Britani Potter's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Britani Potter has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2016 Political Courage Test.
Kansas Congressional Election 2016 Political Courage Test
| 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? | ||
| Many current politicians support regressive forms of taxation in the name of "fairness," when in-fact these forms of taxation benefit the wealthy and hurt the hard working middle and low income families that make up the majority of this country. I support progressive forms of taxation that provide tax reductions and benefits to small businesses and middle and low income citizens. The economy grows when consumers have more income to spend within their local economies. Loopholes in current tax code must be closed and the tax brackets needs to be adjusted for the affluent and big business. | |||
| Yes | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| The democratic process is the foundation of our country and protecting it is vital to all citizens. Political campaigns should not be won or lost based upon who has the wealthiest friends, or who is willing to work for the lobbyists and big money businesses. Their obligation should be to their constituents. Political campaigns have become too commercialized and the focus on bettering society and serving our communities has been lost as a result. Campaign finance reform is necessary to return the government to the people. | |||
| 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? | ||
| Our criminal justice system is not effectively reducing crime and it is costing tax payers far too much money. We need to invest in evidence-based practices that have proven results. We should be looking at the root cause of criminal behavior and work on initiatives that will solve the issues creating such behaviors. We would save a significant amount of money in the long run by investing in mental health services and programs that work to eliminate poverty. | |||
| Yes | Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| Yes | Do you support lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| Yes | Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| Economic growth occurs when consumers have more disposable income to make purchases within their communities. The government's role is to build and maintain the foundation and infrastructure for these communities and to ensure that all citizens' basic needs are met. Lowering taxes on middle and low income citizens allows the majority of American citizens to keep more of their income and put it back into their communities through commerce. I support tax incentives for small businesses as this allows them to reinvest their profits in their business so it can grow and create more jobs. | |||
| Yes | Do you generally support requiring states to adopt federal education standards? | ||
| It is the job of the federal government to promote quality and efficient public education. As a local school board member, I understand the importance of local control in policy and budget setting decisions. I also believe that federal dollars that come into states and local school districts for the purpose of education should be used to improve the quality of education being provided. | |||
| 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? | ||
| We need to find ways to reduce our reliance on foreign oil by investing in the future through sustainable energy sources. Making the investment in sustainable and renewable energy sources will create jobs for our citizens and protect our environment. | |||
| Yes | Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change? | ||
| Yes | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| We are fortunate enough to live on a beautiful planet with amazing and unique ecosystems. As fellow occupants of the planet, we must respect the environment and its role in our lives. I believe it is possible to use the resources available in ways that are sustainable and will allow for future generations to enjoy everything Earth has to offer. | |||
| Yes | Do you generally support gun-control legislation? | ||
| Along with the majority of Americans, I support increased gun control policies. I believe that every law abiding American citizen has the right to own a gun for the purpose of protection, hunting, or sport. I do not believe that owning a gun should be less regulated than driving and owning a vehicle. I do not believe that weapons designed for the purpose of killing large quantities of people very quickly should be available for consumers to purchase. With rights come responsibilities and the right to own a gun is no exception. | |||
| No | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? | ||
| The Affordable Care Act provided us with much needed benefits such as elimination of preexisting conditions and lifetime maximums and providing free contraception to women. For these reasons the ACA should not be repealed. However, there is still a health care crisis in this country and we are in need of additional reform. Health insurance is still unaffordable for many Americans, and much-needed services are not available due to the costs or limitations by insurance providers. The marketplace is very difficult to navigate and is inefficient at best. These are issues that can be solved without repealing the ACA. | |||
| No | Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? | ||
| I make supporting and protecting families a priority, and deporting immigrants, even just temporarily, is damaging to families that often times include American citizens. This is also costly and unnecessary. We are a country founded on diversity and freedom from oppression. It would be more beneficial for our economy to have a path to citizenship which would allow for those already in this country to pay taxes and lawfully contribute to society. | |||
| Yes | Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
| Marriage as it pertains to the government is a right that should be afforded to all citizens. Whether a religious body chooses to recognize a marriage is not a matter of government, since we as a country have established through our Constitution a separation of church and state per the First Amendment. We as individuals have the right to choose who we love and want to form a legal partnership with for the purpose of cohabitation, establishing a family unit, making legal decisions and any other chosen facet of our lives. | |||
| Yes | Do you support increased American intervention in Iraq and Syria beyond air support? | ||
| Yes | Should the U.S use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the United States from possessing a nuclear weapon? | ||
| We have an obligation to exhaust all diplomatic options before ever resorting to military force. However, nuclear weapons, in the hands of dangerous leaders who are hostile toward the United States and its allies, are a significant threat, and the use of military action should not be taken off the table if the situation poses a significant threat to innocent people. | |||
| No | Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? | ||
| Evidence shows many citizens do not make saving for retirement a priority. In times of financial difficulties, taking from retirement savings is a common behavior, and oftentimes a necessity. By requiring a small percentage of income be placed away for retirement, we as a society can ensure that everyone has something put away for retirement. This reduces the potential for complete government dependency by an aging society. I do support improving and strengthening the existing Social Security program and looking for ways to improve personal retirement options to ensure financial security throughout retirement. | |||
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 | ||
| Maintain Status | b) Arts | ||
| Slightly Decrease | c) Defense | ||
| Slightly Increase | d) Education | ||
| Maintain Status | e) Environment | ||
| Maintain Status | f) Homeland Security | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) International aid | ||
| Maintain Status | h) Medical Research | ||
| Slightly Increase | i) Scientific Research | ||
| Slightly Decrease | j) Space exploration | ||
| Maintain Status | k) United Nations | ||
| Slightly Increase | l) Welfare | ||
| Slightly Increase | a) Capital gains taxes | ||
| Greatly Increase | b) Corporate taxes | ||
| Greatly Decrease | c) Small business taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | d) Excise taxes (alcohol) | ||
| Maintain Status | e) Excise taxes (cigarettes) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | f) Excise taxes (transportation fuel) | ||
| Eliminate | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Greatly 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 | |||
| As a country, we must make a front-end investment in our greatest resource: the American people. This will result in decreased costs, a stronger economy, and a healthier society in the long run. | |||
| My policy priorities are focused on protecting and strengthening low and middle income families. I will work to implement tax and economic policies that reduce taxes on the middle class and put more money into the hands of hard working Americans. My policies will protect and improve retirement programs, including Social Security. I will work to improve the ACA to provide expanded mental health services and reduce health care costs, while improving patient outcomes. With more money in the hands of consumers and programs ensuring citizens basic needs are met, society's morale will improve and the economy will thrive. |
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