Card image cap

John Cleveland'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 Cleveland has refused to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2014 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests.

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.

Maine 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.

X a) Abortions should always be legally available.
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.
Yes g) Should Maine 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 Maine.

X a) The Maine government should prosecute cases of discrimination in the public and private sectors.
b) The Maine government should provide no affirmative action programs.
c) Specific, adjustable percentages of contracts for state work should be awarded to minority or woman-owned businesses.
Undecided d) Do you believe that the Maine government should recognize same-sex marriages?
Yes e) Do you believe that sexual orientation should be added to Maine's anti-discrimination laws?

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

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.
X c) Deny or suspend state-issued permits and licenses to parents who are delinquent in paying court-ordered child support.
X d) Advocate an increased state income tax deduction for child care expenses.

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

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 Maine.
X 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 sentence.
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) Increase state funds for hiring more police officers.
X n) Support laws requiring restitution to crime victims at the personal expense of the criminal.
X o) Provide funding for the establishment of a DNA-testing facility in Maine to assist in criminal investigations.

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

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.
c) Increase state funding for local community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
d) Support state government funding of programs for at-risk youth such as guaranteed college loans and job training and placement.

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

X 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. video gambling).
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.
g) Increase state funding for programs to re-train unemployed workers.
h) Support the extension of workers' compensation to farm laborers.
X i) Support the "Plus-One" Initiative, to provide a job creation tax credit for small businesses with 50 employees or less.
X j) Provide financial incentives to small businesses that invest in new machinery and technology (e.g. computers).

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

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.
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 (e.g. "Learning Results").
g) Emphasize local control of education as long as the school district meets state health and safety standards.
h) Support sex education programs which stress abstinence.
i) Support sex education programs which stress safe sexual practices.
X j) Provide state funding for programs which increase Maine students' access to the Internet and other telecommunications networks.
k) Support state funding for the creation of a magnet school for the arts in Portland.
l) Support a school choice program that allows parents to choose which public school their child(ren) should attend.

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

a) Enact tougher environmental standards to encourage the sale of cleaner burning fuels throughout Maine (e.g. reformulated gas).
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 Maine.
X f) Request flexibility from the federal government in enforcing and funding federal environmental regulations.
g) Suspend Maine's participation in unfunded, federally mandated environmental protection legislation.
X h) Maintain minimum environmental quality as mandated by current federal regulations.
i) Oppose the shipping of radioactive waste through the state of Maine.
j) Reserve large, undeveloped portions of the North Woods exclusively for forest management and wildlife preservation.
k) Support the closure of Maine's inshore waters to protect spawning grounds for cod, haddock and yellowtail flounder.
l) Do you support enacting a statewide ban on forest clearcutting?
a) Do you support the laws that limit the terms of Maine State Senators and Representatives to four consecutive two-year terms?
b) Do you support the law that limits the terms of the Governor of Maine (two 4-year terms)?
c) Do you support amending the U.S. Constitution to require an annual balanced federal budget?
Yes d) Do you support requiring limits on individual contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes e) Do you support requiring limits on PAC contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes f) Do you support requiring limits on corporate contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes g) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
Undecided h) Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns?
Undecided i) Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns?
Undecided j) Do you support initiatives to privatize segments of Maine state government?
Yes k) Do you support the line-item veto for the Governor of Maine?
No l) Do you support the institution of a unicameral legislature for Maine?
No m) Do you want Maine to require candidates to show support for term limits or have their refusal printed on the state ballot?

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.
X 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 Maine's health care system.

X a) Expand state funding for pre-natal and infant care programs available in the state, including immunizations.
b) Provide tax incentives to assist small businesses in providing health care to their employees.
X c) Ensure that Maine 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.
f) Provide state assistance to seniors and the disabled in having access to home and community-based health care.
X g) Support legislation which assures Maine workers will have portable health insurance if they lose their jobs.

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

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

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

Slightly Increase a) Alcohol Taxes
Maintain Status b) Business Taxes
Maintain Status c) Capital Gains Taxes
Slightly Increase d) Cigarette Taxes
Maintain Status e) Income Taxes (incomes less than $75,000)
Maintain Status f) Income Taxes (incomes greater than $75,000)
Slightly Decrease g) Property Taxes
Maintain Status h) Sales Taxes
Maintain Status i) State Fees
No j) Do you support a flat tax structure for state income taxes?

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

X a) Provide child care services to welfare recipients who work or attend school.
X b) Allow welfare recipients to work and still receive state-funded health care and child care (if needed) until they become self-sufficient.
X c) Require that able-bodied welfare recipients receive job training, attend school, or work in order to receive welfare benefits.
X 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.
X 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) Impose a 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 Maine State Legislature. If any of your priorities will require additional government funding, explain how you intend to obtain the additional funding.

Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.

arrow_upward