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Tony Clark'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.
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.

North Dakota 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.
b) Abortions should be legally available when the procedure is completed within the first trimester of pregnancy.
X 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) Should North Dakota 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 North Dakota.

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

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

a) Increase state funding for programs to prevent teen pregnancy.
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.

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

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 North Dakota.
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.
X h) Inform communities when a convicted sex offender moves into the community.
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.
X k) Strengthen penalties and sentences associated with drug-related crimes.
X l) Implement chain gangs in which prison inmates work together in chained work groups.

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

X 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 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.
X e) Support mandatory curfews for minors in high crime areas.
X f) Allow courts to hold parents accountable for a minor child who violates the law.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning North Dakota'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.
X c) Reduce state government regulations on the private sector.
d) Remove state government controls or caps from wages, prices, rents, profits, production, and interest rates.
X e) Support limits on cash damages in lawsuits against businesses and professionals for product liability or malpractice.
f) Increase state funding for programs to re-train unemployed workers.
g) Convert the entire state of North Dakota into an economic enterprise zone by providing state-funded incentives for businesses to relocate to the state.
No h) Should North Dakota enact a minimum wage law which would raise the state minimum wage law above the federally-mandated level?
No i) Did you support recent ballot Measure 5 to expand legalized gambling operations to bars and restaurants in North Dakota?
No j) Did you support recent ballot Measure 7 which proposed to return many workers' compensation laws to pre-1995 status?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding North Dakota'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.
d) Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious, technical).
X 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.
i) Support sex education programs which stress safe sexual practices.
X j) Support a school choice program which allows parents to choose which public school their child(ren) should attend.
k) Institute a state income tax credit for families who send their children to private schools or use home schooling.
l) Provide state funding for a higher education tuition savings program for students in North Dakota.
Undecided m) Do you support North Dakota's continued participation in Goals 2000, the federal academic standards program?
Undecided n) Do you support North Dakota's continued participation in the Carnegie Bridges program which bases certain medical, social and psychological services in public schools?

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

a) Enact tougher environmental standards to encourage the sale of cleaner burning fuels throughout North Dakota.
b) Support "self-audit" legislation which creates incentives for polluting industries to audit themselves and clean up pollution.
X c) Require a cost/benefit analysis be completed on the economic impact of proposed environmental regulations before they are implemented.
X d) Require the state to reimburse citizens when state-sponsored environmental regulations limit the use of privately-owned land.
e) Provide funding for recycling programs in North Dakota.
X f) Request flexibility from the federal government in enforcing and funding federal environmental regulations.
g) Suspend North Dakota's participation in unfunded, federally mandated environmental protection legislation.
h) Maintain minimum environmental quality as mandated by current federal regulations.
X i) Support uninterrupted long-term operation of the Great Plains Synfuels Plant.
X j) Give high priority to state funding to repair damage caused by the flood in Devils Lake Basin.
Undecided k) Should disposal of out-of-state hazardous waste be prohibited in North Dakota?

a) Would you support amending the North Dakota Constitution to limit the terms of the following state officials?

No 1) State Senators and Representatives
No 2) Governor
Yes b) Do you support amending the U.S. Constitution to require an annual balanced federal budget?
No c) Do you support requiring limits on individual contributions to state legislative candidates?
No d) Do you support requiring limits on PAC contributions to state legislative candidates?
No 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?
No g) Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns?
No 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) Allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms.

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

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 North Dakota 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.
X e) Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
f) Support legislation requiring health insurance providers to provide certain medical services (e.g. 48-hr. hospital stay for mothers after childbirth).
g) Request a waiver from the federal government to provide Medicaid services through managed care programs.
X h) Enact legislation which assures North Dakota workers will have portable health insurance if they lose their jobs.
Undecided i) Should the terminally ill have the right to end their life?
Yes j) Do you support the North Dakota law which makes it a felony for an individual with AIDS to expose another person to AIDS without disclosing his or her condition?

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

Eliminate a) Abortion
Eliminate 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
Slightly Increase i) State Employee Salaries
Maintain Status j) Welfare

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

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

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding North Dakota'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.
X 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.
X 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.
X h) Impose a two-year limit on welfare benefits for recipients who are able to work.
i) Continue North Dakota's present system of setting welfare benefit time limits on a case-by-case bases.
I support an increase in funding for K-12 and higher education. We'll not need to raise taxes, as revenues are increasing in North Dakota's robust economy. My other top priority is to support a limited government that allows families to keep more money in their pockets, not government's.

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