Ray Netherwood's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
Key
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Ray Netherwood has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2014 Political Courage Test.
Florida Congressional Election 2014 Political Courage Test
| Pro-choice | Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| No restrictions during first trimester. Reasonable medically based restrictions thereafter. Believe in sex ed, abortion is a lousy method of birth control. Ultimately, it's a decision between a woman, mate, and physician -- it's not the job of church, state, or Fed govt to be involved. I don't believe my tax dollars should be spent on alcoholics who have trashed their livers or smokers their lungs. Medical procedures are medical procedures. | |||
| No | 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? | ||
| I support a zero-base budgeting approach, and eliminating programs and departments that are unconstitutional Federal overreaches. | |||
| Yes | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| I do not agree with the notion that corporations or unions are "people" -- people are people. Our political/election system is ruined by money. | |||
| Yes | Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| All appeals should be completed within one year. The standard should not be "beyond a reasonable doubt" -- it should be "without doubt." So, vermin such as the Ft Hood shooter, and those caught in the act, should have an express lane to the gallows, chair, chamber, or wall. | |||
| No | Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| Yes | Do you support lowering taxes as a way of promoting growth in the economy? | ||
| No | Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| "Incentives" aren't free, some other person or business has to "pay" more to make the incentive happen. Corporate welfare/subsidies in disguise. | |||
| No | Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants? | ||
| Federal government should be out of the "education business" -- altogether. | |||
| Yes | Do you support building the Keystone XL pipeline? | ||
| Yes | Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production? | ||
| All offshore energy production should be restricted to depths that can be easily reached/controlled. We need to green light some new refineries, get Yucca Mountain on line, and get some new nuclear plants built. | |||
| No | Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change? | ||
| No | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| Global warming, climate change, dirty weather, et cetera is all a farce. We have made great strides in fighting real pollution, and need to be good stewards of the planet. But .... climate change needs to be measured in milleniums!! | |||
| No | Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| I will sponsor or support concealed carry reciprocity. | |||
| Yes | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act? | ||
| Unconstitutional period. The SC got it wrong, very sad and damaging. States and individuals are responsible for their healthcare. The Federal govt can assist perhaps in coordinating or removing existing barriers, but has NO BUSINESS dictating anything in the manner that has occured with the ACA. | |||
| No | Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? | ||
| This is actually a "no" and "yes" answer. We need to close the spigot that is our border, and establish some "start date" (e.g., 1/1/14), that for someone in the country before that date, they may stay after jumping through appropriate immigration hoops ... anyone after that date, immediate deportation. Need to ELIMINATE anchor babies -- now! | |||
| Yes | Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
| This is a civil rights issue. The Federal and state governments have no role in defining marriage. That is up to churches and those seeking to be married. Government's role is to facilitate freedom ... not arbitrarily restrict it. | |||
| Yes | Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict? | ||
| Yes | Should the U.S use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the United States from possessing a nuclear weapon? | ||
| Our unsecured borders are a national emergency and threat. | |||
| Yes | Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? | ||
| May need to do means testing in the future. SS wasn't planned to be a "pension" it was insurance for old age for those who had very little. Today's recipients are taking out FAR more than they ever put in. Need to reassess the "disability" program, it's a disaster. | |||
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.
| Greatly Decrease | a) Agriculture | ||
| Greatly Decrease | b) Arts | ||
| Slightly Increase | c) Defense | ||
| Eliminate | d) Education | ||
| Greatly Decrease | e) Environment | ||
| Slightly Increase | f) Homeland Security | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) International aid | ||
| Slightly Increase | h) Medical Research | ||
| Greatly Increase | i) Scientific Research | ||
| Slightly Increase | j) Space exploration | ||
| Greatly Decrease | k) United Nations | ||
| Greatly Decrease | l) Welfare | ||
| Slightly Decrease | a) Capital gains taxes | ||
| Greatly Decrease | b) Corporate taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | c) Excise taxes (alcohol) | ||
| Greatly Increase | d) Excise taxes (cigarettes) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | e) Excise taxes (transportation fuel) | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Maintain Status | h) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | i) Inheritance taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | j) Payroll taxes | ||
| Federal parks/lands -- return to states or allow conservancy trusts to acquire. The increases and decreases I have indicated apply to the Federal government. What individual states choose or don't choose to do is not what I'm responding to. | |||
| Defund the ACA, work with insurers and employers to allow states to address health care needs. | |||
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