Joe Cobb has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2016 Political Courage Test.
Yes | 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? |
No | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? |
No | 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? |
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? |
Yes | Do you support building the Keystone XL pipeline? | ||
No | 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? |
Yes | Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change? | ||
No | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? |
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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Yes | Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? |
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.
Eliminate | a) Agriculture | ||
Eliminate | b) Arts | ||
Greatly Decrease | c) Defense | ||
Eliminate | d) Education | ||
Eliminate | e) Environment | ||
Greatly Decrease | f) Homeland Security | ||
Eliminate | g) International aid | ||
Maintain Status | h) Medical Research | ||
Maintain Status | i) Scientific Research | ||
Maintain Status | j) Space exploration | ||
Greatly Decrease | k) United Nations | ||
Greatly Decrease | l) Welfare | ||
m) Other or expanded categories | |||
Eliminate | a) Capital gains taxes | ||
Eliminate | b) Corporate taxes | ||
Eliminate | c) Small business taxes | ||
Greatly Decrease | d) Excise taxes (alcohol) | ||
Greatly Decrease | e) Excise taxes (cigarettes) | ||
Greatly Decrease | f) Excise taxes (transportation fuel) | ||
Eliminate | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
Eliminate | h) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
Eliminate | i) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
Eliminate | j) Inheritance taxes | ||
Eliminate | k) Payroll taxes | ||
I support a SINGLE CONSUMPTION TAX, which has several examples: Federal retail sales tax, or more decentralized could be a credit-refundable State Value Added Taxation (same as in the European Union among the governments). In our Federal system, we should use Article I, Section 2, to transmit a proportionate share to the Federal budget, with the States keeping the balance for their own budgets. |
My top 3 priorities would be (1) Foreign Policy - to keep America out of war, and to disentangle the alliances and commitments today requiring US military forces; (2) Tax Reform - to eliminate the entire current structure of Federal taxes, including the Payroll Tax (FICA) and replacing that system with a flat consumption tax, structured like a credit-invoice refundable VAT (cf. system used in the EU). The States would impose the VAT levels, and transmit most of the revenue to the Federal treasury under the formula of Article I, Section 2 (population). (3) Eliminate Regulations that restrict economic growth. |
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