Arik Bjorn's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
Key
Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
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Arik Bjorn has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2016 Political Courage Test.
South Carolina Congressional Election 2016 Political Courage Test
| Pro-choice | Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| My mother had cancer while pregnant with me. She was told by doctors she should have an abortion to save her life. The year was 1973. I cannot imagine what that choice must have been like for my mother. I am grateful she had the right to choose. She made the right choice, for herself, for her life, for her future--a choice only she herself was qualified to make. Let us be reflective and compassionate in our politics of "choice." | |||
| No | 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? | ||
| The marginal tax rate was over 90% throughout the mid-20th century. It is presently around 40%. It is time to raise taxes on the considerably wealthy. Highly profitable corporations should also pay a more equitable tax share. | |||
| Yes | 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? | ||
| 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? | ||
| Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation? | |||
| I am generally dissatisfied by the question, as it may lead the reader to believe a candidate thinks that "tax incentives" are the primary, or perhaps only, component of public-private job creation collaboration. I managed a $2 billion economic development program in South Carolina that used resources other than tax incentives to help create 10,000-plus jobs across our state. | |||
| Yes | Do you generally support requiring states to adopt federal education standards? | ||
| The Every Student Succeeds Act is a welcome balance for federal and local collaboration to improve education nationally. | |||
| 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? | ||
| An all-caps YES to increased regulations! | |||
| Yes | Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change? | ||
| Yes | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| "Runaway climate change" is preventable by significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the next several decades. I support science-based climate policies. | |||
| Yes | Do you generally support gun-control legislation? | ||
| I support commonsense gun regulation such as 'Lizzy's Law.' | |||
| No | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? | ||
| HEALTHCARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT. I firmly believe that governors who refuse to expand Medicaid have blood on their hands. The Affordable Care Act was a step in the right direction for our nation. Universal healthcare and a national learning health system must be our ultimate goal as a society. | |||
| No | Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? | ||
| The question appears to imply that all undocumented immigrants would need to be returned, and I do not hold an all-or-nothing position on the entirety of undocumented immigrants. I support fair and humane immigration reform where established families are not separated. | |||
| Yes | Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
| It is time to close the topic. Same-sex marriage is the law of the land. Thank you, SCOTUS. | |||
| No | Do you support increased American intervention in Iraq and Syria beyond air support? | ||
| No | Should the U.S use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the United States from possessing a nuclear weapon? | ||
| If the question defines "intervention" as "troops on the ground," my answer is no. If the question defines "intervention" as logistical, political and non-combat military support, I would be inclined to consider reasonable opportunities to assist with causes of justice and peace. | |||
| 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.
| Slightly Increase | a) Agriculture | ||
| Greatly Increase | b) Arts | ||
| Maintain Status | c) Defense | ||
| Greatly Increase | d) Education | ||
| Greatly Increase | e) Environment | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Homeland Security | ||
| Slightly Increase | g) International aid | ||
| Maintain Status | h) Medical Research | ||
| Maintain Status | i) Scientific Research | ||
| Maintain Status | j) Space exploration | ||
| Maintain Status | k) United Nations | ||
| Slightly Increase | l) Welfare | ||
| m) Other or expanded categories | |||
| Slightly Increase | a) Capital gains taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | b) Corporate taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | c) Small business taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | d) Excise taxes (alcohol) | ||
| Slightly Increase | e) Excise taxes (cigarettes) | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Excise taxes (transportation fuel) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | h) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Slightly Increase | i) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| Maintain Status | j) Inheritance taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | k) Payroll taxes | ||
| l) Other or expanded categories | |||
| --Living Wage --Increased Worker Protections --Elimination of Right-to-Work --Equal Pay --Healthcare as a Human Right --Investment in Infrastructure --Increased Economic Opportunities --Increased Education Access --Care-taking the Environment --Justice FOR ALL (Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ Ally, elimination of for-profit prisons) --Strongly supporting President Obama's ConnectED and ConnectHOME programs |
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