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John Fockler, Jr.'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.

John Fockler, Jr. refused to tell citizens where he stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2012 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 2012.

  • John Fockler. Project Vote Smart: 2010 Ohio State Legislative Political Courage Test. Selected "Pro-choice" for: "a) Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?" Abortion and Reproductive Issues Other or expanded principles: "e) & f): Allowance must be made for minors in truly abusive home situations, but "Daddy will ground me" doesn't qualify. b) I support limits on abortion in the third trimester only."
  • John Fockler. Project Vote Smart: 2000 Ohio State Legislative Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "a) Abortions should always be illegal."
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • John Fockler. Facebook. Comments. "The Issues “ Taxes". 12 February 2012. "I am completely opposed to raising the tax rates for anybody, rich, poor or otherwise." (www.facebook.com)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • John Fockler. Facebook. Comments. "The Issues “ Taxes". 12 February 2012. "I favor a reduction in corporate tax rates, if for no other reason than, properly applied, this should increase government income rather than reduce it." (www.facebook.com)
  • John Fockler. Smart Voter. League of Women Voters of Ohio Education Fund. Responded that "almost all corporate tax incentives should be repealed, but the corporate tax rate should be lowered to a level competitive in the world marketplace" to the question: "How would you reform the tax code?" (www.smartvoter.org)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • John Fockler. Project Vote Smart: 2010 Ohio State Legislative Political Courage Test. Selected "Yes" for: "a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?" Gun Issues Other or expanded principles: "a) Only restrictions on convicted felons and person judged mentally incompetent."
  • John Fockler. Project Vote Smart: 2000 Ohio State Legislative Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "f) Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks on guns."
  • John Fockler. Project Vote Smart: 2000 Ohio State Legislative Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "a) Ban the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns, except those used for hunting."
  • John Fockler. Project Vote Smart: 2000 Ohio State Legislative Political Courage Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "e) Allow citizens to carry concealed guns." Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning gun issues. Other or expanded principles: "Hold individuals liable for proven negligence which results in gun injuries to others."
  • John Fockler. Project Vote Smart: 2010 Ohio State Legislative Political Courage Test. Selected "Yes" for: "c) Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns?" Gun Issues Other or expanded principles: "a) Only restrictions on convicted felons and person judged mentally incompetent."
  • John Fockler. Project Vote Smart: 2010 Ohio State Legislative Political Courage Test. Selected "No" for: "b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?"
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • John Fockler. Project Vote Smart: 2010 Ohio State Legislative Political Courage Test. Selected "No" for: "a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?" Social Issues Other or expanded principles: "c) & d): These are not appropriate uses of tax money. No moral objection to the research. f) & g) The state must not discriminate in this area. Great care must not be taken in limiting private actions."
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
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.
Pro-choice a) Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?
No b) Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy?
Yes c) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
Yes d) Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
Yes e) Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
Yes f) Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
Yes g) Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods?
No h) Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs?
e) & f): Allowance must be made for minors in truly abusive home situations, but "Daddy will ground me" doesn't qualify. b) I support limits on abortion in the third trimester only.

1) State SpendingIndicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category- you can use a number more than once.2) State TaxesIndicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category- you can use a number more than once.3) Budget StabilizationIndicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Ohio's budget.

Slightly Decrease a) Education (higher)
Maintain Status b) Education (K-12)
Greatly Decrease c) Environment
Slightly Decrease d) Health care
Maintain Status e) Law enforcement
Maintain Status f) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Greatly Decrease g) Welfare
Greatly Decrease h) Other or expanded categories
Maintain Status a) Alcohol taxes
Maintain Status b) Cigarette taxes
Greatly Decrease c) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status d) Gasoline taxes
Slightly Decrease e) Property taxes
Maintain Status f) Sales taxes
Greatly Decrease g) Income taxes (low-income families)
Greatly Decrease h) Income taxes (middle-income families)
Slightly Decrease i) Income taxes (high-income families)
Greatly Decrease j) Other or expanded categories
Yes a) Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders
Yes b) Increasing tuition rates at public universities
Yes c) Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees
No d) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
Yes e) Privatizing certain government services
a) Most non-violent offenders, especially those convicted of drug "possession for use" shouldn't be imprisoned at all. d) Medicaid costs should be controlled by reducing recipients through job creation and controlling waste.

c) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?

Yes a) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Ohio governors?
Yes b) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Ohio state legislators?
No 1) Individual
No 2) Political Action Committee
No 3) Corporate
No 4) Political Party
No d) Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
Yes e) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
f) Other or expanded principles
No a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
Yes b) Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
Yes c) Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized?
Yes d) Should minors accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as adults?
No e) Should minors who send sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
Yes f) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
d) Must be handled on a case-by-case basis. e) Sending unauthorized photos of other minors should be charged; sending photos of oneself should not. f) Only when a violator is arrested or stopped for another offense.
Yes a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
No b) Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
No c) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
No d) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
No e) Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
No f) Do you support the construction of passenger rail lines between Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati?
No g) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
Government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers. The best things it can do to stimulate job growth are control its own size and scope and lower taxes.
No a) Do you support national education standards?
No b) Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams?
Yes c) Do you support adding more days to Ohio's 180-day school calendar?
Yes d) Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers?
Yes e) Do you support state funding for charter schools?
Yes f) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
No g) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Ohio high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
f) State and federal aid to higher education is the single greatest factor in the spiraling cost of college education. It should, in the long run, be reduced and eventually eliminated as costs are controlled.
No a) Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy?
No b) Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
No c) Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops?
No d) Do you support state funding for improvements to Ohio's energy infrastructure?
No e) Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
No f) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
As with "Economic Issues," government should not play favorites. Individual and voluntary group action WILL over time address these issues best.
Yes a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
No b) Do you support requiring background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
Yes c) Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns?
No d) Do you support requiring a license for gun possession?
a) Only restrictions on convicted felons and person judged mentally incompetent.
No a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
No b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
Yes c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
No d) Should individuals be required to purchase health care insurance?
Yes e) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
Yes f) Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Ohio?
Yes g) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
h) Other or expanded principles
No a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
Yes b) Should Ohio allow same-sex couples to form civil unions?
No c) Do you support state funding for stem cell research?
No d) Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research?
No e) Do you support the state's use of affirmative action?
Yes f) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Ohio's anti-discrimination laws?
Yes g) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Ohio's anti-discrimination laws?
c) & d): These are not appropriate uses of tax money. No moral objection to the research. f) & g) The state must not discriminate in this area. Great care must not be taken in limiting private actions.
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.

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