Those tolerant Democrats

[1969912 0]

"(AP) ALBANY, N.Y. – They've been called Oreos, traitors and Uncle Toms, and are used to having to defend their values. Now black conservatives are really taking heat for their involvement in the mostly white tea party movement — and for having the audacity to oppose the policies of the nation's first black president..."


http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/04/06/black-tea-party-activists-called-traitors/

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/06/ap/national/main6369422.shtml?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CBSNewsPCAnswer+%28PC+Answer%3A+CBSNews.com%29

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[jgoose71 0]

"Imagine a Tea Party protester in the streets of Washington DC. Imagine that protester just trying to have a debate on the issues. Now imagine a liberal spitting on him, slandering him, calling him names and accusing him of all kinds of vile racial misconduct......
Now imagine that protester is Black....."

Yea, borrowed from "Mississippi Burning" but I think it fits here. It's been said over and over in these forums that the tea party isn't a movement about race, as much as the Democrats try to make it. It's about the lack of representation from our government. You know, the guys that are supposed to work for us?

Yes, we know that a lot of Tea Party people are white, but 21% are not.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/127181/Tea-Partiers-Fairly-Mainstream-Demographics.aspx

"There is an art, it says, or, rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."
Life, the Universe, and Everything

[lawrocket 3]

Nonwhites give liberals a huge problem. Gameplan is, "call them racist. Whatever you do, don't engage in discussion. Just call them racist and be done."

Well, they have a hard time calling non-whites racists. So they are oreos, therefore nothing more than whitey with a really good tan, and therefore are racist against themselves and against the president.

It used to be that just shouting racism was enough to prevent discussion. And these black guys and women are really fucking it up and they must be marginalized.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

And these black guys and women are really fucking it up and they must be marginalized.

Clarence "Lawn Jockey" Thomas, Colin "Uncle Tom" Powell, Condaleezza "Aunt Jemima" Rice, among others... *

*All epithets given by liberals*

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[Ion01 1]

Anyone remember this?
http://www.politics.com/video/zTXBOgPCh9w/tea-party-protestors-attacked-by-seiu-angry-mob/

So why didn't the president make some big statement about this and have a few beers with these guys or the guy that got beat up?

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

Anyone remember this?
http://www.politics.com/video/zTXBOgPCh9w/tea-party-protestors-attacked-by-seiu-angry-mob/

So why didn't the president make some big statement about this and have a few beers with these guys or the guy that got beat up?

Because he didn't feel that the Purple People Beaters "acted stupidly"?

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[mnealtx 0]

Link (from '06)

Quote

White Republicans nationally are 25 percentage points more likely on average to vote for the Democratic senatorial candidate when the GOP hopeful is black, says economist Ebonya Washington of Yale University in a forthcoming article in the Quarterly Journal of Economics.... But racially motivated crossover voting is not just a Republican phenomenon. Democrats also desert their party when its candidate is black, Washington found. In House races, white Democrats are 38 percentage points less likely to vote Democratic if their candidate is black.

Link (from '06)

Quote

As reported in this column a few weeks ago, the study found that people were less likely to give extended aid to black Hurricane Katrina victims than to white ones. The race penalty, on average, totaled about $1,000 per black victim.

As Iyengar and his colleagues subsequently dug deeper into these data, another finding emerged: Republicans consistently gave less aid, and gave over a shorter period of time, to victims regardless of race.

Democrats and independents were far more generous; on average, they gave Katrina victims on average more than $1,500 a month, compared with $1,200 for Republicans, and for 13 months instead of nine.

But for Democrats, race mattered -- and in a disturbing way. Overall, Democrats were willing to give whites about $1,500 more than they chose to give to a black or other minority. (Even with this race penalty, Democrats still were willing to give more to blacks than those principled Republicans.) "Republicans are likely to be more stringent, both in terms of money and time, Iyengar said. "However, their position is 'principled' in the sense that it stems from a strong belief in individualism (as opposed to handouts). Thus their responses to the assistance questions are relatively invariant across the different media conditions. Independents and Democrats, on the other hand, are more likely to be affected by racial cues."

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[Amazon 7]

Quote

"(AP) ALBANY, N.Y. – They've been called Oreos, traitors and Uncle Toms, and are used to having to defend their values. Now black conservatives are really taking heat for their involvement in the mostly white tea party movement — and for having the audacity to oppose the policies of the nation's first black president..."


http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/04/06/black-tea-party-activists-called-traitors/

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/06/ap/national/main6369422.shtml?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CBSNewsPCAnswer+%28PC+Answer%3A+CBSNews.com%29

So ... I wonder how many of our good conservatives here will refer to her as a RINO when she does not pass your purity tests.

The district she is running in is heavily white... redistricted from the 2nd congressional district by the repubiclown govenor to ensure a white republican majority there.

From Wiki

1st Congressional District ( Cook PVI R+14 )
Population (2006) 762,914
Median income $35,831

Ethnicity 70.5% White, 27.2% Black,

2nd Congressional District ( Cook PVI D+12 )
Population (2006) 711,164
Median income $26,894
Ethnicity 35.0% White, 63.5% Black,

Its MISSISSIPPI and if you do not think that race plays a huge role in Haley Barbours good ole boy C of CC mind I got some swamp land in the Atacama I would love to sell you.

OH here is who she is trying to replace.... just an FYI.

Also from Wiki

Childers, a Blue Dog Democrat,[9] has been described as a conservative Democrat.[10] Like many Democrats from Mississippi, he is pro-life and pro-gun.[11] However, on economic issues, Childers tends to vote more with his party. He supports increased funding for public education. He also favors a swift withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.[12]

In the 111th Congress, while voting for the stimulus packages and reauthorization of SCHIP,[13] Childers has voted against several more controversial bills, most notably the "Helping Families Save Their Homes Act".[14] Childers bucked the Democratic leadership in voting against both versions of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.[15]

More recently Childers voted against the 2009 Matthew Shepard Act (H.R. 1913) and joined most Blue Dog Democrats in opposing the 2009 American Clean Energy and Security Act[16].

Childers voted with 38 other Democrats against the Affordable Health Care for America Act. [17]

[Andrewwhyte 1]

Quote

"Imagine a Tea Party protester in the streets of Washington DC. Imagine that protester just trying to have a debate on the issues. Now imagine a liberal spitting on him, slandering him, calling him names and accusing him of all kinds of vile racial misconduct......
Now imagine that protester is Black....."

Yea, borrowed from "Mississippi Burning" but I think it fits here. It's been said over and over in these forums that the tea party isn't a movement about race, as much as the Democrats try to make it. It's about the lack of representation from our government. You know, the guys that are supposed to work for us?

Nope. Actually that line is borrowed from "A time to Kill."

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

The district she is running in is heavily white... redistricted from the 2nd congressional district by the repubiclown govenor to ensure a white republican majority there.

According to the info from the two pages, the redistricting happened in either the 1980 or 1990 census period.

DEMOCRAT William Winter, 1980 - 1984
DEMOCRAT Ray Mabus, 1988 - 1992

You were saying?

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[Amazon 7]

Quote

Quote

The district she is running in is heavily white... redistricted from the 2nd congressional district by the repubiclown govenor to ensure a white republican majority there.

According to the info from the two pages, the redistricting happened in either the 1980 or 1990 census period.

DEMOCRAT William Winter, 1980 - 1984
DEMOCRAT Ray Mabus, 1988 - 1992

You were saying?

BACK atcha.... it was done IN 1992 by YOUR kind of C of CC Good ole boy rePUBIClown ......Daniel Kirkwood "Kirk" Fordice, Jr who was In office January 14, 1992 – January 11, 2000

He won the governorship of Mississippi in the 1991 election, first winning the Republican primary against former state auditor Pete Johnson and in the general election against Democratic incumbent Ray Mabus, making him the first Republican to be elected governor since Reconstruction era governor Adelbert Ames, who served from 1874 to 1876. Fordice successfully won re-election in 1995 against Democratic Mississippi secretary of state Dick Molpus. His second inauguration was on January 16, 1996.

An outspoken conservative, Fordice advocated tax cuts, the abolishment of affirmative action, reductions in the welfare system, expanded capital punishment, tougher prison conditions and the building of more prisons.

Fordice also alarmed Jewish groups such as B'nai B'rith by referring to America as "a Christian Nation" during a Republican governors conference. South Carolina governor Carroll Campbell quickly offered a correction, adding "Judeo-" as a prefix to Christian, but Fordice snapped back he meant what he said. Fordice later apologized for any offense.

Fordice also refused to discuss any increase in public school pay raise across the state, even though Mississippi ranked 49th in the nation. When teachers discussed striking he ordered any teacher that went on strike to be immediately fired.[citation needed]

In August 1996, Fordice signed an executive order banning recognition of same-sex marriages in Mississippi.[1] Lawmakers said then that they would back up the executive order with a law. In 2004, Mississippi voters passed a constitutional amendment defining marriage as only between a man and a woman and further banning recognition of same-sex marriages from other states and countries.[2]

Fordice said he would have quit his position of Governor while still in office, except that he didn't want to give the Democratic candidate, Lieutenant Governor Ronnie Musgrove, any spot-light time of running the state before the actual election.[3] Musgrove won the election anyway and became Mississippi's next Governor.

Fordice's tenure was also roiled by an extramarital affair with his high school sweetheart Ann G. Creson, which led to his divorce from his wife of 44 years, Pat Fordice. After leaving office, he married Ann, but they also divorced later.

After retiring, Fordice settled in Madison, Mississippi. He died of leukemia in Jackson at the age of 70 with his ex-wife Pat by his side. He is buried at Parkway Memorial Cemetery in Ridgeland, Mississippi.


Wow such a stellar career.. he hit all the favored groups the KKK loves so much.... Jews....blacks... liberal teachers.. homosexuals.

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

Wow such a stellar career.. he hit all the favored groups the KKK loves so much.... Jews....blacks... liberal teachers.. homosexuals.

Ah, so he's right up there with Kleagle Byrd, hailed by Democrats as "The Conscience of the Senate".

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[Amazon 7]

Quote

Quote

Wow such a stellar career.. he hit all the favored groups the KKK loves so much.... Jews....blacks... liberal teachers.. homosexuals.

Ah, so he's right up there with Kleagle Byrd, hailed by Democrats as "The Conscience of the Senate".

Mikee do you have any CLUE at all about when the last meeting it was he had anything to do with them?

From Wiki again..

In 1997, he told an interviewer he would encourage young people to become involved in politics, but to "Be sure you avoid the Ku Klux Klan. Don't get that albatross around your neck. Once you've made that mistake, you inhibit your operations in the political arena."[13] In his latest autobiography, Byrd explained that he was a member because he "was sorely afflicted with tunnel vision—a jejune and immature outlook—seeing only what I wanted to see because I thought the Klan could provide an outlet for my talents and ambitions."[14] Byrd also said, in 2005,

“ I know now I was wrong. Intolerance had no place in America. I apologized a thousand times... and I don't mind apologizing over and over again. I can't erase what happened.


On the other hand..theis clown was true to his C of CC uptown Klan hatred... A real stellar Values kind of suthern rePUBIClown. Affairs.. ties to the C of CC for your boy and doing their bidding the whole time he was involved in politics.

You will know them by their deeds.

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

You will know them by their deeds.

Indeed - and the Kleagle's deeds were well-known.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[Amazon 7]

Quote

Quote

You will know them by their deeds.

Indeed - and the Kleagle's deeds were well-known.

I guess you just hate him because of all his liberal votes... since he sure does not follow the USUAL pattern of Klan voting now does he.

In your eyes he is just another Democrat and a liberal certainly not because of his Klan affiliation...mmmkkk

Again... YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR DEEDS

[rushmc 18]

Quote

Quote

Quote

You will know them by their deeds.

Indeed - and the Kleagle's deeds were well-known.

I guess you just hate him because of all his liberal votes... since he sure does not follow the USUAL pattern of Klan voting now does he.

In your eyes he is just another Democrat and a liberal certainly not because of his Klan affiliation...mmmkkk

Again... YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR DEEDS

Hmm

and here you are defending one who's deed's are known

Ironic maybe?

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Amazon 7]

Quote

Quote

Quote

Quote

You will know them by their deeds.

Indeed - and the Kleagle's deeds were well-known.

I guess you just hate him because of all his liberal votes... since he sure does not follow the USUAL pattern of Klan voting now does he.

In your eyes he is just another Democrat and a liberal certainly not because of his Klan affiliation...mmmkkk

Again... YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR DEEDS

Hmm

and here you are defending one who's deed's are known

Ironic maybe?

YUP.. look at his VOTIING RECORD...


Oh thats tight.. you cant do that ... just like your fellow travellers.

[rushmc 18]

Quote

Quote

Quote

Quote

Quote

You will know them by their deeds.

Indeed - and the Kleagle's deeds were well-known.

I guess you just hate him because of all his liberal votes... since he sure does not follow the USUAL pattern of Klan voting now does he.

In your eyes he is just another Democrat and a liberal certainly not because of his Klan affiliation...mmmkkk

Again... YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR DEEDS

Hmm

and here you are defending one who's deed's are known

Ironic maybe?

YUP.. look at his VOTIING RECORD...


Oh thats tight.. you cant do that ... just like your fellow travellers.

So,

ones voting record is all you look at?

That will interesting to throw back at you in what I am sure will be the very near future
Thanks

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Amazon 7]

Quote

Quote

Quote

Quote

Quote

Quote

You will know them by their deeds.

Indeed - and the Kleagle's deeds were well-known.

I guess you just hate him because of all his liberal votes... since he sure does not follow the USUAL pattern of Klan voting now does he.

In your eyes he is just another Democrat and a liberal certainly not because of his Klan affiliation...mmmkkk

Again... YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR DEEDS

Hmm

and here you are defending one who's deed's are known

Ironic maybe?

YUP.. look at his VOTIING RECORD...


Oh thats tight.. you cant do that ... just like your fellow travellers.

So,

ones voting record is all you look at?

That will interesting to throw back at you in what I am sure will be the very near future
Thanks

DEEDS................... OH THATS RIGHT... all you VALUES VOTERS dont seem to give a rats ass about that now do you

Kinda like your LORD AND SAVIOR the ROTUND LUSH RIMJOB....


DEEDS ... not what spews forth from his sick and perverted pie hole.

[rushmc 18]

Quote

Quote

Quote

Quote

Quote

Quote

Quote

You will know them by their deeds.

Indeed - and the Kleagle's deeds were well-known.

I guess you just hate him because of all his liberal votes... since he sure does not follow the USUAL pattern of Klan voting now does he.

In your eyes he is just another Democrat and a liberal certainly not because of his Klan affiliation...mmmkkk

Again... YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR DEEDS

Hmm

and here you are defending one who's deed's are known

Ironic maybe?

YUP.. look at his VOTIING RECORD...


Oh thats tight.. you cant do that ... just like your fellow travellers.

So,

ones voting record is all you look at?

That will interesting to throw back at you in what I am sure will be the very near future
Thanks

DEEDS................... OH THATS RIGHT... all you VALUES VOTERS dont seem to give a rats ass about that now do you

Kinda like your LORD AND SAVIOR the ROTUND LUSH RIMJOB....


DEEDS ... not what spews forth from his sick and perverted pie hole.

You only look at ones votes

I got I got it

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Amazon 7]

http://votesmart.org/npat.php?can_id=53359

Congressional Election 2006 National Political Awareness Test

Please Note

The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item.

Project Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.



Abortion Issues
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 1: Budget Priorities
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 2: Defense Spending
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 3: Taxes (A)
Budgetary, Spending, and Taxes, Part 3: Taxes (B)
Campaign Finance and Government Reform Issues
Crime Issues
Drug Issues
Education Issues
Employment and Affirmative Action Issues
Environment and Energy Issues
Gun Issues
Health Issues
Immigration Issues
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 1: International Aid
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 2: International Policy
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 3: International Trade
National Security Issues
Social Security Issues
Technology and Communication Issues
Welfare and Poverty Issues
Legislative Priorities



Abortion Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion.
a) Abortions should always be illegal.
b) Abortions should always be legal.
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
X d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
X e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
f) Prohibit public funding of abortions and to organizations that advocate or perform abortions.
g) Other or expanded principles
I support laws to require parental consent before a minor seeks an abortion.
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 1: Budget Priorities
(Back to top) Using the key, indicate what federal funding levels you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.
Budget Priorities
a) Agriculture
b) Arts
c) Defense
Greatly Increase d) Education
e) Environment
Greatly Increase f) Homeland security
g) International aid
h) Law enforcement
i) Medical research
j) National parks
Greatly Increase k) Public health services
l) Scientific research
m) Space exploration programs
Greatly Increase n) Transportation and highway infrastructure
o) Welfare
p) Emergency preparedness
q) Other or expanded categories
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 2: Defense Spending
(Back to top) Defense Spending
a) Armed forces personnel training
b) Intelligence operations
c) Military hardware
d) Modernization of weaponry and equipment
Slightly Decrease e) National missile defense
Greatly Increase f) Pay for active duty personnel
Greatly Increase g) Programs to improve troop retention rates
h) Research and development of new weapons
i) Troop and equipment readiness
j) Other or expanded categories
I have led efforts to cut Pentagon waste by importing Defense Department management and accounting.
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 3: Taxes (A)
(Back to top) Using the key above, indicate what federal tax levels you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category.
Taxes
Income Taxes:
Family Income
a) Less than $25,000
b) $25,000-$75,000
c) $75,000-$150,000
d) Over $150,000
e) Other or expanded categories
Retiree Income
f) Over $40,000
g) Other or expanded categories
Other Taxes:
a) Alcohol taxes
b) Capital gains taxes
c) Cigarette taxes
d) Corporate taxes
e) Gasoline taxes
f) Inheritance taxes
g) Other or expanded categories
Deductions/Credits:
Greatly Increase a) Charitable contributions
Greatly Increase b) Child tax credit
Greatly Increase c) Earned income tax credit
Greatly Increase d) Medical expense deduction
Greatly Increase e) Mortgage deduction
Greatly Increase f) Student loan credit
g) Other or expanded categories
Budgetary, Spending, and Taxes, Part 3: Taxes (B)
(Back to top) No 4) Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
No 5) Do you support making President Bush's tax cuts permanent?
6) Discuss your proposals for balancing the federal budget. (75 words or less. Please use an attached page if the space below is not adequate.)
I have led efforts to re-institute Pay-as-You-Go budget enforcement, which would require the government to pay for new tax cuts and new spending.
7) Other or expanded principles
I support tax cuts for working WV families, such as eliminating the marriage penalty and expanding tax benefits for college savings. I oppose tax cuts that take federal funds from the schools, hospitals, and economy of WV.
Campaign Finance and Government Reform Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.
X a) Support public taxpayer funding for federal candidates who comply with campaign spending limits.
b) Increase the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
c) Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
d) Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
e) Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties.
f) Require Section 527 organizations to register with the Federal Election Commission as Political Action Committees.
Undecided g) Do you support instant run-off voting?
Yes h) Should Election Day be a national holiday?
No i) Do you support a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a union between a man and woman?
j) Other or expanded principles
Crime Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding crime.
X a) Support the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
b) Eliminate the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
c) Support programs to provide prison inmates with educational, vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
d) Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
e) Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
f) Require that crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, and disability be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
X g) Impose stricter penalties for those convicted of corporate crimes.
h) Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
i) Other or expanded principles
Drug Issues
(Back to top) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding drugs.
X a) Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
b) Expand federally sponsored drug education and drug treatment programs.
c) Decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
d) Allow doctors to recommend marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes.
X e) Increase border security to stop the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.
f) Eliminate federal funding for programs associated with the "war on drugs."
g) Support a federal law to standardize testing and penalties for steroid use in professional sports.
h) Other or expanded principles
Education Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.
a) Support national standards for and testing of public school students.
b) Allow parents to use vouchers, (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any public school.
c) Allow parents to use vouchers, (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any private or religious school.
X d) Allow teachers and professionals to receive authorization and funding to establish charter schools.
e) Reward teachers with merit pay for working in low-income schools.
X f) Increase funding for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings, infrastructure, technology).
g) Support affirmative action in public college admissions.
h) Increase funding of programs such as Pell grants and Stafford loans to help students pay for college.
i) Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
j) Other or expanded principles
Employment and Affirmative Action Issues
(Back to top) 1) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.
X a) Increase funding for national job-training programs that re-train displaced workers or teach skills needed in today's job market.
b) Reduce government regulation of the private sector in order to encourage investment and economic expansion.
c) Provide tax credits or grants to businesses that offer child care services to employees.
d) Encourage employers to offer flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
e) Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
X f) Increase the federal minimum wage.
X g) Support the right of workers to strike without fear of being permanently replaced.
h) Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
i) Other or expanded principles
2) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding affirmative action.
a) The federal government should consider race and gender in government contracting decisions.
b) The federal government should discontinue affirmative action programs.
c) The federal government should continue affirmative action programs.
d) Other or expanded principles
Environment and Energy Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.
X a) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act.
X b) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
c) Support Clear Skies Act to reduce power plant emissions by setting a national cap on pollutants.
d) Require states to compensate citizens when environmental regulations limit uses of privately-owned land.
e) Relax logging restrictions on federal lands.
f) Relax standards on federal lands to allow increased recreational usage.
X g) Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil).
h) Strengthen emission controls and fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
i) Support opening a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil exploration.
X j) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels to reduce pollution.
k) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
l) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits.
m) Support the Kyoto Protocol to limit global warming.
n) Other or expanded principles
Gun Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.
a) Reauthorize the ban on the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns, except those used for hunting.
b) Maintain and strengthen the current level of enforcement of existing federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
c) Ease federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
d) Repeal federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
X e) Allow citizens to carry concealed guns.
f) Require background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows.
g) Require a license for gun possession.
h) Other or expanded principles
I have co-sponsored legislation to eliminate frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers.
Health Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health care.
a) Providing health care is not a responsibility of the federal government.
b) Implement a universal health care program to guarantee coverage to all Americans regardless of income.
c) Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts.
d) Establish limits on the amount of punitive damages awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
X e) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
f) Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
g) Support automatic enrollment of children in federal health care programs such as CHIP and Medicaid.
X h) Support stem cell research on existing lines of stem cells.
i) Allow laboratories to create new lines of stem cells for additional research.
j) Other or expanded principles
Immigration Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding immigration.
a) Decrease the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country.
X b) Establish English as the official national language.
c) Support a temporary worker program that would enable illegal immigrants to work in the United States legally.
d) Relax restrictions barring legal immigrants from using government funded social programs (e.g. public housing, food stamps).
e) Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States.
X f) Other or expanded principles
I oppose amnesty for illegal aliens and I have led efforts for stronger protection of our borders.
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 1: International Aid
(Back to top) International Aid
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding United States economic assistance.
X a) Aid should be granted to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives.
b) Aid should be granted to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States.
c) Aid should be eliminated for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
d) International Aid programs should be scaled back and eventually eliminated.
e) Other or expanded principles
I support efforts to reduce foreign aid spending to allow for increased investment in domestic priorities.
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 2: International Policy
(Back to top) International Policy
1) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the Middle East.
Yes a) Should the United States continue to provide leadership in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
Undecided b) Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
Yes c) Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?
No d) Should the United States send more troops to Iraq?
e) Discuss your proposals for an exit strategy in Iraq. (75 words or less. Please use an attached page if the space below is not adequate.)
I have called for the United Nations to take over the current US role in Iraq and I believe our national guardsmen serving overseas should be redeployed to improve our homeland security.
f) Other or expanded principles
I support increased use of diplomacy and cooperation with our allies to prevent foreign disputes from escalating into crises.
2) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Central and East Asia.
Yes a) Should the United States use diplomatic and economic pressure to encourage North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program?
No b) Should the United States use military force to dismantle the North Korean nuclear weapons program?
No c) Should the United States remove the North Korean government from power?
Yes d) Should the United States increase financial support to Afghanistan?
Yes e) Should the United States increase military support to Afghanistan?
f) Other or expanded principles
3) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the United Nations.
Yes a) Should the United States maintain its financial support of the United Nations?
No b) Should the United States decrease its financial support of the United Nations?
No c) Should the United States commit troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions?
d) Other or expanded principles
No Answer
4) Should the United States lift the travel ban to Cuba?
No 5) Should the United States increase its financial support to Colombia to combat "the war on drugs?"
6) Should aid to African nations for AIDS prevention programs fund distribution of contraceptives?
7) Should aid to African nations for AIDS prevention programs fund abstinence education?
8) Other or expanded principles
I support full funding of initiative to fight AIDS overseas.
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 3: International Trade
(Back to top) International Trade
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international trade.
No 1) Do you support the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?
No 2) Do you support the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)?
No 3) Do you support the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)?
4) Do you support continued U.S. membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO)?
Yes 5) Should a nation's human rights record affect its normal trade relations (most favored nation) status with the United States?
No 6) Do you support the trade embargo against Cuba?
Yes 7) Should trade agreements include provisions to address environmental concerns and to protect workers' rights?
8) Other or expanded principles
National Security Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding national security.
No a) Do you support using military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical?
No b) Should the United States grant law enforcement agencies greater discretion to read mail and email, tap phones, and conduct random searches to prevent future terrorist attacks?
c) Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country?
Yes d) Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?
Yes e) Do you support the prohibition of torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of prisoners in U.S. custody?
No f) Do you support a policy of pre-emptive military strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to U.S. national security?
g) Other or expanded principles
Social Security Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Social Security.
a) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts which they manage themselves.
b) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts managed by private firms contracted by the government.
c) Invest a portion of Social Security assets collectively in stocks and bonds instead of United States Treasury securities.
d) Increase the payroll tax to better finance Social Security in its current form.
e) Lower the annual cost-of-living increases.
f) Raise the retirement age for individual eligibility to receive full Social Security benefits.
g) Other of expanded principles
I oppose private accounts and support eliminating the budget deficit in order to protect the social security benefits guaranteed to American workers.
Technology and Communication Issues
(Back to top) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding technology and communication.
a) Collect taxes on commercial Internet transactions.
b) Continue the moratorium on Internet taxation.
X c) Implement government regulation of Internet content.
X d) Support government mandates to curtail violent and sexual content on television.
e) Support strict penalties for Internet crimes (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
f) Support legislation to detail how personal information can be collected and used on the Internet.
g) Regulating the Internet is not a responsibility of the federal government.
h) Other or expanded principles
Welfare and Poverty Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare and poverty.
a) Require welfare recipients to spend at least 40 hours a week in a combination of work and training programs.
b) Increase funding for child care programs.
c) Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants.
d) Direct federal poverty aid through religious, community-based, or other non-profit organizations.
e) Abolish all federal welfare programs.
f) Support housing assistance for welfare recipients.
g) Other or expanded principles


Congressional Election 2006 National Political Awareness Test

Please Note

The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item.

Project Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.



Abortion Issues
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 1: Budget Priorities
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 2: Defense Spending
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 3: Taxes (A)
Budgetary, Spending, and Taxes, Part 3: Taxes (B)
Campaign Finance and Government Reform Issues
Crime Issues
Drug Issues
Education Issues
Employment and Affirmative Action Issues
Environment and Energy Issues
Gun Issues
Health Issues
Immigration Issues
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 1: International Aid
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 2: International Policy
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 3: International Trade
National Security Issues
Social Security Issues
Technology and Communication Issues
Welfare and Poverty Issues
Legislative Priorities



Abortion Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion.
a) Abortions should always be illegal.
b) Abortions should always be legal.
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
X d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
X e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
f) Prohibit public funding of abortions and to organizations that advocate or perform abortions.
g) Other or expanded principles
I support laws to require parental consent before a minor seeks an abortion.
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 1: Budget Priorities
(Back to top) Using the key, indicate what federal funding levels you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.
Budget Priorities
a) Agriculture
b) Arts
c) Defense
Greatly Increase d) Education
e) Environment
Greatly Increase f) Homeland security
g) International aid
h) Law enforcement
i) Medical research
j) National parks
Greatly Increase k) Public health services
l) Scientific research
m) Space exploration programs
Greatly Increase n) Transportation and highway infrastructure
o) Welfare
p) Emergency preparedness
q) Other or expanded categories
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 2: Defense Spending
(Back to top) Defense Spending
a) Armed forces personnel training
b) Intelligence operations
c) Military hardware
d) Modernization of weaponry and equipment
Slightly Decrease e) National missile defense
Greatly Increase f) Pay for active duty personnel
Greatly Increase g) Programs to improve troop retention rates
h) Research and development of new weapons
i) Troop and equipment readiness
j) Other or expanded categories
I have led efforts to cut Pentagon waste by importing Defense Department management and accounting.
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 3: Taxes (A)
(Back to top) Using the key above, indicate what federal tax levels you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category.
Taxes
Income Taxes:
Family Income
a) Less than $25,000
b) $25,000-$75,000
c) $75,000-$150,000
d) Over $150,000
e) Other or expanded categories
Retiree Income
f) Over $40,000
g) Other or expanded categories
Other Taxes:
a) Alcohol taxes
b) Capital gains taxes
c) Cigarette taxes
d) Corporate taxes
e) Gasoline taxes
f) Inheritance taxes
g) Other or expanded categories
Deductions/Credits:
Greatly Increase a) Charitable contributions
Greatly Increase b) Child tax credit
Greatly Increase c) Earned income tax credit
Greatly Increase d) Medical expense deduction
Greatly Increase e) Mortgage deduction
Greatly Increase f) Student loan credit
g) Other or expanded categories
Budgetary, Spending, and Taxes, Part 3: Taxes (B)
(Back to top) No 4) Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
No 5) Do you support making President Bush's tax cuts permanent?
6) Discuss your proposals for balancing the federal budget. (75 words or less. Please use an attached page if the space below is not adequate.)
I have led efforts to re-institute Pay-as-You-Go budget enforcement, which would require the government to pay for new tax cuts and new spending.
7) Other or expanded principles
I support tax cuts for working WV families, such as eliminating the marriage penalty and expanding tax benefits for college savings. I oppose tax cuts that take federal funds from the schools, hospitals, and economy of WV.
Campaign Finance and Government Reform Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.
X a) Support public taxpayer funding for federal candidates who comply with campaign spending limits.
b) Increase the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
c) Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
d) Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
e) Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties.
f) Require Section 527 organizations to register with the Federal Election Commission as Political Action Committees.
Undecided g) Do you support instant run-off voting?
Yes h) Should Election Day be a national holiday?
No i) Do you support a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a union between a man and woman?
j) Other or expanded principles
Crime Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding crime.
X a) Support the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
b) Eliminate the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
c) Support programs to provide prison inmates with educational, vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
d) Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
e) Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
f) Require that crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, and disability be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
X g) Impose stricter penalties for those convicted of corporate crimes.
h) Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
i) Other or expanded principles
Drug Issues
(Back to top) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding drugs.
X a) Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
b) Expand federally sponsored drug education and drug treatment programs.
c) Decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
d) Allow doctors to recommend marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes.
X e) Increase border security to stop the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.
f) Eliminate federal funding for programs associated with the "war on drugs."
g) Support a federal law to standardize testing and penalties for steroid use in professional sports.
h) Other or expanded principles
Education Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.
a) Support national standards for and testing of public school students.
b) Allow parents to use vouchers, (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any public school.
c) Allow parents to use vouchers, (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any private or religious school.
X d) Allow teachers and professionals to receive authorization and funding to establish charter schools.
e) Reward teachers with merit pay for working in low-income schools.
X f) Increase funding for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings, infrastructure, technology).
g) Support affirmative action in public college admissions.
h) Increase funding of programs such as Pell grants and Stafford loans to help students pay for college.
i) Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
j) Other or expanded principles
Employment and Affirmative Action Issues
(Back to top) 1) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.
X a) Increase funding for national job-training programs that re-train displaced workers or teach skills needed in today's job market.
b) Reduce government regulation of the private sector in order to encourage investment and economic expansion.
c) Provide tax credits or grants to businesses that offer child care services to employees.
d) Encourage employers to offer flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
e) Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
X f) Increase the federal minimum wage.
X g) Support the right of workers to strike without fear of being permanently replaced.
h) Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
i) Other or expanded principles
2) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding affirmative action.
a) The federal government should consider race and gender in government contracting decisions.
b) The federal government should discontinue affirmative action programs.
c) The federal government should continue affirmative action programs.
d) Other or expanded principles
Environment and Energy Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.
X a) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act.
X b) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
c) Support Clear Skies Act to reduce power plant emissions by setting a national cap on pollutants.
d) Require states to compensate citizens when environmental regulations limit uses of privately-owned land.
e) Relax logging restrictions on federal lands.
f) Relax standards on federal lands to allow increased recreational usage.
X g) Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil).
h) Strengthen emission controls and fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
i) Support opening a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil exploration.
X j) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels to reduce pollution.
k) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
l) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits.
m) Support the Kyoto Protocol to limit global warming.
n) Other or expanded principles
Gun Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.
a) Reauthorize the ban on the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns, except those used for hunting.
b) Maintain and strengthen the current level of enforcement of existing federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
c) Ease federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
d) Repeal federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
X e) Allow citizens to carry concealed guns.
f) Require background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows.
g) Require a license for gun possession.
h) Other or expanded principles
I have co-sponsored legislation to eliminate frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers.
Health Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health care.
a) Providing health care is not a responsibility of the federal government.
b) Implement a universal health care program to guarantee coverage to all Americans regardless of income.
c) Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts.
d) Establish limits on the amount of punitive damages awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
X e) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
f) Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
g) Support automatic enrollment of children in federal health care programs such as CHIP and Medicaid.
X h) Support stem cell research on existing lines of stem cells.
i) Allow laboratories to create new lines of stem cells for additional research.
j) Other or expanded principles
Immigration Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding immigration.
a) Decrease the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country.
X b) Establish English as the official national language.
c) Support a temporary worker program that would enable illegal immigrants to work in the United States legally.
d) Relax restrictions barring legal immigrants from using government funded social programs (e.g. public housing, food stamps).
e) Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States.
X f) Other or expanded principles
I oppose amnesty for illegal aliens and I have led efforts for stronger protection of our borders.
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 1: International Aid
(Back to top) International Aid
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding United States economic assistance.
X a) Aid should be granted to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives.
b) Aid should be granted to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States.
c) Aid should be eliminated for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
d) International Aid programs should be scaled back and eventually eliminated.
e) Other or expanded principles
I support efforts to reduce foreign aid spending to allow for increased investment in domestic priorities.
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 2: International Policy
(Back to top) International Policy
1) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the Middle East.
Yes a) Should the United States continue to provide leadership in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
Undecided b) Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
Yes c) Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?
No d) Should the United States send more troops to Iraq?
e) Discuss your proposals for an exit strategy in Iraq. (75 words or less. Please use an attached page if the space below is not adequate.)
I have called for the United Nations to take over the current US role in Iraq and I believe our national guardsmen serving overseas should be redeployed to improve our homeland security.
f) Other or expanded principles
I support increased use of diplomacy and cooperation with our allies to prevent foreign disputes from escalating into crises.
2) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Central and East Asia.
Yes a) Should the United States use diplomatic and economic pressure to encourage North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program?
No b) Should the United States use military force to dismantle the North Korean nuclear weapons program?
No c) Should the United States remove the North Korean government from power?
Yes d) Should the United States increase financial support to Afghanistan?
Yes e) Should the United States increase military support to Afghanistan?
f) Other or expanded principles
3) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the United Nations.
Yes a) Should the United States maintain its financial support of the United Nations?
No b) Should the United States decrease its financial support of the United Nations?
No c) Should the United States commit troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions?
d) Other or expanded principles
No Answer
4) Should the United States lift the travel ban to Cuba?
No 5) Should the United States increase its financial support to Colombia to combat "the war on drugs?"
6) Should aid to African nations for AIDS prevention programs fund distribution of contraceptives?
7) Should aid to African nations for AIDS prevention programs fund abstinence education?
8) Other or expanded principles
I support full funding of initiative to fight AIDS overseas.
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 3: International Trade
(Back to top) International Trade
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international trade.
No 1) Do you support the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?
No 2) Do you support the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)?
No 3) Do you support the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)?
4) Do you support continued U.S. membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO)?
Yes 5) Should a nation's human rights record affect its normal trade relations (most favored nation) status with the United States?
No 6) Do you support the trade embargo against Cuba?
Yes 7) Should trade agreements include provisions to address environmental concerns and to protect workers' rights?
8) Other or expanded principles
National Security Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding national security.
No a) Do you support using military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical?
No b) Should the United States grant law enforcement agencies greater discretion to read mail and email, tap phones, and conduct random searches to prevent future terrorist attacks?
c) Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country?
Yes d) Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?
Yes e) Do you support the prohibition of torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of prisoners in U.S. custody?
No f) Do you support a policy of pre-emptive military strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to U.S. national security?
g) Other or expanded principles
Social Security Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Social Security.
a) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts which they manage themselves.
b) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts managed by private firms contracted by the government.
c) Invest a portion of Social Security assets collectively in stocks and bonds instead of United States Treasury securities.
d) Increase the payroll tax to better finance Social Security in its current form.
e) Lower the annual cost-of-living increases.
f) Raise the retirement age for individual eligibility to receive full Social Security benefits.
g) Other of expanded principles
I oppose private accounts and support eliminating the budget deficit in order to protect the social security benefits guaranteed to American workers.
Technology and Communication Issues
(Back to top) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding technology and communication.
a) Collect taxes on commercial Internet transactions.
b) Continue the moratorium on Internet taxation.
X c) Implement government regulation of Internet content.
X d) Support government mandates to curtail violent and sexual content on television.
e) Support strict penalties for Internet crimes (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
f) Support legislation to detail how personal information can be collected and used on the Internet.
g) Regulating the Internet is not a responsibility of the federal government.
h) Other or expanded principles
Welfare and Poverty Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare and poverty.
a) Require welfare recipients to spend at least 40 hours a week in a combination of work and training programs.
b) Increase funding for child care programs.
c) Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants.
d) Direct federal poverty aid through religious, community-based, or other non-profit organizations.
e) Abolish all federal welfare programs.
f) Support housing assistance for welfare recipients.
g) Other or expanded principles


Congressional Election 2006 National Political Awareness Test

Please Note

The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item.

Project Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.



Abortion Issues
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 1: Budget Priorities
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 2: Defense Spending
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 3: Taxes (A)
Budgetary, Spending, and Taxes, Part 3: Taxes (B)
Campaign Finance and Government Reform Issues
Crime Issues
Drug Issues
Education Issues
Employment and Affirmative Action Issues
Environment and Energy Issues
Gun Issues
Health Issues
Immigration Issues
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 1: International Aid
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 2: International Policy
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 3: International Trade
National Security Issues
Social Security Issues
Technology and Communication Issues
Welfare and Poverty Issues
Legislative Priorities



Abortion Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion.
a) Abortions should always be illegal.
b) Abortions should always be legal.
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
X d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
X e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
f) Prohibit public funding of abortions and to organizations that advocate or perform abortions.
g) Other or expanded principles
I support laws to require parental consent before a minor seeks an abortion.
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 1: Budget Priorities
(Back to top) Using the key, indicate what federal funding levels you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.
Budget Priorities
a) Agriculture
b) Arts
c) Defense
Greatly Increase d) Education
e) Environment
Greatly Increase f) Homeland security
g) International aid
h) Law enforcement
i) Medical research
j) National parks
Greatly Increase k) Public health services
l) Scientific research
m) Space exploration programs
Greatly Increase n) Transportation and highway infrastructure
o) Welfare
p) Emergency preparedness
q) Other or expanded categories
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 2: Defense Spending
(Back to top) Defense Spending
a) Armed forces personnel training
b) Intelligence operations
c) Military hardware
d) Modernization of weaponry and equipment
Slightly Decrease e) National missile defense
Greatly Increase f) Pay for active duty personnel
Greatly Increase g) Programs to improve troop retention rates
h) Research and development of new weapons
i) Troop and equipment readiness
j) Other or expanded categories
I have led efforts to cut Pentagon waste by importing Defense Department management and accounting.
Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 3: Taxes (A)
(Back to top) Using the key above, indicate what federal tax levels you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category.
Taxes
Income Taxes:
Family Income
a) Less than $25,000
b) $25,000-$75,000
c) $75,000-$150,000
d) Over $150,000
e) Other or expanded categories
Retiree Income
f) Over $40,000
g) Other or expanded categories
Other Taxes:
a) Alcohol taxes
b) Capital gains taxes
c) Cigarette taxes
d) Corporate taxes
e) Gasoline taxes
f) Inheritance taxes
g) Other or expanded categories
Deductions/Credits:
Greatly Increase a) Charitable contributions
Greatly Increase b) Child tax credit
Greatly Increase c) Earned income tax credit
Greatly Increase d) Medical expense deduction
Greatly Increase e) Mortgage deduction
Greatly Increase f) Student loan credit
g) Other or expanded categories
Budgetary, Spending, and Taxes, Part 3: Taxes (B)
(Back to top) No 4) Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
No 5) Do you support making President Bush's tax cuts permanent?
6) Discuss your proposals for balancing the federal budget. (75 words or less. Please use an attached page if the space below is not adequate.)
I have led efforts to re-institute Pay-as-You-Go budget enforcement, which would require the government to pay for new tax cuts and new spending.
7) Other or expanded principles
I support tax cuts for working WV families, such as eliminating the marriage penalty and expanding tax benefits for college savings. I oppose tax cuts that take federal funds from the schools, hospitals, and economy of WV.
Campaign Finance and Government Reform Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.
X a) Support public taxpayer funding for federal candidates who comply with campaign spending limits.
b) Increase the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
c) Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
d) Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
e) Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties.
f) Require Section 527 organizations to register with the Federal Election Commission as Political Action Committees.
Undecided g) Do you support instant run-off voting?
Yes h) Should Election Day be a national holiday?
No i) Do you support a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a union between a man and woman?
j) Other or expanded principles
Crime Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding crime.
X a) Support the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
b) Eliminate the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
c) Support programs to provide prison inmates with educational, vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
d) Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
e) Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
f) Require that crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, and disability be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
X g) Impose stricter penalties for those convicted of corporate crimes.
h) Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
i) Other or expanded principles
Drug Issues
(Back to top) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding drugs.
X a) Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
b) Expand federally sponsored drug education and drug treatment programs.
c) Decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
d) Allow doctors to recommend marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes.
X e) Increase border security to stop the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.
f) Eliminate federal funding for programs associated with the "war on drugs."
g) Support a federal law to standardize testing and penalties for steroid use in professional sports.
h) Other or expanded principles
Education Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.
a) Support national standards for and testing of public school students.
b) Allow parents to use vouchers, (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any public school.
c) Allow parents to use vouchers, (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any private or religious school.
X d) Allow teachers and professionals to receive authorization and funding to establish charter schools.
e) Reward teachers with merit pay for working in low-income schools.
X f) Increase funding for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings, infrastructure, technology).
g) Support affirmative action in public college admissions.
h) Increase funding of programs such as Pell grants and Stafford loans to help students pay for college.
i) Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
j) Other or expanded principles
Employment and Affirmative Action Issues
(Back to top) 1) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.
X a) Increase funding for national job-training programs that re-train displaced workers or teach skills needed in today's job market.
b) Reduce government regulation of the private sector in order to encourage investment and economic expansion.
c) Provide tax credits or grants to businesses that offer child care services to employees.
d) Encourage employers to offer flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
e) Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
X f) Increase the federal minimum wage.
X g) Support the right of workers to strike without fear of being permanently replaced.
h) Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
i) Other or expanded principles
2) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding affirmative action.
a) The federal government should consider race and gender in government contracting decisions.
b) The federal government should discontinue affirmative action programs.
c) The federal government should continue affirmative action programs.
d) Other or expanded principles
Environment and Energy Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.
X a) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act.
X b) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
c) Support Clear Skies Act to reduce power plant emissions by setting a national cap on pollutants.
d) Require states to compensate citizens when environmental regulations limit uses of privately-owned land.
e) Relax logging restrictions on federal lands.
f) Relax standards on federal lands to allow increased recreational usage.
X g) Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil).
h) Strengthen emission controls and fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
i) Support opening a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil exploration.
X j) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels to reduce pollution.
k) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
l) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits.
m) Support the Kyoto Protocol to limit global warming.
n) Other or expanded principles
Gun Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.
a) Reauthorize the ban on the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns, except those used for hunting.
b) Maintain and strengthen the current level of enforcement of existing federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
c) Ease federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
d) Repeal federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
X e) Allow citizens to carry concealed guns.
f) Require background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows.
g) Require a license for gun possession.
h) Other or expanded principles
I have co-sponsored legislation to eliminate frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers.
Health Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health care.
a) Providing health care is not a responsibility of the federal government.
b) Implement a universal health care program to guarantee coverage to all Americans regardless of income.
c) Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts.
d) Establish limits on the amount of punitive damages awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
X e) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
f) Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
g) Support automatic enrollment of children in federal health care programs such as CHIP and Medicaid.
X h) Support stem cell research on existing lines of stem cells.
i) Allow laboratories to create new lines of stem cells for additional research.
j) Other or expanded principles
Immigration Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding immigration.
a) Decrease the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country.
X b) Establish English as the official national language.
c) Support a temporary worker program that would enable illegal immigrants to work in the United States legally.
d) Relax restrictions barring legal immigrants from using government funded social programs (e.g. public housing, food stamps).
e) Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States.
X f) Other or expanded principles
I oppose amnesty for illegal aliens and I have led efforts for stronger protection of our borders.
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 1: International Aid
(Back to top) International Aid
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding United States economic assistance.
X a) Aid should be granted to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives.
b) Aid should be granted to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States.
c) Aid should be eliminated for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
d) International Aid programs should be scaled back and eventually eliminated.
e) Other or expanded principles
I support efforts to reduce foreign aid spending to allow for increased investment in domestic priorities.
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 2: International Policy
(Back to top) International Policy
1) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the Middle East.
Yes a) Should the United States continue to provide leadership in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
Undecided b) Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
Yes c) Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?
No d) Should the United States send more troops to Iraq?
e) Discuss your proposals for an exit strategy in Iraq. (75 words or less. Please use an attached page if the space below is not adequate.)
I have called for the United Nations to take over the current US role in Iraq and I believe our national guardsmen serving overseas should be redeployed to improve our homeland security.
f) Other or expanded principles
I support increased use of diplomacy and cooperation with our allies to prevent foreign disputes from escalating into crises.
2) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Central and East Asia.
Yes a) Should the United States use diplomatic and economic pressure to encourage North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program?
No b) Should the United States use military force to dismantle the North Korean nuclear weapons program?
No c) Should the United States remove the North Korean government from power?
Yes d) Should the United States increase financial support to Afghanistan?
Yes e) Should the United States increase military support to Afghanistan?
f) Other or expanded principles
3) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the United Nations.
Yes a) Should the United States maintain its financial support of the United Nations?
No b) Should the United States decrease its financial support of the United Nations?
No c) Should the United States commit troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions?
d) Other or expanded principles
No Answer
4) Should the United States lift the travel ban to Cuba?
No 5) Should the United States increase its financial support to Colombia to combat "the war on drugs?"
6) Should aid to African nations for AIDS prevention programs fund distribution of contraceptives?
7) Should aid to African nations for AIDS prevention programs fund abstinence education?
8) Other or expanded principles
I support full funding of initiative to fight AIDS overseas.
International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 3: International Trade
(Back to top) International Trade
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international trade.
No 1) Do you support the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?
No 2) Do you support the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)?
No 3) Do you support the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)?
4) Do you support continued U.S. membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO)?
Yes 5) Should a nation's human rights record affect its normal trade relations (most favored nation) status with the United States?
No 6) Do you support the trade embargo against Cuba?
Yes 7) Should trade agreements include provisions to address environmental concerns and to protect workers' rights?
8) Other or expanded principles
National Security Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding national security.
No a) Do you support using military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical?
No b) Should the United States grant law enforcement agencies greater discretion to read mail and email, tap phones, and conduct random searches to prevent future terrorist attacks?
c) Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country?
Yes d) Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?
Yes e) Do you support the prohibition of torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of prisoners in U.S. custody?
No f) Do you support a policy of pre-emptive military strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to U.S. national security?
g) Other or expanded principles
Social Security Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Social Security.
a) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts which they manage themselves.
b) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts managed by private firms contracted by the government.
c) Invest a portion of Social Security assets collectively in stocks and bonds instead of United States Treasury securities.
d) Increase the payroll tax to better finance Social Security in its current form.
e) Lower the annual cost-of-living increases.
f) Raise the retirement age for individual eligibility to receive full Social Security benefits.
g) Other of expanded principles
I oppose private accounts and support eliminating the budget deficit in order to protect the social security benefits guaranteed to American workers.
Technology and Communication Issues
(Back to top) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding technology and communication.
a) Collect taxes on commercial Internet transactions.
b) Continue the moratorium on Internet taxation.
X c) Implement government regulation of Internet content.
X d) Support government mandates to curtail violent and sexual content on television.
e) Support strict penalties for Internet crimes (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
f) Support legislation to detail how personal information can be collected and used on the Internet.
g) Regulating the Internet is not a responsibility of the federal government.
h) Other or expanded principles
Welfare and Poverty Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare and poverty.
a) Require welfare recipients to spend at least 40 hours a week in a combination of work and training programs.
b) Increase funding for child care programs.
c) Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants.
d) Direct federal poverty aid through religious, community-based, or other non-profit organizations.
e) Abolish all federal welfare programs.
f) Support housing assistance for welfare recipients.
g) Other or expanded principles

[airdvr 200]

Was that really necessary?

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[DanG 1]

Quote

Gameplan is, "call them racist. Whatever you do, don't engage in discussion. Just call them racist and be done."

That is such a giant pile of bullshit. I usually expect more from you.

- Dan G

[Amazon 7]

Quote

Was that really necessary?

Yes... AS IF.. I actually expect Marc to read anything not on his approved reading list