
Maintain Status a) Charitable contributions
Maintain Status b) Child tax credit
Maintain Status c) Earned income tax credit
Maintain Status d) Medical expense deduction
Maintain Status e) Mortgage deduction
Maintain Status f) Student loan credit
g) Other or expanded categories
No 4) Do you support permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
No 5) Do you support eliminating taxes on dividends paid to individual investors?
Yes 6) Should a married couple filing jointly pay the same taxes as if they were an unmarried couple filing separately?
7) Other or expanded principles

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

a) Support public taxpayer funding for federal candidates who comply with campaign spending limits.
b) Increase the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
c) Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
d) Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
e) Allow ads paid for by soft money that support or attack a candidate for federal office.
f) Allow issue advocacy commercials by corporations, labor unions, and non-profit groups which appear within 60 days of a general election and within 30 days of a primary election.
g) Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties.
Undecided h) Do you support instant run-off voting (IRV)?
No i) Should Election Day be a national holiday?
j) Should same-sex couples be allowed to form civil unions?
Yes k) Should marriage be restricted to a union only between a man and a woman?
Yes l) Other or expanded principles
States should decide civil union issues.

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.
c) Impose "truth in sentencing" for violent criminals so they serve full sentences with no chance of parole.
X d) Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
X e) Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
f) Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
g) Support additional criminal penalties if a fetus is killed in the commission of a federal crime against a pregnant woman.
h) Require that crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, and disability be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
X i) Support programs that provide job training and placement services for at-risk youth.
j) Impose stricter penalties for those convicted of white-collar crimes.
k) Enforcement of civil rights should primarily be the responsibility of the federal government.
l) Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
m) Other or expanded principles

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

X a) Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
X b) Expand federally sponsored drug education and drug treatment programs.
c) Decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
d) Allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes.
X e) Increase border security to stop the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.
f) Eliminate federal funding for programs associated with the "war on drugs."
g) Other or expanded principles

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

X a) Support national standards for and testing of public school students.
b) Allow parents to use vouchers (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any public school.
c) Allow parents to use vouchers (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any private or religious school.
X d) Allow teachers and professionals to receive authorization and funding to establish charter schools.
X e) Increase funding for block grants to states to aid in the hiring of additional teachers.
X f) Support teacher testing and reward teachers with merit pay.
X g) Increase funding for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings, infrastructure, technology).
h) Support granting states limited control over Head Start programs.
i) Support changing the mission of Head Start to emphasize improving the math and reading skills of disadvantaged children.
j) Providing education is not a responsibility of the federal government.
X k) Support affirmative action in public college admissions.
X l) Increase funding of programs such as Pell grants and Stafford loans to help students pay for college.
X m) Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
n) Other or expanded principles

1) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.2) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding affirmative action.

X a) Increase funding for national job-training programs that re-train displaced workers or teach skills needed in today's job market.
b) Reduce government regulation of the private sector in order to encourage investment and economic expansion.
X c) Provide tax credits or grants to businesses that offer child care services to employees.
X d) Encourage employers to offer flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
e) Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
X f) Increase the federal minimum wage.
g) Support the right of workers to strike without fear of being permanently replaced.
X h) Allow workers to sell company stock and to diversify their company retirement funds into other investment options.
i) Other or expanded principles
a) The federal government should consider race and gender in government contracting decisions.
b) The federal government should discontinue affirmative action programs.
X c) The federal government should continue affirmative action programs.
d) Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
e) Other or expanded principles

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

X a) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act.
X b) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
c) Require states to compensate citizens when environmental regulations limit uses of privately-owned land.
d) Relax logging restrictions on federal lands.
e) Relax standards on federal lands to allow increased recreational usage.
X f) Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil).
X g) Strengthen emission controls and fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
h) Support opening a select portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil exploration.
X i) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels to reduce pollution.
X j) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
X k) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits.
l) Support the U.S. re-entering the Kyoto treaty process to limit global warming.
m) Other or expanded principles

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

X a) Renew the ban on the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns, except those used for hunting.
X b) Maintain and strengthen the current level of enforcement of existing federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
c) Ease federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
d) Repeal federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
e) Allow citizens to carry concealed guns.
X f) Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks on guns.
X g) Require background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows.
h) Require a license for gun possession.
X i) Establish a national database of ballistic "fingerprints" to track guns used in criminal activities.
j) Support legislation that would protect manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and importers of firearms from civil lawsuits by crime victims.
k) Other or expanded principles

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

a) Providing health care is not a responsibility of the federal government.
b) Implement a universal health care program to guarantee coverage to all Americans regardless of income.
X c) Support a Patient's Bill of Rights which includes appeal mechanisms when claims are denied.
X d) Support a Patient's Bill of Rights which includes the right to sue when claims are denied.
e) Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts.
X f) Establish limits on the amount of punitive damages awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
X g) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
X h) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under private managed care plans.
X i) Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
X j) Support automatic enrollment of children in federal health care programs such as CHIP and Medicaid.
X k) Allow 55-65 year-olds to buy into Medicare.
X l) Support stem cell research on existing lines of stem cells.
X m) Allow laboratories to create new lines of stem cells for additional research.
n) Other or expanded principles

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

a) Decrease the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country.
b) Establish English as the official national language.
X c) Increase the number of visas issued for agricultural workers.
d) Relax restrictions barring legal immigrants from using social programs (e.g. public housing, food stamps).
e) Support amnesty for certain illegal immigrants who already reside in the United States.
X f) Support the detention of asylum seekers from countries known to sponsor terrorism.
g) Other or expanded principles

International AidIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding United States economic assistance.

X a) Aid should be granted to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives.
X b) Aid should be granted to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States.
X c) Aid should be eliminated for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
d) Aid programs should be scaled back and eventually eliminated.
e) Other or expanded principles

International Policy1) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the Middle East.2) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Central and East Asia.3) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the United Nations.

Yes a) Should the United States continue to provide leadership in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
Yes b) Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
No c) Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?
d) Discuss your proposals for the reconstruction of Iraq. What funding sources would you use to implement these proposals? (75 words or less. Please use an attached page if the space below is not adequate.)
e) Other or expanded principles
Yes a) Should the United States use diplomatic and economic pressure to encourage North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program?
b) Should the United States use military force to destroy the North Korean nuclear weapons program?
c) Should the United States remove the North Korean government from power?
Yes d) Should the United States increase financial support to Afghanistan?
Yes e) Should the United States increase military support to Afghanistan?
f) Other or expanded principles
Yes a) Should the United States maintain its financial support of the United Nations?
No b) Should the United States decrease its financial support of the United Nations?
Yes c) Should the United States commit troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions?
d) Other or expanded principles
Yes 4) Should the United States lift the travel ban to Cuba?
5) Should the United States increase its financial support to Colombia to combat "the war on drugs"?
Yes 6) Should aid to African nations for AIDS prevention programs fund distribution of contraceptives?
Yes 7) Should aid to African nations for AIDS prevention fund abstinence education?
8) Other or expanded principles

International TradeIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international trade.

Yes 1) Do you support the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?
Yes 2) Do you support the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)?
Yes 3) Do you support continued U.S. membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO)?
Yes 4) Should a nation's human rights record affect its normal trade relations (most favored nation) status with the United States?
Undecided 5) Do you support the trade embargo against Cuba?
Yes 6) Should trade agreements include provisions to address environmental concerns and to protect workers' rights?
7) Other or expanded principles

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

Yes a) Do you support using military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical?
Yes b) Should the United States adopt stricter rules for student visa applications from nations known to sponsor terrorism?
No c) Should the United States grant law enforcement agencies greater discretion to read mail and email, tap phones, and conduct random searches to prevent future terrorist attacks?
Undecided d) Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country?
No e) Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?
f) Do you support a policy of pre-emptive strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to national security?
Yes g) Other or expanded principles
My answer to (1) means that Partiot Act goes far enough, and in some cases, too far. I voted for Patriot Act.

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

a) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts which they manage themselves.
b) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts managed by private firms contracted by the government.
X c) Invest a portion of Social Security assets collectively in stocks and bonds instead of United States Treasury securities.
d) Increase the payroll tax to better finance Social Security in its current form.
e) Lower the annual cost-of-living increases.
f) Raise the retirement age for when individuals are eligible to receive full Social Security benefits.
g) Other of expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding technology and communication.

X a) Collect taxes on commercial Internet transactions.
b) Continue the moratorium on Internet taxation.
c) Implement regulation of Internet content.
X d) Support government mandates to curtail violent and sexual content on television.
X e) Support strict penalties for Internet crimes (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
X f) Support legislation to detail how personal information can be collected and used on the Internet.
g) Regulating the Internet is not a responsibility of the federal government.
X h) Impose regulations on "spam" emails.
i) Other or expanded principles

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) Increase funding for child care programs.
X c) Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants.
d) Direct federal poverty aid through religious, community-based, or other non-profit organizations.
e) Abolish all federal welfare programs.
X f) Support housing assistance for low-income families.
X g) Other or expanded principles
I agree with (a), but believe 40 hrs or 35 hrs not necessary in all cases ; eg., not with mothers who cannot provide child care.
On an attached page, disk, or via email, please explain in a total of 75 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.

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