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Donald Shoultz's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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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.

Donald Shoultz REPEATEDLY REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY
RESPONSES TO CITIZENS ON ISSUES THROUGH THE 2006
NATIONAL POLITICAL AWARENESS TEST WHEN ASKED TO DO SO BY

Key national leaders of both major parties including:
John McCain, Republican Senator
Geraldine Ferraro, Former Democratic Congresswoman
Michael Dukakis, Former Democratic Governor
Bill Frenzel, Former Republican Congressman
Richard Kimball, Project Vote Smart President

Over 100 news organizations throughout the nation also urged their candidates to supply their issue positions through the National Political Awareness Test.

What is the Political Courage Test?
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.

Iowa State Legislative Election 1996 National Political Awareness Test

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.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning abortion.

a) Abortions should always be legally available.
X b) Abortions should be legally available when the procedure is completed within the first trimester of pregnancy.
c) Abortions should be legal only when the pregnancy resulted from incest, rape or when the life of the woman is endangered.
d) Abortions should be legal only when the life of the woman is endangered.
e) Abortions should always be illegal.
f) Abortions should be limited by waiting periods and parental notification requirements.
g) Require statistical reporting of abortions and miscarriages to the Department of Public Health.
h) Should Iowa government funding be provided to clinics and medical facilities that provide abortion services?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding affirmative action in Iowa.

X a) Iowa government should prosecute cases of discrimination in the public and private sectors.
b) Iowa government should provide no affirmative action programs.
No c) Do you believe that the Iowa government should recognize same-sex marriages?
Yes d) Do you believe that sexual orientation should be added to Iowa's anti-discrimination laws?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding children & family issues in Iowa.

X a) Increase state funding for programs to prevent teen pregnancy.
X b) Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees.
c) Deny or suspend state-issued permits and licenses to parents who are delinquent in paying court-ordered child support.
X d) Increase state funding for child-care facilities.
e) Support legislation to end no-fault divorce.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) to address crime in Iowa.

a) Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and for hiring of additional prison staff.
X b) Expand and promote "community policing" programs.
c) Support "truth in sentencing" for violent criminals so they serve their full sentences with no chance of parole.
d) Institute the death penalty in Iowa.
e) Oppose the death penalty.
X f) Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
g) Require mandatory life sentences for third-time, violent felons.
h) Inform communities when a convicted sex offender moves into the community.
X i) Increase state funds for programs which rehabilitate and educate inmates during and after their prison sentences.
j) Decriminalize the possession and private use of certain illegal drugs such as marijuana.
k) Strengthen penalties and sentences associated with drug-related crimes.
l) Implement chain gangs in which prison inmates work together in chained work groups.
m) Require prison inmates to pay for their incarceration.
n) Criminalize the act of assisted suicide.
o) Classify a third-time domestic abuse offense as a felony.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) to address juvenile crime in Iowa.

a) Prosecute juveniles who commit murder or other serious violent crimes as adults.
b) Provide state funding for military-style "boot camps" for juvenile first-time felons.
X c) Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
X d) Support state government funding of programs for at-risk youth such as guaranteed college loans and job training and placement.
e) Make the availability of juvenile criminal records the same as those of adult offenders.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning Iowa's economic development.

a) Increase state funds for improving the state's transportation system, including major roadways, railways, and airports.
X b) Provide low interest loans and tax credits for expanding, start-up, or relocating businesses.
c) Expand legalized gambling (e.g. casino gambling, riverboats).
d) Reduce state government regulations on the private sector.
e) Remove state government controls or caps from wages, prices, rents, profits, production, and interest rates.
f) Support limits on cash damages in lawsuits against businesses and professionals for product liability or malpractice.
X g) Increase state funding for programs to re-train unemployed workers.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Iowa's education system.

X a) Increase state funds for professional development and salaries of public school faculty.
b) Endorse teacher-led voluntary school prayer in public schools.
X c) Encourage private or corporate investment in certain public school programs (e.g. apprenticeships to train high school students who are not college bound).
d) Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious, technical).
e) Implement charter schools where teachers and other professionals receive state authorization and funding to establish new schools.
f) Require the use of state-wide achievement standards for all state public schools.
X g) Emphasize local control of education as long as the school district meets state health and safety standards.
X h) Support sex education programs which stress abstinence.
X i) Support sex education programs which stress safe sexual practices.
X j) Provide state funding for programs which increase Iowa students access to the Internet and other telecommunications networks.
X k) Increase state funds for higher education.
X l) Increase state funds for vocational education in public high schools.
X m) Increase state funds for training teachers in new techniques and technology.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning Iowa's environment and natural resources.

a) Enact tougher environmental standards to encourage the sale of cleaner burning fuels throughout Iowa.
b) Support "self-audit" legislation which creates incentives for polluting industries to audit themselves and clean up pollution.
c) Require a cost/benefit analysis be completed on the economic impact of proposed environmental regulations before they are implemented.
d) Require the state to reimburse citizens when state- sponsored environmental regulations limit the use of privately owned land.
X e) Provide funding for recycling programs in Iowa.
f) Request flexibility from the federal government in enforcing and funding federal environmental regulations.
g) Suspend Iowa's participation in unfunded, federally mandated environmental protection legislation.
h) Maintain minimum environmental quality as mandated by current federal regulations.
i) Support the creation of a wildlife preserve in Iowa by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department.
X j) Provide financial incentives for citizens and industry to use energy-efficient measures (e.g. insulation, compact florescent lighting).

a) Would you support amending the Iowa Constitution to limit the terms of the following Iowa officials?

No 1) State Senators and Representatives
No 2) Governors
b) Do you support amending the U.S. Constitution to require an annual balanced federal budget?
c) Do you support requiring limits on individual contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes d) Do you support requiring limits on PAC contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes e) Do you support requiring limits on corporate contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes f) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
Yes g) Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns?
Yes h) Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning gun issues.

a) Support expanding the nationwide federal ban on the public sale of assault weapons to include all forms of semi-automatic weapons.
b) Increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
c) Maintain all state registration procedures and state restrictions on possessing firearms.
d) Ease state procedures and restrictions on the purchase and registration of firearms.
e) Repeal all state bans and measures that restrict law-abiding citizens from obtaining firearms.
f) Continue to allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning Iowa's health care system.

a) Expand state funding for pre-natal and infant care programs available in the state, including immunizations.
X b) Provide tax incentives to assist small businesses in providing health care to their employees.
X c) Ensure that Iowa citizens have access to basic health care, through managed care, insurance reforms, or state funded care where necessary.
d) Guaranteeing medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
e) Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
X f) Support legislation requiring health insurance providers to cover certain medical services (e.g. 48-hr. hospital stay for mothers after childbirth).
Yes g) Should the terminally ill have the right to end their life?

Indicate what changes you support (if any) concerning levels of funding for the following categories. Select one option only.

a) Abortion
b) Affirmative Action
c) Agriculture
d) AIDS Programs
e) Education
f) Environment
g) Health Care
h) Law Enforcement
i) Welfare

Please indicate the changes you support (if any) concerning Iowa's tax levels. Select one option only.

a) Alcohol Taxes
b) Business Taxes
c) Capital Gains Taxes
d) Income Taxes (incomes less than $75,000)
e) Income Taxes (incomes greater than $75,000)
f) Property Taxes
g) Sales Taxes
h) State Fees
i) Do you support a flat tax structure for state income taxes?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Iowa's welfare system.

a) Provide child care services to welfare recipients who work or attend school.
b) Allow welfare recipients to work and still receive state-funded health care and child care (if needed) until they become self-sufficient.
c) Require that able-bodied welfare recipients receive job training, attend school, or work in order to receive welfare benefits.
d) Require that unwed mothers under the age of 18 attend school and live with a parent or guardian (if possible) to receive welfare benefits.
e) Limit the welfare benefits given to recipients if they have additional children.
f) Provide two-parent families living in poverty the same welfare benefits as one-parent families.
g) Eliminate government-funded welfare and advocate privately-funded assistance to people in need.
h) Do you support the current two-year limit on welfare benefits for recipients who are able to work?
Explain what your two main legislative priorities will be if elected to the Iowa General Assembly. If any of your priorities will require additional government funding, explain how you intend to obtain the additional funding.

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