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Francine Busby'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.

Francine Busby refused to tell citizens where she stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2010 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.

What is the Political Courage Test?

Issue Positions

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 2010.

  • Francine Busby. 2006. Project Vote Smart: Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Abortion Issues: g) Other or expanded principles: "I support a woman's right to choose. The most important issue, which is not listed, is reducing the number of abortions."
  • National Women's Political Caucus. 2010. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Endorsements. 19 July 2010. The National Women's Political Caucus endorsed Francis Busby in the 2010 General Election. (votesmart.org)
  • Planned Parenthood. 2010. 30 September 2010. Planned Parenthood endorsed Francine Busby in the 2010 General Election. (www.plannedparenthoodaction.org)
  • Francine Busby. Issue Position: Support Women's Rights. "She will champion the right of each woman to make her own reproductive decisions, free from government meddling. Francine believes that increasing access to quality education, preventive healthcare, affordable childcare and good-paying jobs will decrease unplanned pregnancies and abortions." (votesmart.org)
  • Francine Busby. 2006. Project Vote Smart: Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Selected YES for: "4) Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?"
  • Francine Busby. Issue Position: More Jobs and Stronger Economy. "Creating jobs to replace those that have been lost in the private and public sectors with well-paying sustainable jobs is a priority for Francine. Her family, like many others in San Diego, has been affected by the slow economy. It is important to restore trust in our financial institutions by implementing safeguards against the abuses that led to the financial meltdown and ensuing crisis in home foreclosures, loss of wealth, diminished credit and loss of jobs. Francine is a strong proponent of good jobs with fair wages, safe working conditions and benefits that allow San Diegans to live with dignity. She will collaborate with leaders in San Diego and in Washington, D.C., to make sure that Americans have access to education and training to prepare them for careers and well-paying jobs." (votesmart.org)
  • Francine Busby. 2006. Project Vote Smart: Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Social Security Issues: g) Other of expanded principles: "I oppose privatization and will work with both parties to address social security."
  • Francine Busby. Issue Position: Safeguard Social Security. "Francine strongly opposed the privatization plan supported by congressional Republicans because of the estimated $5 trillion transition costs and the high risk of betting our retirement security on private investment schemes. Francine understands that without a secure social safety net, many of our seniors would be reduced to the poverty and dependency that preceded the introduction of Social Security, and families would have no support for their loved ones with disabilities." (votesmart.org)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Francine Busby. FORUM: Representatives need to support schools. 15 October 2009. "Some modifications have been made to "No Child Left Behind" without sacrificing the overall goals of increasing accountability and improving academic achievement. Clearly, more needs to be done. One of the most-needed changes is to waive the requirement that test scores for students with learning disabilities (that prevent them from testing at grade level) be included in determining the overall performance of a school. Many states track the progress of these students separately." (www.nctimes.com)
  • Francine Busby. Issue Position: Value Education. "Francine Busby will work to make "No Child Left Behind" more productive and less punitive. She will fight for America's future leaders from preschool through college by working to expand Head Start preschool; provide incentives to attract and retain highly-skilled teachers; and make college more accessible and affordable by decreasing the cost of college loans and increasing access to Pell grants." (votesmart.org)
  • Francine Busby. 2006. Project Vote Smart: Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "j) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels to reduce pollution."
  • Francine Busby. Issue Position: Protect Out Environment. "Francine supported the American Climate and Energy Security Act of 2009 (ACES) as the first step toward comprehensive national climate and energy policies. This historic act established an economy-wide greenhouse gas cap-and-trade system and critical measures to address climate change and build a clean energy economy." (votesmart.org)
  • Francine Busby. 2006. Project Vote Smart: Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "a) Reauthorize the ban on the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns, except those used for hunting."
  • Francine Busby. Issue Position: Reform Health Care Insurance. "Francine supports a vigorous public option to increase competition, lower costs, and offer a reliable alternative to those who have been denied coverage or are not eligible for employer based healthcare plans." (votesmart.org)
  • Francine Busby. 2006. Project Vote Smart: Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "c) Support a temporary worker program that would enable illegal immigrants to work in the United States legally."
  • Francine Busby. 2006. Project Vote Smart: Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Immigration Issues: f) Other or expanded principles: "I support John McCain's bipartisan bill to strengthen border security, crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants and establish a demand-based guest worker program."
  • Francine Busby. Issue Position: End Illegal Immigration. "Francine will work to address the complex issue of dealing firmly but fairly with the twelve million undocumented immigrants who work productively and live peacefully in the United States. She supports comprehensive immigration reform to humanely address important issues regarding both legal and illegal immigration policies." (votesmart.org)
  • Francine Busby. Letter To US Senator John McCain. 26 May 2006. "I am looking forward to working with you on immigration reform because you understand the importance of immediate action on immigration, not just in our border regions, but to the rest of the country as well. We must stop illegal immigration at the border, we must crack down on illegal employers, we must provide assistance to states feeling the burden of illegal immigration in hospitals and schools and we must have a policy to deal with the millions of people here illegally." (votesmart.org)
  • Francine Busby. Issue Position: Exit Iraq and Afghanistan. "There are no long term military solutions to resolve the ongoing conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan. The U.S. should act in collaboration with the elected leaders of those countries and other international partners to help maintain the peace and train security forces while continuing to engage in diplomatic, economic, educational and humanitarian efforts to affect long term, sustainable change." (votesmart.org)
  • Francine Busby. 2006. Project Vote Smart: Congressional National Political Awareness Test. Selected NO for: "i) Do you support a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a union between a man and woman?"
  • Francine Busby. Issue Position: Equality for All. "Francine Busby will be a strong advocate for the issues important to the LGBT community. From marriage to military service, Francine will stand up to ensure that all persons are treated fairly and equally under the law. With California being one of the more diverse states in the union, we must be the leader for those who want to champion equality and justice for every person in our county." (votesmart.org)
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.
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.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion.

a) Abortions should always be illegal.
b) Abortions should always be legal.
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
f) Prohibit public funding of abortions and to organizations that advocate or perform abortions.
I support a woman's right to choose. The most important issue, which is not listed, is reducing the number of abortions.

Using the key, indicate what federal funding levels you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.Budget Priorities

a) Agriculture
Maintain Status b) Arts
Maintain Status c) Defense
Slightly Increase d) Education
Slightly Increase e) Environment
Slightly Increase f) Homeland security
Maintain Status g) International aid
Maintain Status h) Law enforcement
Slightly Increase i) Medical research
Maintain Status j) National parks
k) Public health services
l) Scientific research
m) Space exploration programs
n) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Maintain Status o) Welfare
Slightly Increase p) Emergency preparedness
q) Other or expanded categories

Defense Spending

a) Armed forces personnel training
b) Intelligence operations
c) Military hardware
d) Modernization of weaponry and equipment
e) National missile defense
Slightly Increase f) Pay for active duty personnel
g) Programs to improve troop retention rates
h) Research and development of new weapons
i) Troop and equipment readiness
j) Other or expanded categories

Using the key above, indicate what federal tax levels you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category.TaxesIncome Taxes:Family IncomeRetiree IncomeOther Taxes:Deductions/Credits:

a) Less than $25,000
b) $25,000-$75,000
c) $75,000-$150,000
d) Over $150,000
e) Other or expanded categories
f) Over $40,000
g) Other or expanded categories
a) Alcohol taxes
b) Capital gains taxes
c) Cigarette taxes
d) Corporate taxes
e) Gasoline taxes
Greatly Decrease f) Inheritance taxes
g) Other or expanded categories
a) Charitable contributions
b) Child tax credit
c) Earned income tax credit
d) Medical expense deduction
e) Mortgage deduction
f) Student loan credit
g) Other or expanded categories
Yes 4) Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
5) Do you support making President Bush's tax cuts permanent?
7) Other or expanded principles
Reinstating pay-as-you-go budgeting and eliminating anonymous earmarks is an important first step

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.

a) Support public taxpayer funding for federal candidates who comply with campaign spending limits.
b) Increase the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
c) Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
d) Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
e) Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties.
f) Require Section 527 organizations to register with the Federal Election Commission as Political Action Committees.
g) Do you support instant run-off voting?
No h) Should Election Day be a national holiday?
No i) Do you support a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a union between a man and woman?
I support campaign finance reform to help limit the influence of special interests.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding crime.

a) Support the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
b) Eliminate the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
X c) Support programs to provide prison inmates with educational, vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
X d) Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
e) Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
X f) Require that crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, and disability be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
g) Impose stricter penalties for those convicted of corporate crimes.
h) Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
i) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding drugs.

a) Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
b) Expand federally sponsored drug education and drug treatment programs.
c) Decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
d) Allow doctors to recommend marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes.
X e) Increase border security to stop the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.
f) Eliminate federal funding for programs associated with the "war on drugs."
g) Support a federal law to standardize testing and penalties for steroid use in professional sports.
h) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

a) Support national standards for and testing of public school students.
b) Allow parents to use vouchers, (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any public school.
c) Allow parents to use vouchers, (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any private or religious school.
d) Allow teachers and professionals to receive authorization and funding to establish charter schools.
X e) Reward teachers with merit pay for working in low-income schools.
X f) Increase funding for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings, infrastructure, technology).
g) Support affirmative action in public college admissions.
X h) Increase funding of programs such as Pell grants and Stafford loans to help students pay for college.
X i) Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
j) Other or expanded principles

1) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.2) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding affirmative action.

X a) Increase funding for national job-training programs that re-train displaced workers or teach skills needed in today's job market.
b) Reduce government regulation of the private sector in order to encourage investment and economic expansion.
c) Provide tax credits or grants to businesses that offer child care services to employees.
X d) Encourage employers to offer flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
e) Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
f) Increase the federal minimum wage.
g) Support the right of workers to strike without fear of being permanently replaced.
h) Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
i) Other or expanded principles
a) The federal government should consider race and gender in government contracting decisions.
b) The federal government should discontinue affirmative action programs.
c) The federal government should continue affirmative action programs.
d) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

X a) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act.
X b) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
c) Support Clear Skies Act to reduce power plant emissions by setting a national cap on pollutants.
d) Require states to compensate citizens when environmental regulations limit uses of privately-owned land.
e) Relax logging restrictions on federal lands.
f) Relax standards on federal lands to allow increased recreational usage.
g) Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil).
X h) Strengthen emission controls and fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
i) Support opening a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil exploration.
X j) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels to reduce pollution.
k) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
l) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits.
m) Support the Kyoto Protocol to limit global warming.
n) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.

X a) Reauthorize the ban on the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns, except those used for hunting.
b) Maintain and strengthen the current level of enforcement of existing federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
c) Ease federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
d) Repeal federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
e) Allow citizens to carry concealed guns.
f) Require background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows.
g) Require a license for gun possession.
h) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health care.

a) Providing health care is not a responsibility of the federal government.
b) Implement a universal health care program to guarantee coverage to all Americans regardless of income.
c) Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts.
d) Establish limits on the amount of punitive damages awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
e) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
X f) Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
g) Support automatic enrollment of children in federal health care programs such as CHIP and Medicaid.
h) Support stem cell research on existing lines of stem cells.
i) Allow laboratories to create new lines of stem cells for additional research.
I support immediate action to reduce the cost of health care and decrease the number of uninsured

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding immigration.

a) Decrease the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country.
b) Establish English as the official national language.
X c) Support a temporary worker program that would enable illegal immigrants to work in the United States legally.
d) Relax restrictions barring legal immigrants from using government funded social programs (e.g. public housing, food stamps).
e) Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States.
I support John McCain's bipartisan bill to strengthen border security, crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants and establish a demand-based guest worker program.

International AidIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding United States economic assistance.

a) Aid should be granted to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives.
b) Aid should be granted to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States.
c) Aid should be eliminated for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
d) International Aid programs should be scaled back and eventually eliminated.
The US should continue to provide international aid especially when it is in the security interests of the US.

International Policy1) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the Middle East.2) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Central and East Asia.3) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the United Nations.

Yes a) Should the United States continue to provide leadership in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
b) Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
c) Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?
d) Should the United States send more troops to Iraq?
f) Other or expanded principles
a) Should the United States use diplomatic and economic pressure to encourage North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program?
b) Should the United States use military force to dismantle the North Korean nuclear weapons program?
c) Should the United States remove the North Korean government from power?
d) Should the United States increase financial support to Afghanistan?
e) Should the United States increase military support to Afghanistan?
Yes a) Should the United States maintain its financial support of the United Nations?
No b) Should the United States decrease its financial support of the United Nations?
Yes c) Should the United States commit troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions?
d) Other or expanded principles
4) Should the United States lift the travel ban to Cuba?
5) Should the United States increase its financial support to Colombia to combat "the war on drugs?"
Yes 6) Should aid to African nations for AIDS prevention programs fund distribution of contraceptives?
Yes 7) Should aid to African nations for AIDS prevention programs fund abstinence education?
8) Other or expanded principles
Iraq is a more complicated situation than "withdraw our troops" or "send more troops" I support benchmarks for restoring security. Once those benchmarks are met, we can begin to redeploy our troops
Military action should be used as a last resort when the security of the US is in danger.

International TradeIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international trade.

1) Do you support the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?
No 2) Do you support the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)?
3) Do you support the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)?
Yes 4) Do you support continued U.S. membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO)?
Yes 5) Should a nation's human rights record affect its normal trade relations (most favored nation) status with the United States?
6) Do you support the trade embargo against Cuba?
Yes 7) Should trade agreements include provisions to address environmental concerns and to protect workers' rights?
8) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding national security.

a) Do you support using military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical?
b) Should the United States grant law enforcement agencies greater discretion to read mail and email, tap phones, and conduct random searches to prevent future terrorist attacks?
Yes c) Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country?
Yes d) Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?
Yes e) Do you support the prohibition of torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of prisoners in U.S. custody?
f) Do you support a policy of pre-emptive military strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to U.S. national security?
g) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Social Security.

a) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts which they manage themselves.
b) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts managed by private firms contracted by the government.
c) Invest a portion of Social Security assets collectively in stocks and bonds instead of United States Treasury securities.
d) Increase the payroll tax to better finance Social Security in its current form.
e) Lower the annual cost-of-living increases.
f) Raise the retirement age for individual eligibility to receive full Social Security benefits.
I oppose privatization and will work with both parties to address social security

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding technology and communication.

a) Collect taxes on commercial Internet transactions.
b) Continue the moratorium on Internet taxation.
c) Implement government regulation of Internet content.
d) Support government mandates to curtail violent and sexual content on television.
X e) Support strict penalties for Internet crimes (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
f) Support legislation to detail how personal information can be collected and used on the Internet.
g) Regulating the Internet is not a responsibility of the federal government.
h) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare and poverty.

a) Require welfare recipients to spend at least 40 hours a week in a combination of work and training programs.
X b) Increase funding for child care programs.
c) Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants.
d) Direct federal poverty aid through religious, community-based, or other non-profit organizations.
e) Abolish all federal welfare programs.
f) Support housing assistance for welfare recipients.
g) Other or expanded principles
On an attached page, disk, or via email, please explain in a total of 75 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.

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