Paul Cook, Jr. did not provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2022 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.
For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2022.
Pro-life | Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
There have been many scientific advances since Roe vs. Wade. We now know that: Life begins at conception. The unborn child?s DNA is separate and individual from the mother and there for not part of the mother?s body. That the unborn child acts according to his/her own will and not the mother?s. I believe abortion should only be used in cases of rape, incest, and to save the mother?s life. I believe it should be the mother?s choice. I DO NOT BELIEVE IN USING ABORTION AS A FORM OF BIRTH CONTROL SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU GOT PREGNANT. |
No | In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending? | ||
No | In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? | ||
I propose a flat income tax. The income tax will be a percent(%) of the gross international income less than 1 billion dollars and 2X percentage tax rate for gross international incomes 1 billion dollars and greater. (ex: 10% X 100 million and 20% X 2 billion).a tithing exemption of 10% to all individual tax payers. Businesses would not have to pay income tax on salaries and benefits paid American citizens and permanent residents. Non-profit organizations who defend our individual inalienable rights will be exempt. All Religious institutions would be exempt. A balanced budget without cutting into our national defense. |
Yes | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
corporations and unions will always act in their own best interest and not the interest of the American people. our political party system has become so corrupt that it is almost impossible to prosecute. With so much corruption within our political parties and government, what America needs are high crimes laws that hold all government officials including elected, appointed, and government employees both criminally and financially accountable for violations of inalienable rights or the Constitution of the United States. mandatory prosecution, mandatory sentencing, no plea bargain, no suspended sentencing, MAX prisons, no pardons, no parole. |
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? | ||
Conviction and sentencing is about Justice and Restitution for the victims of crime and the prevention of further crimes. While I do believe criminals should serve the full term of their sentence, I do believe those sentences should be fair and just. I also believe that time should be used to help these individuals to gain educations, skills to provide for himself and his family, to overcome the mindset that has brought the individual to where he is. |
No | 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? | ||
No | Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation? | ||
In an economy that is not based on a gold standard, the work force becomes the standard and for the individual, education is what gives individuals greater value. I will work hard to see that the people of Shelby county can receive the most advanced educations and opportunities to learn everything. I will work to bring industry to Shelby county and to help entrepreneurs build industries. I will work to eliminate barriers to entry that stifle economic growth and prevent small business from competing with large corporations. |
No | Do you generally support requiring states to adopt federal education standards? | ||
it is not within the Constitutional powers of the federal government to mandate educational standard. It is a High crime to usurp the authority of the American people. it is a breach of unalienable rights, a violation of office, and criminal racketeering. violates the Tenth Amendment and the restrictions place on the Federal government by the Constitution of the United States. they do not have the power to impose on the states conditions to receive their fair share of educational funding. It takes the rights of the parents over their children�s education and cedes control to the Federal government |
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? | ||
Energy is the driving force behind our economy. American's have the right to all forms of energy at a sufficiently low cost as to not adversely affect America's GDP or the individual's cost (standard) of living index. all energy including oil should be first use to meet the needs of Americans to keep those cost low. then excess maybe sold to other countries. all science research funded by the federal government should be open source like gnu projects to benefit all American companies and individuals and not just certain privileged companies. |
No | Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change? | ||
No | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is vital for plant life. It is naturally produced by every living creature on earth. Animal life requires an atmosphere with sufficient oxygen which is produced by plant life feeding on carbon dioxide and light. What we are really talking about is man-made Global Warming. the research provided by global warming advocates is biased and misleading. If we are going to use global warming to create policy and law, we first need sound scientific research under a similar organization as NASA that has been per-reviewed. we can create affordable efficient technologies to convert carbon dioxide(CO2) into Oxygen(O2 |
No | Do you generally support gun-control legislation? | ||
Above unalienable rights there is only God, not political parties, not government not anyone else. The Second Amendment ... In order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its power, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added... A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state shall not be infringed The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. All laws seeking to restrict any of the inalienable rights enumerated in the Constitution are repugnant to the Constitution. they violate Substantive Due Process, the supremacy clause, and the Constitutional Amendment process. |
Yes | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? | ||
Obamacare is simply bad law. it violates the Constitution in so many ways. It was about nationalizing an industry under government and party control. I believe we should form a commission made up of Doctors, citizens from various walks of life, and other service providers, no politicians, no drug manufactures, no hospitals administrators to make suggestions for health care template. Obama care is simply bad law. We should negotiate the cost of drugs for Americans like other countries. Low income Americans would be on a sliding scale according to their income. |
Yes | Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? | ||
yes, I do. However, there are other ways they could qualify to stay and become eligible for American citizenship. for example, they could serve six years in the U.S. military fighting for American in a combat zone such as Afghanistan or on a special drug task force wiping out drug cartels and human traffickers in Mexico. there are many ways they can earn the opportunity to stay in American and not have to return to their country. |
No | Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
The word Marriage was coined by Priest and Scribes translating the Bible to English. Its etymology is Latin and Greek. Marr (Meur) is Latin and means husband and iage is Greek and means Eternal. Marriage means Eternal husband and refers to the union in the Bible between a man and a woman sanctified by God. Traditional marriage and families is the foundation on which strong, just, honorable nations are built. All men, including gay men, have the right to marry women and all women, including gay women have the right to marry men. there is no rights violation. |
No | Do you support increased American intervention in Iraq and Syria beyond air support? | ||
Yes | Should the U.S use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the United States from possessing a nuclear weapon? | ||
if we want to win the war against ISIL, we may have to commit troops. we have been fighting a war against Islamic extremism since Tripoli and the Barbary pirates. it is better to fight them in their land than to fight them in America. remember it is their desire to torcher and kill all Christians everywhere. |
Yes | Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? | ||
there are a few issues with doing this. most low income workers do not have the skills to manage the investment of a 401K. some may try to use it early like a banking account leaving themselves without a retirement future. for those who could properly manage it, they would have a greater retirement to fall back on and it could be passed on to their children after death. |
SpendingIndicate 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.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.
Slightly Decrease | a) Agriculture | ||
Slightly Increase | b) Arts | ||
Greatly Increase | c) Defense | ||
Greatly Increase | d) Education | ||
Slightly Decrease | e) Environment | ||
Maintain Status | f) Homeland Security | ||
Greatly Decrease | g) International aid | ||
Slightly Increase | h) Medical Research | ||
Greatly Increase | i) Scientific Research | ||
Slightly Increase | j) Space exploration | ||
Eliminate | k) United Nations | ||
Maintain Status | l) Welfare | ||
Eliminate | a) Capital gains taxes | ||
Maintain Status | b) Corporate taxes | ||
Eliminate | c) Small business taxes | ||
Maintain Status | d) Excise taxes (alcohol) | ||
Maintain Status | e) Excise taxes (cigarettes) | ||
Eliminate | f) Excise taxes (transportation fuel) | ||
Slightly Decrease | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
Slightly Increase | h) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
Maintain Status | i) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
Eliminate | j) Inheritance taxes | ||
Slightly Decrease | k) Payroll taxes | ||
I would decrease regulation, remove laws and departments where government has no Constitutional authority. all research would be available to all Americans, it would not be patented or copy righted. the United Nations on several occasions has tried to involve itself in America's liberty and tried to restrict or remove various rights of Americans by treaty and has sought to take control of our Internet and territorial waters. it is time we considered withdrawing. | |||
It is everyone duty to pay their share of the expense of our government. We need a flat tax such as 10% for those whose gross international income is below $1billion and twice that for those who make $1 billion or more with no deductions, no refunds. Just a simple flat tax. a tithing exemption of 10% of their gross international income shall be given to all individual tax payers. Businesses would not have to pay income tax on salaries and benefits paid American citizens and permanent residents. All Religious institutions would be exempt. |
high crime laws to hold elected officials, appointed officials, and government employees criminally accountable and financially liable for unalienable rights violations, violations of the Constitution, and the use of their government authority for political gain. bill vetting system where the bills going before Congress to insure Congress acts within the bounds set by the Constitution without subterfuge. create a free access to Americans internet based educational system containing all the knowledge and understanding of mankind from the most basic to the most advanced theoretical research in all fields of study with videos and real time access to Hubble and more. |
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