Missouri Congressional Election 2014 Political Courage Test

Abortion

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice

2. Other or expanded principles
- Roe v. Wade will never be overturned. Voters who believe that a candidate who has an endorsement from a "pro life" lobbying group will overturn Roe v Wade, or have any influence on established abortion law at the federal level have been duped.

Budget

1. In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?
- Yes

2. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No

3. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Campaign Finance

1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- No

2. Other or expanded principles
- I believe that contributions to candidates and political causes are examples of free speech, and should not be restricted due to the economic status of the contributor.

Capital Punishment

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No

2. Other or expanded principles
- I believe in self defense, but not state sanctioned murder as a means of restitution or justice.

Economy

1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

2. Do you support lowering taxes as a way of promoting growth in the economy?
- Yes

3. Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- I support using tax credits to promote bringing in new businesses. I also support extending tax credits to existing businesses in those same areas.

Education

1. Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants?
- No

2. Other or expanded principles
- I don't believe that the federal government has a role in regulating education at any level.

Energy

1. Do you support building the Keystone XL pipeline?
- No

2. Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production?
- Yes

3. Other or expanded principles
- My primary objection to the Keystone XL pipeline is the private property rights violations that have occurred through the use of eminent domain in order to condemn multiple land tracts to construct the pipeline.

Environment

1. Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change?
- No Answer

2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No

3. Other or expanded principles
- Humans have caused environmental disasters throughout history. I won't dismiss human caused climate change outright, but I am not convinced that it has happened either. I believe that pollution is a violation of individual property rights, and that the government has a proper role in enforcing pollution laws. US corporations are starting to tie sustainability goals to their earnings reports, and exchanging carbon credits on exchanges. This type of self policing is producing positive results, and is preferable to the hamfisted approach favored by the EPA.

Guns

1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- No

2. Other or expanded principles
- Individuals have the right to protect themselves, their families, and their property without having to receive permission

Health Care

1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
- Yes

2. Other or expanded principles
- The ACA has been repealed at least 50 times already. I prefer presenting solutions to the issue instead. Adults should be allowed to self medicate by making all drugs available over the counter. I also believe that individuals who are providing insurance for themselves should receive a dollar for dollar tax credit.

Immigration

1. Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- No

2. Other or expanded principles
- The current immigration laws are archaic, impossible to follow, and do not reflect a free society with a dynamic economy. Over half of the migrant workers in the agricultural industry are here illegally. I believe that we need more immigrants, not less. I support issuing more work visas. I don't support erecting a fence around the country.

Marriage

1. Do you support same-sex marriage?
- Yes

2. Other or expanded principles
- The government needs to get out of the marriage business.

National Security

1. Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict?
- No

2. Should the U.S use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the United States from possessing a nuclear weapon?
- No

3. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social Security

1. Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?
- Yes

2. Other or expanded principles
- Social Security is a burden to young workers and their families. I prefer to reduce current spending in order to meet our current obligations, give younger workers who have already paid into SS the option of receiving a full refund with interest, and eliminating the program for future generations.

Spending and Taxes

1. Agriculture
- Greatly Decrease

2. Arts
- Eliminate

3. Defense
- Greatly Decrease

4. Education
- Eliminate

5. Environment
- Slightly Decrease

6. Homeland Security
- Greatly Decrease

7. International aid
- Greatly Decrease

8. Medical Research
- Slightly Increase

9. Scientific Research
- Slightly Increase

10. Space exploration
- Slightly Increase

11. United Nations
- Eliminate

12. Welfare
- Maintain Status

13. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

1. Capital gains taxes
- Eliminate

2. Corporate taxes
- Eliminate

3. Excise taxes (alcohol)
- Eliminate

4. Excise taxes (cigarettes)
- Eliminate

5. Excise taxes (transportation fuel)
- Maintain Status

6. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Eliminate

7. Income taxes (middle-income families)
- Greatly Decrease

8. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Maintain Status

9. Inheritance taxes
- Eliminate

10. Payroll taxes
- Eliminate

11. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

Administrative Priorities

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.
- No Answer