Please help us! Donate
Vote Smart Just The Facts
"Experts nearly all recommend Vote Smart."
"Vote Smart is a bright light in an often desultory civic culture."
- Bill Moyers
"We think so highly of Vote Smart that we are distributing their materials to all of our affiliates."
Ken Cross' Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.
Ken Cross has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2016 Political Courage Test.
What is the Political Courage Test?
Presidential Election 2016 Political Courage Test
Key
- Official Position: Candidate had the Political Courage to address this issue directly.
- Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue directly, but Vote Smart inferred this issue position based on the candidate's public statements, voting record, and evaluations from special interest groups.
- Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue.
- Vote Smart's Research: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as the candidate has submitted it. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.
Pro-life | Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? |
| Other or expanded principles | |
I am opposed to abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is at risk. |
|
| No | In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending? |
| Yes | In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? |
| Other or expanded principles | |
The current U.S. debt to GDP ratio is over 100%, which is dangerously high. The national debt will be over 20 trillion dollars by 2020! I support freezing the defense budget until there is a budget surplus. I also support small reductions in Social Security and Medicare. Only by serious shared sacrifice can the United States hope to avert a future crisis such as the one Greece is struggling with now. Visit www.kencross.com |
|
| Yes | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? |
| Other or expanded principles | |
I do support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions, but not the elimination of them. |
|
| Yes | Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? |
| Yes | Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment? |
| No | Do you support mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders? |
| Other or expanded principles | |
I have faith in the United States Judicial System. Judges and jurors should have the flexibility to determine the appropriate sentences, punishments, and/or treatments that are most appropriate and suitable for any given situation. |
|
| Yes | Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? |
| Yes | Do you support lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth? |
| Yes | Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation? |
| Other or expanded principles | |
Federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth should be reserved for periods of serious recession or when there is a budget surplus. |
|
 | Do you generally support requiring states to adopt federal education standards? |
| Other or expanded principles | |
My "Quality Education Initiaitive Program" would be far superior to the "No Child Left Behind Program". See www.kencross.com. |
|
| Yes | Do you support building the Keystone XL pipeline? |
| Yes | Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)? |
| No | Do you support increased regulations on the hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") industry? |
| Other or expanded principles | |
We need to promote renewable energy in order to reduce global warming and reserve some precious limited natural resources for future generations. However, the transition can and should be a gradual process to minimize disruption to our society and the world. See www.kencross.com. |
|
| Yes | Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change? |
| Yes | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? |
| Other or expanded principles | |
We have only one planet on which to survive. We need to take care of it. |
|
| No | Do you generally support gun-control legislation? |
| Other or expanded principles | |
I am a strong advocate of our 2nd Amendment right to bear arms as citizens. However, I do support restrictions for convicted felons. |
|
| No | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? |
| Other or expanded principles | |
I believe that the benefits outweigh the shortcommings of the 2010 Affordable Care Act. |
|
| Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? |
| Other or expanded principles | |
Such a requirement would be logistically and legally burdensome if not prohibitive by nature. Our emphasis currently is, and should continue to be, on protecting our borders. See www.kencross.com. |
|
| Yes | Do you support same-sex marriage? |
| Other or expanded principles | |
The United States Supreme Court has decided the question, and I support our Constitutional form of government. Jesus said "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone". I don't qualify. |
|
| Do you support increased American intervention in Iraq and Syria beyond air support? |
| No | Should the U.S use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the United States from possessing a nuclear weapon? |
| Other or expanded principles |
| No | Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? |
| Other or expanded principles | |
See www.kencross.com |
|
Spending | |
Indicate 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. | |
| Maintain Status | a) Agriculture |
| Maintain Status | b) Arts |
| Maintain Status | c) Defense |
| Maintain Status | d) Education |
| e) Environment |
| Maintain Status | f) Homeland Security |
| Slightly Decrease | g) International aid |
| Maintain Status | h) Medical Research |
| Maintain Status | i) Scientific Research |
| Slightly Decrease | j) Space exploration |
| Maintain Status | k) United Nations |
| Slightly Decrease | l) Welfare |
| m) Other or expanded categories |
Taxes | |
Indicate 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. | |
| Maintain Status | a) Capital gains taxes |
| Maintain Status | b) Corporate taxes |
| Slightly Decrease | c) Small business taxes |
| Maintain Status | d) Excise taxes (alcohol) |
| Maintain Status | e) Excise taxes (cigarettes) |
| Maintain Status | f) Excise taxes (transportation fuel) |
| Slightly Decrease | g) Income taxes (low-income families) |
| Maintain Status | h) Income taxes (middle-income families) |
| Slightly Increase | i) Income taxes (high-income families) |
| Maintain Status | j) Inheritance taxes |
| Slightly Increase | k) Payroll taxes |
| l) Other or expanded categories |
| Please explain in a total of 100 words or less, how you would use executive orders if elected. | |
I would use them as necessary. |
|
| Please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding. | |
See www.kencross.com |
|
