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H. Werder'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.

H. Werder has demonstrated Political Courage by telling citizens where he stands on the issues he may face if elected.

What is the Political Courage Test?

Florida Congressional Election 2012 Political Courage Test

Abortion

Unknown Position		Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2004 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "b) Abortions should always be legal." David Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2012 Political Courage Test. Selected NO ANSWER for: "a)Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?" Other or expanded principles: "Yes!! I am personally against abortion and I am willing to sponcer or co-sponcer anti-abortion agendas...HOWEVER..I am also for womens' rights and their right to choose what they do to their bodies. And the constituents, by far, are and favor, pro-choice." H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2006 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "b) Abortions should always be legal." H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2004 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "a) Abortions should always be illegal." Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion. Other or expanded principles: "A Supreme Court issue; my constituens support all above" H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2006 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "f) Prohibit public funding of abortions and to organizations that advocate or perform abortions." H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2004 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "g) Prohibit public funding of abortions and of organizations that advocate or perform abortions." Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion. Other or expanded principles: "A Supreme Court issue; my constituens support all above" H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2006 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "a) Abortions should always be illegal." Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion. Other or expanded principles: "That is my personal opinion. However the Constituents do not feel that way. To change abortion laws, one will have to change the Supreme Court judges. Judges who are appointed by the president. So one must vote for a president who is for or against what they want and hope he gets to fill in a replacement when one dies or retires."
Yes!! I am personally against abortion and I am willing to sponcer or co-sponcer anti-abortion agendas. ..HOWEVER..I am also for womens' rights and their right to choose what they do to their bodies. And the constituents, by far, are and favor, pro-choice. I would like to see on the ballot.. "Do you wish to retain this Supreme Court Justice?" ...every so many years; for each and every one of the judges also. This is at present a decision that came about due to a supreme courts' ruling, Not yours or mine

Afghanistan

No		Do you support United States' combat operations in Afghanistan?
Yes		Do you support a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan?
As it did with Russian war in Afghanastan, operations will fail without addressing Pakistani problem.

Budget

Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing the federal budget.In order to balance the budget,

Yes		do you support reducing defense spending?
No		do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
No		do you support reducing Medicaid spending?
No		do you support reducing Medicare spending?
Yes		Is balancing the budget a legislative priority?
No more tax increases. Would like to see included in bills, the means by which they would be financed. We cannot continue to saddle our children and our future generations with current debts and the interest on that debt. Who wants a national lottery? or decriminalization? Just saying, maybe we need to look outside the box to figure our way out of the debt. This country originally made due with JUST an import tax / NO INCOME TAX!

Campaign Finance

Yes		Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
Every time there is some form of campaign reform, it seems that there ends up a way around it. Every time there are new campaign laws passed it also seems like they are abused. ie: giving money to entities or ??? that skirt the original campaign contribution limits. Since the Supreme Court made the last ruling regarding these financial dealings, we have seen numerous groups doing just that.

Capital Punishment

Yes		Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
I also believe that if a person is old enough to know better that they should be charged the same as an adult. Just because a person is let's say 14 or 15 and already a criminal...doesn't mean he gets a free pass, due to the fact that the person is a minor.

Economy

Yes		Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Yes		Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation?
Yes		Do you support spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
Yes		Do you support the temporary extension of unemployment benefits?
		Do you support the 2010 temporary extension of tax relief?
I am against extending unemployement benefits! HOWEVER, Constituents in this district want and need them: So therefore I would vote YES to temporarily extend them

Education

No		Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants?
Shouldn't education be a "STATES RIGHTS' "

Energy

Yes		Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production?
#1 issue is ENERGY INDEPENDENCE. Back in the early '80's, in Clearwater,FLA; I was the guy who sat atop the flag-pole for the world-record for over a year, as a political protest over the price of gas. I would like to see every Floridian get a royalty or dividend check each year as they do in Alaska... for giving them the rights to 'our' states resources. And to my knowledge we have not yet even tried ON SHORE drilling. I have seen what looked like oil bubbling up from the ground, in the center of the state below Lake Okeechobee.

Environment

Yes		Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change?
Unknown Position		Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2004 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "g) Strengthen emission controls and fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles." H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2006 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "c) Support Clear Skies Act to reduce power plant emissions by setting a national cap on pollutants." H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2006 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "h) Strengthen emission controls and fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles." H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2004 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "k) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits." H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2004 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "l) Support the U.S. re-entering the Kyoto treaty process to limit global warming." H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2006 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "m) Support the Kyoto Protocol to limit global warming." H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2006 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "l) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits." David Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2012 Political Courage Test. Selected NO ANSWER for: "b) Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?" Other or expanded principles: "Human activity is only partially contributing and responsible. Re: Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emmisions Regulations - Only if it does not tilt the economic playing field of this country and its' businesses in favor of our opponents. It would hurt US if the field isn't level."
Human activity is only partially contributing and responsible. Re: Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emmisions Regulations - Only if it does not tilt the economic playing field of this country and its' businesses in favor of our opponents. It would hurt US if the field isn't level.

Guns

No		Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
I support the 2nd amendment!!! I support reciprocity. I support 'concealed carry' permits. However, I DO NOT support the fees for 'said' permits.

Health Care

No		Should individuals be required to purchase health insurance, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
Unknown Position		Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2004 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "b) Implement a universal health care program to guarantee coverage to all Americans regardless of income." Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health care. Other or expanded principles: "Live better; live longer Solve health care crisis once & for all" H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2004 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "a) Providing health care is not a responsibility of the federal government." H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2006 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "b) Implement a universal health care program to guarantee coverage to all Americans regardless of income." Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health care. Other or expanded principles: "My only promise! When elected "I will give up 1/2 of my annual salary to help pay for prescription drugs for needy seniors and indigent citizens."" H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2006 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "a) Providing health care is not a responsibility of the federal government."
I believe this act is a sellout to insurance concerns. We need to get PROFIT out of healthcare. Maybe the gov't ought to buy all the hospitals and health care insurance companies. I believe in the UK, that the gov't bought all the hospitals prior to WWII. Rx drug prices are also a major concern here. It seems there is a lot of greed in this healthcare arena that also needs addressed. Some drugs have gotten so expensive that they are only being purchased by those with Rx insurance.

Immigration

Yes		Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
No		Do you support allowing illegal immigrants, who were brought to the United States as minors, to pursue citizenship without returning to their country of origin?
Yes		Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration law by state and local police?
We cannot keep awarding people who are here illegally. Many times illegals cost us and take away from what should be going to OUR OWN U.S. AMERICAN CITIZENS.

Marriage

No		Do you support same-sex marriage?
AGAINST same sex MARRIAGES. FOR significant other & life partners.

National Security

		Should the U.S use military force in order to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon?
Unknown Position		Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict?
H. Werder. Project Vote Smart: 2004 Florida Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "Yes" for: "f) Do you support a policy of pre-emptive strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to national security?"
Problems with these ?'s. Specifically the word... SUSPECTED ??? The whole world, under the Patriot Act, could be considered a theatre of conflict! I do not think Iran should be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon. I do not think Pakistan should have it either. I do believe they have the right to have nuclear power for electricity, and if you do not allow that than you/we should be willing to supply it/power to them.

Social Security

No		Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?
A few years ago before the stock market took a dive they wanted to put SS funds into that market. Imagine if that had been allowed to happen. The problems would be worse. SS money should not pilfered for general fund problems. SS monies should be set aside and not touched.

Spending and Taxes

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.

Greatly Decrease		a) Agriculture
Greatly Decrease		b) Arts
Greatly Decrease		c) Defense
Greatly Decrease		d) Education
Greatly Decrease		e) Environment
Eliminate		f) Homeland Security
Eliminate		g) International aid
Greatly Increase		h) Medical Research
Greatly Increase		i) Scientific Research
Slightly Increase		j) Space exploration
Eliminate		k) United Nations
Slightly Decrease		l) Welfare
		m) Other or expanded categories
Eliminate		a) Capital gains taxes
Eliminate		b) Corporate taxes
Eliminate		c) Excise taxes (alcohol)
Eliminate		d) Excise taxes (cigarettes)
Eliminate		e) Excise taxes (transportation fuel)
Eliminate		f) Income taxes (low-income families)
Eliminate		g) Income taxes (middle-income families)
Eliminate		h) Income taxes (high-income families)
Eliminate		i) Inheritance taxes
Eliminate		j) Payroll taxes
Eliminate		k) Other or expanded categories
I am against taxes on U.S. citizens. Would rather see "import" taxes.

Administrative Priorities

END THE WAR on drugs. END THE WAR on terrorism. END THE WAR in Afghanistan.

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