Gary Trauner has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2018 Political Courage Test.
Yes | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
Big money is corrupting our system. We need to overturn Citizens United and get corporate money out of our political system. |
Yes | Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
No | Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
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Federal spending should be used to promote growth primarily during recessions and not during periods of economic growth. I am in favor of streamlining corporate taxes, however, corporations used to pay approx. 30% of federal income tax revenue in the 1970s. Today, that is down to 6-7%. Corporations must pay their fair share. |
No | Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards? | ||
Education is best when handled at the local level. |
Yes | Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)? | ||
Yes | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
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Government has been at the forefront of developing and promoting every energy source our country has developed. We should continue that trend and then spin off the technology to the private sector where it can be efficiently priced and distributed. We also need to continue to research ways to reduce fossil fuel emissions thru carbon capture and sequestration. Finally, we can't keep privatizing profits and socializing losses; companies need to bear the full cost of their products in the marketplace. |
Yes | Do you generally support gun-control legislation? | ||
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I support legitimate Second Amendment rights as delineated in Heller vs. DC. I also support the government's role in protecting the health and safety of its citizens. This can lead to conflict between these two roles. Like all the Bill of Rights Amendments, there are limitations. |
No | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? | ||
I support getting every American access to basic, quality, affordable healthcare. |
No | Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border? | ||
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No | Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? | ||
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Every country should have the ability to determine who resides within its borders. I support border security in the form of agents and technology. I support creation of guest worker programs that allow seasonal workers to travel back and forth to their home country. I support programs that provide duly employed workers to have a path to legal status in the US. I support addressing the root causes of economic and persecution migrations. |
1) Getting big money out of politics 2) Making sure members of Congress do not get any special benefits that are not available to the American public - unless incentives are aligned with real people, Congress will never pass legislation that addresses real people's concerns 3) Making sure everyone has access to basic, quality affordable healthcare. 4) Making sure we kill the concept of trickle down and supply side economics, pass a more progressive tax system and reduce the crushing inequality that is ripping our country apart |
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