Rebecca Sink-Burris' Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Indiana Congressional Election 2010 Political Courage Test
1) SpendingIndicate what federal funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category- you can use a number more than once.2) 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.
| Eliminate | a) Agriculture | ||
| Eliminate | b) Arts | ||
| Slightly Decrease | c) Defense | ||
| Maintain Status | 1) Intelligence operations | ||
| Greatly Decrease | 2) Military hardware | ||
| Maintain Status | 3) National missile defense | ||
| Maintain Status | 4) Salary and benefits for active duty personnel | ||
| Maintain Status | 5) Programs to improve troop retention rates | ||
| Maintain Status | 6) Research and development of new weapons | ||
| Greatly Decrease | d) Education | ||
| Maintain Status | e) Environment | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Homeland security | ||
| Greatly Decrease | g) International aid | ||
| Greatly Decrease | h) Medical research | ||
| Greatly Decrease | i) Scientific research | ||
| Greatly Decrease | j) Space exploration | ||
| Greatly Decrease | k) United Nations | ||
| Slightly Decrease | l) Welfare | ||
| Eliminate | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Eliminate | b) Capital gains taxes | ||
| Eliminate | c) Cigarette taxes | ||
| Eliminate | d) Corporate taxes | ||
| Eliminate | e) Gasoline taxes | ||
| Eliminate | f) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Eliminate | g) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Eliminate | h) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| Yes | 3) Do you support the elimination of the federal estate tax? | ||
| Yes | 4) Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year? | ||
| No | 5) Do you support using government funds in an effort to stimulate and improve the economy? | ||
| If a category is not in the Constitution then spending should be reduced and eventually eliminated. Defense spending can be reduced as shown by the unlikely duo of Barney Franks and Ron Paul, who came together on the Sustainable Defense Task force. This task force found $1 trillion in saving that would not cut money to supply American troops in the field. Cato Institute has an ongoing and detailed list of budget cuts by department that could help stop the current spending spree. | |||
| Replace with the Fair Tax, a national sales tax on new goods and services that is revenue neutral. This would be an enormous boost to our economy, bringing jobs back to the U.S.as well as creating new jobs. | |||
| Federal Budget should be balanced with spending cuts not tax increases, I would not vote for this otherwise. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support privatizing elements of Social Security? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | ||
| No | c) Do you support increasing the federal minimum wage? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support the ability of workers to unionize? | ||
| No | e) Do you support federal funding for job-training programs that retrain displaced workers? | ||
| The Ponzi scheme that is Social Security needs to be improved for everyone. Must keep promise to those receiving benefits or near retirement, one way would be to purchase an annuity with a set payout. For younger workers the system needs to be more like a private savings account, with ownership for the individual and in-heritability by the family. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support increasing the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns? | ||
| Yes | b) Should Congress regulate indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support removing all contribution limits on federal campaigns? | ||
| No | d) Should candidates for federal office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support giving the President the power of the line item veto for items concerning appropriations? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support limiting the President's ability to define how legislation is applied through the use of signing statements? | ||
| b) Only in order to require full disclosure of who is contributing. Currently campaign finance laws and the Federal Election Commission discourage political participation with their complicated rules and fines. They hinder free speech and as such are for the most part unconstitutional. Limit government to the Constitution and there will be less money in politics because there will be fewer tax breaks and privileges available. | |||
| No | a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support programs that provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related training and job-placement assistance when released? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support programs that provide prison inmates with substance abuse treatment? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support reduced prison sentences for non-violent offenders? | ||
| No | e) Do you support mandatory prison sentences for selling illegal drugs? | ||
| Move toward a system of "restorative justice." Treat drug abuse as a medical problem rather than a criminal problem. | |||
| No | a) Do you support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students? | ||
| No | b) Do you support federal funding for universal pre-K programs? | ||
| No | c) Do you support federal funding for charter schools? | ||
| No | d) Do you support federal funding for K-12 school vouchers? | ||
| No | e) Do you support the federal government providing college students with financial aid? | ||
| To improve our failing public schools we must end the government monopoly by having the money go with the student to whatever school the parents choose. Competition brings improved quality at lower cost and fosters innovation. Poor students must no longer be trapped in failed public schools. | |||
| No | a) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change? | ||
| No | b) Do you support international emissions targets aimed at reducing the effects of climate change? | ||
| No | c) Do you support allowing energy producers to trade carbon credits under a "cap and trade" system? | ||
| No | d) Do you support strengthening fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support domestic oil exploration in federally-protected areas? | ||
| No | f) Do you support federal funding for the development of alternative energy? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support the development of nuclear reactors? | ||
| Focus environmental policy on reducing pollution of air, water and land, rather than on drastic measures that won't really have much effect on climate. For instance require coal fired plants to not pollute the air. Let competition in the free market bring about cleaner energy and fuel efficiency, government is not able to pick winners and losers as accurately as the free market. Remove liability limits and stop providing government insurance on nuclear power. If private insurance is not convinced it is safe enough to insure, then nuclear plants will not be built. | |||
| No | a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you believe that the Second Amendment guarantees the right of individual citizens to own guns? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns? | ||
| No | d) Do you support a ban on assault rifles? | ||
| Before Hitler murdered the Jews, Gypsies and others, he first disarmed them. | |||
| No | a) Do you support a publicly-administered health insurance option? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform? | ||
| Yes | c) Should the federal government expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts? | ||
| No | d) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support relaxing regulations on the importation of prescription drugs? | ||
| Currently only employers get a tax deduction for buying health insurance, this leftover from wage controls during WWII needs to be changed so that everyone who purchases health insurance receives the tax deduction. Medical Savings Accounts with high deductibles will work to lower costs and expand access to insurance. | |||
| No | a) Do you support a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants? | ||
| No | b) Do you support decreasing the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country? | ||
| c) Do you support establishing English as the official national language? | |||
| d) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | |||
| We have caused the current problem by making it much too difficult to come here legally. Expand legal immigration, keep out criminals or those who present a public health risk. Increase work visas, allow illegals here currently to get work visas or permanent residence but not citizenship. Focus on keeping families together. With these improvements it will then be much easier to secure our border with Mexico. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support United States military action in Afghanistan? | ||
| No | b) Do you support increasing military assistance for Afghanistan? | ||
| No | c) Do you support increasing economic development assistance for Afghanistan? | ||
| Yes | d) Should the United States continue to strike suspected terrorist targets in Pakistan? | ||
| e) Do you support granting aid to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States? | |||
| f) Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state? | |||
| No | g) Do you support increasing sanctions on Iran if it continues to defy United Nations mandates? | ||
| Yes | h) Do you support the withdrawal of United States troops from Iraq? | ||
| Yes | i) Do you support the United States' involvement in free trade agreements? | ||
| e) On a very limited basis, most aid has gone to corrupt regimes and has failed to help the people in those countries. f) This is not for us to decide. g) Sanctions seldom work, they often increase tension and even precipitate wars. As some astute economist noted: if goods don't cross borders, troops will. | |||
| Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Get the economy growing by enacting the Fair Tax as quickly as possible. Until then, make U.S. globally competitive by reducing the tax on labor and capitol. We currently have the highest in the world and it is sending jobs and companies away from the U.S. Stop the profligate government spending. Stop bailouts with taxpayer money. Repeal or reform health care bill. Add free market incentives for cost savings and better access. |
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