Thomas Wakely's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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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.
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Thomas Wakely is currently being tested through the 2020 Political Courage Test.
Issue Positions
For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2020.
- Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? "Pro-Choice" (votesmart.org)
- In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? "Yes" (votesmart.org)
- "Social Security is the most successful government program in our nation's history. It is our responsibility to expand it and give every American the chance to retire with dignity and respect. 61% of Americans agree with expanding Social Security benefits by lifting the cap on taxable income, and if elected, that is precisely what I will strive to do." (www.facebook.com)
- "So right. I have access to buy a Lear Jet but that doesnât mean a damn thing @OurRevTexas Medicare For All is the only choice if we want to make sure everyone survives this pandemic" (twitter.com)
- Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? "Yes" (votesmart.org)
- "Qualified immunity shields police officers from legal actions by victims and families, even if their civil rights were violated. I support the Ending Qualified Immunity Act (H.R. 7085)" (twitter.com)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? "Yes" (votesmart.org)
- "My primary opponent has some rather conservative views on the economy. Not only does he believe in cutting the corporate tax rate by 15%, but he also supports implementing a national sales tax which will come out of consumers pockets. In my opinion it does not make sense to cut corporate taxes to stimulate the economy. We've attempted trickle down economics in the past, and it proved to be a failure. Additionally, the idea of making up for those tax cuts by increasing the taxes of all consumers is simply not something I agree with." (www.facebook.com)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)? "Yes" (votesmart.org)
- Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? "Yes" (votesmart.org)
- Do you generally support gun-control legislation? "Yes" (votesmart.org)
- Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? "Yes" (votesmart.org)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- "Mexico is my second home as it is for many, many #TX21 voters. We know we should be building bridges not walls. @wendydavis has no clue what to do about immigration but I do." (twitter.com)
- "I believe that anyone who has been in the United States for at least 5 years and who is working should be given permanent residency status along with their spouse and their children still in school. A path to citizenship would follow; 10 years after receiving permanent residence status." (votesmart.org)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.
| Pro-choice | Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| I think that most of us can agree that human life is a precious gift from God and therefore worthy of protection and respect. I also think most of us can agree that the sacredness of human life is part and parcel of any moral vision of what a just society should look like. That said, I believe that both men and women should have unlimited autonomy with respect to their own bodies; especially as far as their reproductive systems are concerned. | |||
| Yes | In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending? | ||
| Yes | In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? | ||
| Whenever you read a news story or watch the evening news, you are apt to hear something from someone (usually a politician) concerning the federal budget deficit. What they are talking about is a single year's deficit: the difference between what our government spends and the revenues it takes in. What is rarely talked about is that since the last recession, our national deficit has dropped from roughly 10% of GNP to less that 3% today. The real problem is not the deficit but national debt. And that is where we need concentrate our efforts - reducing the national debt. | |||
| Yes | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| The reality that we face today, after Citizens United, is that unions and corporations face very different rules and requirements as far as their political spending goes. Corporation can spend money in politics without shareholder approval and without having to disclose their financial support for a particular candidate or cause. Labor unions, on the other hand, must publicly disclose their political spending. I support legislation that would require corporations to seek shareholder approval before a political contribution is made along with the provision that any such contribution be publicly disclosed. | |||
| 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? | ||
| A 2010 poll by Lake Research Partners found that a clear majority of Americans (61%) would choose a punishment other than the death penalty for murder. When I met with Sister Helen Prejean, the public face of the Ministry Against the Death Penalty to discuss this great moral issue, she told me that most people rarely think about it and very few take the time to delve deeply enough into it to make an informed decision. She also reminded me of the fallibility of human agencies and legal justice. I couldn't agree with her more. | |||
| Yes | Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| No | 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? | ||
| Our nation�s infrastructure is crumbling. We all know it. We all feel it every time we hit a pothole; every time we stand in an overcrowded airport line. That is why I support the Rebuild America Act which would create millions of new good-paying jobs. Yes the price tag is high - one trillion dollars over five years. But to modernize our infrastructure, we have to bite the bullet now. Or pay the price later as bridges fall into rivers, rail lines buckle under stress, and our highways crumble. | |||
| No | Do you support building the Keystone XL pipeline? | ||
| Yes | Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)? | ||
| Yes | Do you support increased regulations on the hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") industry? | ||
| Yes | Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change? | ||
| Yes | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| Climate change is a national security threat, a public health risk and an economic disaster just waiting to happen. | |||
| Yes | Do you generally support gun-control legislation? | ||
| I support the 2nd amendment. That said, I have no problem with anyone owning a couple of pistols, a deer rifle or shotgun for a little dove hunting every year. But I do have a problem with anyone other than those serving in the military having access to weapons whose sole purpose is to kill people. Weapons like the ones used in the San Bernardino shooting were versions of a very popular rifle called an AR-15. It's a semi automatic version of a U.S. military assault weapon. I also want to close the gun show loophole. | |||
| Yes | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? | ||
| I support repeal because it does not go far enough. Many people are enrolled but very few can access it due to the high deductibles and co-pays. My own daughter's family dropped out last year for this very reason. I am covered by the VA health care system but my wife has no health care coverage because, like our daughter, we can't afford the high deductibles and high co-pays either. That is why I support a Single Payer, Medicare for All program for anyone who wishes to enroll. Everyone else can buy their own health insurance if they so desire. | |||
| 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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| I believe that anyone who has been in the United States for at least 5 years and who is working should be given permanent residency status along with their spouse and their children still in school. A path to citizenship would follow; 10 years after receiving permanent residence status. | |||
| No | 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.
| Greatly Decrease | a) Agriculture | ||
| Maintain Status | b) Arts | ||
| Greatly Decrease | c) Defense | ||
| Greatly Increase | d) Education | ||
| Greatly Increase | e) Environment | ||
| Slightly Decrease | f) Homeland Security | ||
| Greatly Decrease | g) International aid | ||
| Greatly Increase | h) Medical Research | ||
| Greatly Increase | i) Scientific Research | ||
| Greatly Increase | j) Space exploration | ||
| Greatly Increase | k) United Nations | ||
| Greatly Increase | l) Welfare | ||
| m) Other or expanded categories | |||
| Greatly Increase | a) Capital gains taxes | ||
| Greatly Increase | b) Corporate taxes | ||
| Greatly Decrease | c) Small business taxes | ||
| Eliminate | d) Excise taxes (alcohol) | ||
| Greatly Increase | e) Excise taxes (cigarettes) | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Excise taxes (transportation fuel) | ||
| Eliminate | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Greatly Decrease | h) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Greatly Increase | i) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| Greatly Increase | j) Inheritance taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | k) Payroll taxes | ||
| l) Other or expanded categories | |||
| Priority One - Medicare Fraud. For example, Hospice fraud Is costing Medicare millions of dollars. To address this I would change the Medicare program so that the only non-profit agencies would be eligible to participate. Priority Two, Breaking Up the Big Banks. I would dissolve the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which serves to charter, regulate, and supervise all national banks and thrift institutions and the federal branches and agencies of foreign banks in the United States. I would turn these responsibilities over to the States. The FDIC would continue to insure banks. |
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