Matthew Reichel'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.
Illinois Congressional Election 2010 Political Courage Test
| 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? | ||
| No | e) Should federal subsidies be prohibited from being used for abortion procedures? | ||
| While I believe that the right to privacy is guaranteed by the constitution and that bodily integrity should be a matter of individual conscience, I think that people of both sides of this issue can find common ground in trying to reduce the incidence of abortion. To provide women with true reproductive choice, we must improve sex education, family planning, and access to contraception, as well as ensure that every mother has the societal support and material means to guaranteed her child a good start in life. | |||
1) SpendingIndicate what federal funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category- you can use a number more than once.2) 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.
| Slightly Increase | a) Agriculture | ||
| Slightly Increase | b) Arts | ||
| Greatly Decrease | c) Defense | ||
| Greatly Decrease | 1) Intelligence operations | ||
| Eliminate | 2) Military hardware | ||
| Eliminate | 3) National missile defense | ||
| Slightly Increase | 4) Salary and benefits for active duty personnel | ||
| Eliminate | 5) Programs to improve troop retention rates | ||
| Eliminate | 6) Research and development of new weapons | ||
| Greatly Increase | d) Education | ||
| Greatly Increase | e) Environment | ||
| Greatly Decrease | f) Homeland security | ||
| Greatly Increase | g) International aid | ||
| Greatly Increase | h) Medical research | ||
| Greatly Increase | i) Scientific research | ||
| Maintain Status | j) Space exploration | ||
| Greatly Increase | k) United Nations | ||
| Slightly Increase | l) Welfare | ||
| Greatly Decrease | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Greatly Increase | b) Capital gains taxes | ||
| Greatly Decrease | c) Cigarette taxes | ||
| Greatly Increase | d) Corporate taxes | ||
| Greatly Increase | e) Gasoline taxes | ||
| Greatly Decrease | f) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Greatly Increase | h) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| No | 3) Do you support the elimination of the federal estate tax? | ||
| Yes | 4) Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year? | ||
| Yes | 5) Do you support using government funds in an effort to stimulate and improve the economy? | ||
| The billions of taxpayer dollars spent on the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, and the grossly ineffective missile-defense system have only served to weaken our national security. I propose cutting the bloated Pentagon budget by 50% and instead investing in a comprehensive Green Works project that will put Americans back to work creating sustainable infrastructure to end our dependence on fossil fuels and create a greener, healthier future for our country. | |||
| I favor a more progressive tax system in which everyone contributes their fair share. Large corporations are the biggest users of our courts, roads, rail-lines, stock market, and other public infrastructure that has been built with tax-payer dollars. It is time they paid their dues to society to maintain this infrastructure. I call for the institution of a "Tobin Tax" on financial transactions to discourage financial speculation through price fixing and other tactics that led to the economic collapse. Tax incentives should promote small businesses and stimulate the production of renewable energy, not encourage corporate greed. | |||
| The trillions handed over to the financial sector in hopes of boosting the economy was a gross misuse of American tax dollars. I will demand congressional oversight to hold Wall Street accountable for every dollar and ensure that they do not engage in the same crooked and irresponsible tactics that caused the economic collapse in the first place. The only bailouts I will support will be for my constituents in the 5th district of Illinois, and by this I mean New Deal style projects to develop our infrastructure in a manner that is just and sustainable. | |||
| No | a) Do you support privatizing elements of Social Security? | ||
| No | b) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support increasing the federal minimum wage? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support the ability of workers to unionize? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support federal funding for job-training programs that retrain displaced workers? | ||
| The American middle class has been practically squeezed out of existence. For the first time in our history, people are making less money than their fathers, after inflation. In order to restore the great middle class and achieve a full-employment economy, we must invest in our workers. This means creating new union jobs, providing job training and placement, ensuring a living wage, and lifting the income cap on social security. Additionally, we must protect working families from corporate greed and help relieve them of the huge financial burdens of credit card debt, mortgage payments, and healthcare costs. | |||
| No | a) Do you support increasing the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns? | ||
| Yes | b) Should Congress regulate indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| No | c) Do you support removing all contribution limits on federal campaigns? | ||
| Yes | d) Should candidates for federal office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits? | ||
| No | e) Do you support giving the President the power of the line item veto for items concerning appropriations? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support limiting the President's ability to define how legislation is applied through the use of signing statements? | ||
| Unlike the lawmakers who put the demands of wealthy interests ahead of the needs of the general public, I stand by my refusal to accept corporate campaign contributions. I support a ban on corporate and "soft-money" campaign contributions and favor a public-financing option to create greater transparency and reduce the influence of moneyed interests on election results. | |||
| No | a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support programs that provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related training and job-placement assistance when released? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support programs that provide prison inmates with substance abuse treatment? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support reduced prison sentences for non-violent offenders? | ||
| No | e) Do you support mandatory prison sentences for selling illegal drugs? | ||
| The death penalty is an archaic institution and a blatant violation of universal human rights. It has been historically applied disproportionately to people of color, and should be immediately abolished. Additional steps must be taken to drastically overhaul our criminal justice system. Much of the overcrowding in our prisons is the result of the criminalization of drugs. Marijuana should be made legal, and serious substance abuse problems should be treated as a public health matter, with funds directed toward treatment and education rather than punishment. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students? | ||
| No | b) Do you support federal funding for universal pre-K programs? | ||
| No | c) Do you support federal funding for charter schools? | ||
| No | d) Do you support federal funding for K-12 school vouchers? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support the federal government providing college students with financial aid? | ||
| I support the repeal of No Child Left Behind, which has resulted in a disastrous education policy that promotes teaching to the test and directs resources away from where they are most needed. Quality education at all levels should be accessible and affordable to every child. An investment in our children is an investment in our future: our country will be paid back many times over for every dollar spent on education. The federal government must step in to unburden graduates from outstanding student loans and make higher education free to all who qualify. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support international emissions targets aimed at reducing the effects of climate change? | ||
| No | c) Do you support allowing energy producers to trade carbon credits under a "cap and trade" system? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support strengthening fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles? | ||
| No | e) Do you support domestic oil exploration in federally-protected areas? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support federal funding for the development of alternative energy? | ||
| No | g) Do you support the development of nuclear reactors? | ||
| The technology, resources, and public demand necessary to end our dependence on fossil fuels already exist. What is lacking is the political will. We must stop catering to the demands of oil, auto, utility companies and act now to transform our energy policy. We must eliminate all subsidies and tax breaks for fossil fuels, offer economic incentives to promote renewable energy production, require utilities to obtain increasing percentages of power from renewable sources, and enforce energy-efficiency standards for cars, appliances, and buildings. Additionally, we must renovate our trains and encourage a greener, healthier lifestyle with safe bicycle and pedestrian pathways. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you believe that the Second Amendment guarantees the right of individual citizens to own guns? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support a ban on assault rifles? | ||
| I will uphold our 2nd Amendment Constitutional Rights, but advocate stricter licensing policies and education to ensure responsible gun ownership. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support a publicly-administered health insurance option? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform? | ||
| No | c) Should the federal government expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts? | ||
| No | d) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support relaxing regulations on the importation of prescription drugs? | ||
| Single-Payer healthcare is the only way to provide every American with the health care to which they are entitled as human beings. We must relieve consumers of the cost and suffering caused by the greedy and wasteful practices of the private health insurance companies. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants? | ||
| No | b) Do you support decreasing the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country? | ||
| No | c) Do you support establishing English as the official national language? | ||
| No | d) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
| In addition to creating a path to legalization for the undocumented immigrants already here, we must address the unfair trade and labor policies that drive immigrants to our border and exploit them as a cheap workforce. In place of NAFTA and CAFTA, which have displaced and impoverished millions of farmers and industrial workers in Latin America, leaving them little alternative than to come to this country only to be further abused by U.S. employers. I propose the implementation of fair trade practices which will raise labor standards here and abroad. | |||
| No | a) Do you support United States military action in Afghanistan? | ||
| No | b) Do you support increasing military assistance for Afghanistan? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support increasing economic development assistance for Afghanistan? | ||
| No | d) Should the United States continue to strike suspected terrorist targets in Pakistan? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support granting aid to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States? | ||
| Yes | f) Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state? | ||
| No | g) Do you support increasing sanctions on Iran if it continues to defy United Nations mandates? | ||
| Yes | h) Do you support the withdrawal of United States troops from Iraq? | ||
| No | i) Do you support the United States' involvement in free trade agreements? | ||
| I oppose the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, military threats against Iran, and all acts of aggressive intervention by the United States Military and its clients. It is time to put an end to the military-industrial complex that is funneling hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars every year into illegal, never-ending wars. The U.S must reemerge as a diplomatic leader on the global stage, commit to 100% nuclear disarmament, and work to eliminate the structural and economic causes of war. We must end our dependence on oil and start building the green infrastructure we need for a sustainable future. | |||
| No | a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support allowing openly-gay men and women to serve in the United States military? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support federal funding for embryonic stem cell research? | ||
| No | d) Should the federal government end affirmative action programs? | ||
| I support full equal rights, including marriage rights, as well as anti-discrimination protection for gays, lesbians, bi-sexual and trans-gender persons. | |||
| I will not compromise on my determination to end our wars in the Middle East. Besides exacting a terrible human and social cost, our military occupations are heaping an unprecedented amount of debt on the next generation, compromising our national integrity, and prolonging our dependence on an unsustainable and environmentally-disastrous energy source. By investing in alternative energy sources we can create millions of new living-wage jobs and build a green infrastructure for our future. |
Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.