William White'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.
William White has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2014 Political Courage Test.
Michigan Congressional Election 2014 Political Courage Test
| Pro-choice | Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| Abortion is the least preferable option for an unwanted pregnancy, buts its practice predates recorded history and will not be ended by legislation. When illegal, many women died trying to do it themselves or with unqualified practitioners at unlicensed facilities. It is not the responsibility of the government to make medical judgments or interfere with the caregiver-patient relationship. Such a traumatic decision as abortion should be left to the woman with guidance from her doctor, family and faith. The best way to reduce abortions is through better education, prevention of unwanted pregnancies, and meaningful reform of restrictive adoption regulations. | |||
| Yes | 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? | ||
| Our national debt is a burden on everyone, as well as our children and grandchildren. A sound fiscal policy based on returning to the gold standard and limiting the power of the federal reserve is the best way to stabilize the dollar and keep our standard of living from further deterioration. Reduce corporate welfare and the size of government to help pay down the deficit. Cut defense spending (but not strength or security) by removing troops from foreign countries which are not security threats. Replace the income tax with a consumption tax (also called the FairTax) to stimulate the economy. | |||
| Yes | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| The only way to reduce money in politics is to limit TV campaign advertising to six weeks as in other countries, or limit it to free and equal public service announcements. Most money is spent on TV ads and the profits go to the large media moguls who donate to the parties who advertise. Talk about a vicious circle! Radio, print, Internet, public appearances and direct mail would still allow candidates to get their message out at a lower cost. Reducing campaign spending can only be accomplished by reducing the cost to campaign. Any other suggested solution is wishful thinking. | |||
| No | Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| Too many innocent people have been executed already. If it is illegal for an individual to kill someone then it should also be illegal for the government to do so. Life in prison is a worse punishment anyway, and prison work programs would allow convicted felons to earn money to pay restitution to the victims or their families. | |||
| 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? | ||
| Yes | Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| The best tax incentive is to lower the corporate tax rate more in line with other countries to reduce the inversion of companies who are moving their profits offshore. Tax incentives to individual companies or industries are counterproductive, as it puts the government in a position of picking winners and losers. All businesses should get the same lower tax rate as it frees capital for expansion and job creation. Any corporate tax is ultimately paid by the consumer anyway in the higher cost of goods. | |||
| No | Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants? | ||
| The federal government has no constitutional authority to be involved in education. Since the US Department of Education was created in 1980, spending has tripled while the quality and percentage of graduates have remained mediocre at best. It should be migrated to a nonprofit entity, self-funded by state education departments as a clearing house for best practices. More local control with an emphasis on individual student-centered education produces better results. This is well documented by Finland, which consistently ranks as one of the top education systems in the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Finland | |||
| No | Do you support building the Keystone XL pipeline? | ||
| No | Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production? | ||
| Alternative energy sources need to be deregulated to speed their development. The city of Burlington, Vermont recently met the goal of being powered by 100% renewable energy. There is no reason other cities and eventually the entire country could be powered that way. Removing subsidies for gas and oil producers would also be another step in the right direction. | |||
| Yes | Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change? | ||
| Yes | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| Only to the extent they are already regulated though, as more scientific data is needed. There is conflicting evidence that human activity is the major cause or that changing human activity would be effective at influencing the rate or extent of climate change. One volcano eruption releases as much greenhouse gas as many years of human activity. Climate is the result of complex, constantly changing events and processes like undersea vents, volcanoes and solar cycles. Until science has a better grasp of the interaction of the many different aspects of climate change it would be unwise to regulate further. | |||
| Yes | Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| However, restrictions that are already in place are sufficient if properly enforced and should not be expanded. Certainly convicted violent offenders and the criminally insane should not possess guns. The second amendment makes it clear though that the right to bear arms shall not be infringed. Any further restrictions would limit the right of law-abiding citizens to protect themselves and their community, as criminals by definition do not follow the law. | |||
| Yes | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act? | ||
| The Affordable Care Act has a few redeeming features, like coverage of preexisting conditions and portability of insurance not tied to employment. It should be a state responsibility though. Central management of health care by the federal government has no constitutional basis and is so complicated and unwieldy it will increase costs and remain a bureaucratic mess. A focus on preventive health care by better educating the public is a more effective step in the right direction. The right to self-medicate, determine your own course of treatment and choose your own health care provider should not be infringed but expanded. | |||
| No | Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? | ||
| Current immigration policy is unworkable. Most undocumented workers fill needs which, left unfilled, would hurt our economy. Open borders with proper documentation that excludes security risks is the best solution. Erecting barrier walls is not effective and problematic. Canadian workers and tourists enter and leave at will. Shouldn't that courtesy be extended to everyone? The US is continually improved by immigrants' ideas and expertise. The Congressional Budget Office said "... in aggregate and over the long term, tax revenues of all types generated by immigrants - both legal and unauthorized - exceed the cost of the services they use." | |||
| Yes | Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
| The government has no moral or constitutional authority to regulate marriage, which is a personal decision usually based on religious beliefs. None of our Founding Fathers had a marriage license, and many were not consecrated within a religious edifice. It was only after the civil war that marriage licenses became commonly used to prevent interracial marriages and define property and inheritance rights as determined by the state. In other words, it has a heritage of racism and state control. The widespread use of prenuptial agreements illustrates that marriage is essentially a civil contract between consenting adults. | |||
| No | 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? | ||
| "Targeting" implies execution, and without substantial proof of imminent attack it would violate the Geneva Conventions. However, investigating and arresting suspected terrorists wherever found should be continued, with the knowledge and cooperation of the countries in which they are located. Possession of nuclear weapons should be banned from all countries. Their gradual reduction and removal from those countries that already possess them should be an international priority. | |||
| Yes | Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? | ||
| We should be able to control our own earnings, and the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government has no legal obligation to pay benefits. Social Security is a legalized Ponzi scheme where taxes from younger workers pay retired workers benefits. Demographics will eventually cause the system to collapse. Social Security faces $9.6 trillion in unfunded liabilities over the next 75 years and the program's trustees report that the trust funds will become insolvent by 2033. Social Security discourages saving and encourages early retirement. It also discriminates against women, minorities, and all others with a shorter life expectancy. | |||
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 Decrease | c) Defense | ||
| Slightly Decrease | d) Education | ||
| Slightly Decrease | e) Environment | ||
| Eliminate | f) Homeland Security | ||
| Greatly Decrease | g) International aid | ||
| Maintain Status | h) Medical Research | ||
| Maintain Status | i) Scientific Research | ||
| Slightly Increase | j) Space exploration | ||
| Slightly Decrease | k) United Nations | ||
| Slightly Decrease | l) Welfare | ||
| Eliminate | a) Capital gains taxes | ||
| Greatly Decrease | b) Corporate taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | c) Excise taxes (alcohol) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | d) Excise taxes (cigarettes) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | e) Excise taxes (transportation fuel) | ||
| Eliminate | f) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Eliminate | g) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Eliminate | h) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| Eliminate | i) Inheritance taxes | ||
| Eliminate | j) Payroll taxes | ||
| Eliminate the Import-Export bank, Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Commerce | |||
| Enacting a consumption or "fair tax" would be equitable, revenue neutral, and replace the taxes eliminated | |||
| Significantly modify or repeal the War Powers Act and Patriot Act which allow the President to wage war virtually at will and severely erode civil liberties such as unwarranted surveillance. End the drug war by decriminalization as the Portuguese did over a decade ago, which resulted in lower rates of abuse and crime. These two actions would cost nothing as the savings would greatly exceed the cost of implementation. Withdraw troops from countries posing no threat to the US and use the savings to increase funding for Veterans Affairs, a shamefully neglected and mismanaged department |
Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.