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Rodney Glassman's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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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.
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Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.

Rodney Glassman refused to tell citizens where he stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2010 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.

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Issue Positions

For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2010.

  • Planned Parenthood. 2010. Interest Group Endorsements. Planned Parenthood endorsed Rodney Glassman in the 2010 general election. (www.rodneyglassman.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. 2010. AZ Central: Candidate Q&A. Responded: "I would not support overturning Roe vs. Wade. This should remain a private decision between a woman, her doctor, her family and her faith. Abortions should be safe and rare. We should reduce the number of abortions by supporting education programs and ensuring that women understand all of the available options." to the question "Would you favor a Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade? Why or why not?" (www.azcentral.com)
  • Nintzel, Jim. 2010. Tucson Weekly: Big Mac Attack. 12 August 2010. "His [Glassman's] supporters include Congressman Raúl Grijalva, labor activist Dolores Huerta, the Arizona AFL-CIO and several other labor unions, the Arizona Education Association and Planned Parenthood." (www.tucsonweekly.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. 2010. Green Valley News and Sun: U.S. Senate: Rodney Glassman (D). Responded: "A woman's reproductive rights are a woman's alone and not the business of the government. She must be left to make the decision with the help of family, physicians and her own conscience and faith. Small-government conservatives who say they believe in the American people must also trust the American people to make the right moral decisions for themselves." to the question "10. What is your stand on abortion?" (www.gvnews.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. On Gender Equity Day, McCain's Dismal Record on Women's Issues Highlighted. 26 August 2010. "'Arizona needs a senator who will represent the people of the state and in the 21st Century. We have moved rightly moved on from the days when discrimination was wrongly encouraged in parts of society,' Glassman said. 'I look forward to fighting for all Arizonans in the U.S. Senate, while protecting a woman's right to choose and making the workplace a safe place for all women to pursue rewarding careers.'" (www.rodneyglassman.com)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Hansen, Ronald. 2010. The Arizona Republic: Arizona Senate Race: Rodney Glassman has a Formidable Foe in John McCain. "Glassman called the stimulus disappointing but thinks in some ways it wasn't large enough. In particular, he wants additional spending on infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges to create work and improve communities" (www.azcentral.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. 2010. "U.S. Arizona Senate Debate." (Video). 14 October 2010. "The number one way that we can make a stronger U.S. economy is focusing on jobs for Americans. . . . We need a second stimulus and that stimulus needs to be focused on infrastructure jobs to get Arizonans working again. Building our bridges, protecting our infrastructure, and making sure our tax dollars stay home." (www.youtube.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. 2010. AZ Central: Candidate Q&A. Responded:"John McCain and the let-it-ride crowd in Washington and on Wall Street pushed the economy over a cliff. I would not have supported giving the $700 billion bailout to Wall Street without better assurance that our taxpayer dollars would be used effectively. Injecting stimulus into the economy was necessary. If we had followed John McCain's policies, we would have been thrown into a full-blown depression. With unemployment still too high today, Arizona's U.S. Senator should be pushing for more to be done to get Arizonans back to work, either through direct spending, targeted tax credits, or both." to the question "What is your opinion about the way Congress responded to the financial crisis? Please explain your position on the bailouts and the 2009 economic stimulus package and what additi onal action, if any, is needed?" (www.azcentral.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. 2010. Daily Courier: Q&A with John McCain, Rodney Glassman. Responded: "We should be involved in keeping jobs in the United States. It's about protecting American manufacturing, and it's about expanding our economy. . . . As a city councilman in Tucson, I helped champion the buy American resolution, which said that 100 percent of the tax dollars received by our community would be spent locally in the United States with an emphasis on Arizona-based companies. That's the kind of commitment we need from our Congress." to the question "Question: Among Americans' greatest concerns are the economy and jobs. How much do you think government should be involved in the creation of jobs? What would you promote to inspire entrepreneurship and small business development rather than government-created jobs? What are your thoughts about the outsourcing of jobs to other countries?" (dcourier.com)
  • Shelley Gillespie. 2010. Copa News: Glassman in Maricopa "exploring" run for US Senate. 20 March 2010. "Glassman sees job creation, education, and a "comprehensive solution to the issue of immigration" as the top issues he would tackle..." (www.copanews.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. Arizona U.S. Senate Candidates: Candidate Q & A. "I would not have supported giving the $700 billion bailout to Wall Street without better assurance that our taxpayer dollars would be used effectively. Injecting stimulus into the economy was necessary...Arizona's U.S. Senator should be pushing for more to be done to get Arizonans back to work, either through direct spending, targeted tax credits, or both." in response to the question: "What is your opinion about the way Congress responded to the financial crisis? Please explain your position on the bailouts and the 2009 economic stimulus package and what additi onal action, if any, is needed?" (www.azcentral.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. Press Release. 14 October 2010. '"We can't keep bailing out the banks and major corporations,' said Glassman. 'We need to be looking towards solutions like tax breaks for small businesses looking to hire new employees, invest and grow. Meanwhile the public sector must take up the slack and focus on badly needed infrastructure improvements.'" (www.rodneyglassman.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. Issue Position: Economy. "Now is the time to invest in tax credits and tax break programs that create jobs in Arizona. Now is the time to expand programs that provide incentives to employers to make new hires. Now is the time to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure -- highways, bridges, water systems. Now is the time to educate our children and train our workforce to compete so that we can maintain long-term economic growth in Arizona." (votesmart.org)
  • Hollis, Joyce. 2010. In Maricopa.com: U.S. Senate hopeful Rodney Glassman meets and greets Maricopans. 29 June 2010. "Glassman's platform includes plans to:... Guarantee retirement security by strengthening Medicare and fighting efforts to privatize Social Security." (www.inmaricopa.com)
  • Townsend, Germar. 2010. Examiner: Council Member Rodney Glassman explores the possibility of a 2010 Senate run. 21 November 2009. "Glassman's areas of concern for the state include? protecting Social Security from Privatization." (www.examiner.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. Social Security. "Rodney is committed to protecting the investment that families have made in the Social Security Trust Fund and will never submit to risky schemes to benefit Wall Street while risking taxpayers' retirement funds." (www.rodneyglassman.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. Issue Position: Social Security. "Social Security and Medicare are promises by the United States that our seniors will be protected, and Rodney is dedicated to ensuring those promises are kept. John McCain supported privatizing Social Security at a time when Wall Street and the American financial institutions were crumbling. Rodney is committed to protecting the investment that families have made in the Social Security Trust Fund and will never submit to risky schemes to benefit Wall Street while risking taxpayers' retirement funds. He will protect that fund from being used to pay for other government programs. Rodney opposes any tax increase on Social Security benefits." (votesmart.org)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Rodney Glassman. 2010. AZ Central: Candidate Q&A. Responded: "Arizona ranks dead last in classroom spending and has the worst student-to-teacher ratio in the United States. The state has cut 33 percent from the 2008 K-12 budget. All the while, federal education dollars have not come back to Arizona. In fact, the federal government spends $15 in Arizona for every Arizonan. That's a third of the national average. Money is not the only issue facing American public schools but in Arizona, it is the most pressing issue and we need a senator who will fight for our future. That means better schools. I also support the broad goals of the current administration's "Race to the Top" initiative, which would truly leave no child behind." to the question "What are the three most important Senate priorities you see for Arizona and how would you work to accomplish them?" (www.azcentral.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. 2010. Daily Courier: Q&A with John McCain, Rodney Glassman. Responded: "It means being a champion for appropriately funding education, because right now we spend 25 percent per pupil less than the average state. It's about fighting for federal dollars to lower our classroom teacher to student ratio, and it's also about being a champion for federal academic standards, because right now each state creates its own benchmarks, which doesn't create uniformity and doesn't put us in a position where we are able to compete for competititive grants. I'm actually the first candidate in over two decades to be endorsed to run for U.S. senate by the Arizona Education Association, which has over 33,000 educator members against our current U.S. senator." to the question "Question: How on a federal level would you help Arizona improve its education standing?" (dcourier.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. Issue Position: Education. "Rodney is committed to ensuring Arizona's children have a brighter future. Rodney's top three priorities for education are: * Ensure Arizona receives the financial assistance necessary to keep teachers in classrooms and deliver a top-notch curriculum. * Improve Arizona's capacity to recruit, train, and retain the best teachers. * Bring our tax dollars back home to expand Arizona's resources for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education." (votesmart.org)
  • Hollis, Joyce. 2010. In Maricopa.com: U.S. Senate hopeful Rodney Glassman meets and greets Maricopans. 29 June 2010. "Glassman's platform includes plans to:... Make Arizona the clean energy capitol and promote innovative solutions to protect our environment." (www.inmaricopa.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. 2010. AZ Central: Candidate Q&A. Responded: "Climate change is a major threat to our way of life. We must take action to invest in cleaner energy because the country that leads that next revolution will be dominant in this century. Right now, Germany spends more on alternative energy than the United States. China is making serious investments into new alternative energy technologies. Even absent the global warming threat, if we can reduce our addiction to fossil fuels, we will put millions of Americans to work and eliminate our dependence on the Middle East." to the question "To what extent, if any, does global warming pose a threat to lives, property and the economy? Do you support the cap-and-trade energy reform legislation under consideration in Congress?" (www.azcentral.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. Phoenix: Exclusive Phoenix.org interview of Senatorial candidate Rodney Glassman. 25 May 2010. Question: "You have been discussing the issue of "water conservation" recently and you also have a degree in Arid Land Resource Science. Due to the desert nature of Arizona naturally the allocation of resources, especially water, is an important one. What are some of your plans or ideas that you want to see put into effect regarding water and other resource conservation?" Response: "Arizona sits at the bottom of the Colorado river and therefore water and water conservation will continue to be an important issue for our state. As a candidate for the Tucson City Council I campaigned on requiring rainwater harvesting on all new commercial developments, gray water plumbing on all new homes and solar power water heating on all new homes." (phoenix.org)
  • Sierra Club. 2010. Interest Group Endorsements. Sierra Club endorsed Rodney Glassman in the 2010 general election. (www.rodneyglassman.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. Issue Position: Clean Energy. "America cannot afford to wait any longer to get behind clean renewable energy. We need a Senator committed to investing in a new green economy here in Arizona. By doing so, we can break our dependence on foreign oil, while at the same time creating new jobs that get Arizonans back to work." (votesmart.org)
  • Rodney Glassman. Issue Position: Environment. "As Vice Mayor of Tucson, Rodney led the fight to require all new residential construction (single-family homes and duplexes) to be pre-plumbed for solar hot water heaters. He was also the driving force behind the nation's first city ordinance to require all new commercial construction to use rainwater harvesting to meet at least 50 percent of landscaping needs. Such water-saving techniques are vital to a thriving desert economy, and they are serving as a model for cities across the nation. Rodney fought to make it easier and more affordable for Tucson families to take advantage of new, green technologies. Rodney supports a strong regulatory framework for carbon-based emissions in which the revenues generated from regulation are used to directly fund clean energy jobs and to develop new sustainable energy-creating processes...Public safety rules must be followed and not ignored. Oil companies, like the banks, should not be left to regulate themselves." (votesmart.org)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Hansen, Ronald. 2010. The Arizona Republic: Arizona Senate Race: Rodney Glassman has a Formidable Foe in John McCain. "The differences between McCain and Glassman couldn't be sharper. McCain voted against the health-care overhaul enacted earlier this year; Glassman said he would make changes but supports a government-run system like the one that members of Congress have." (www.azcentral.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. 2010. AZ Central: Candidate Q&A. Responded: "According to a study by Harvard University, 45,000 people die every year for the lack of insurance. Many others without insurance get care they cannot pay for and the rest of us pick up the tab. The health care reform bill is not perfect but it is a good first step. We now have measures that help seniors pay for prescription drugs. Health insurance companies can no longer deny coverage for people who are sick. As a U.S. Senator, I would push for further reforms of the insurance industry, such as ending their anti-trust exemption and expanding access to the insurance exchange to all Americans." to the question "How did you vote, or how would you have voted, on the health-care-reform bill and would you support repealing and replacing it? Please explain your position." (www.azcentral.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. Arizona Illustrated (Video). 14 June 2010. "Would you have voted in favor of the health care reform bill?" Response: "Most certainly. We need health care reform." (www.rodneyglassman.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. Issue Position: Health Care. "Our health care system is holding back innovation, entrepreneurs, and our economy in general. We need to fix our health care system so that everyone who wants health insurance can afford it. We need to control costs so that individuals and companies are not forced into bankruptcy or out of business due to health care costs." (votesmart.org)
  • McDaniel, Chris. YumaSun: Tucson attorney Glassman seeks Democratic bid for U.S. Senate. 7 June 2010. "Glassman said he has a plan for immigration reform. 'As Arizona's next U.S. senator, my plan would be to bring everyone around the table together....In order to champion federal immigration reform we have to have an advocate with a myriad of relationships?(with the immigration community), with the chamber (of commerce and) the environmental community, so that there is trust in developing federal immigration reform that everyone can be energized about, that everyone can support, and that's once again where my candidacy comes forward." (www.yumasun.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. 2010. "U.S. Arizona Senate Debate." (Video). 14 October 2010. "We need to have a pathway for the 11 to 12 million people who are already here. Some of whom are already going through the process. I do not support amnesty and we should not reward those who have come here illegally but at the same time they should be required to go through background checks, pay back taxes, pay a fine, learn English, and then have a system that they can go through as well at the end of the line." (www.youtube.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. 2010. Phoenix.org: Arizona US Senatorial Race. Responded: "We are a nation of laws, we need to secure our borders and keep Arizona families safe, while at the same time we need to acknowledge that the economic realities of our county do not match our current immigration policies. Arizona cannot do it alone to solve the problem, it needs to be the federal government, we need to make sure that the US Senator that we elect from Arizona is someone who is able to bring all of the various stakeholders to the table together." to the question "The response to the recent immigration law created by the state of Arizona has garnered national attention, with intense support as well as intense opposition. Do you think that Arizona made the proper choice with this law, if so why or why not? Do you have any ideas that you think would help Arizona deal with the issues that come with being so close to the border?" (phoenix.org)
  • Rodney Glassman. Arizona Illustrated (Video). 14 June 2010. Question: "On the topic of immigration reform, one of the major sticking points still is what do you do with the people who are now in this country without proper documentation. What do you think should happen to those folks?" Response: "We are a nation of laws and the laws need to be enforced. Individuals that are here and undocumented need to get to the back of the line; they need to pay any back taxes; perhaps they need to do other things in order to become legal. But the reality is that we are being insincere--John McCain is being insincere--when he thinks that we can arrest our way out of this problem. We need to acknowledge that the economic realities of our country do not match our current immigration policy? Question: "Now when you say 'go to the back of the line' you mean they need to return to their home countries and go to the back of the line or will they have their status formalized and be allowed to remain in the United States. Response: "The key, Jim, is that we need to have a system in place for individuals that are here illegally and undocumented to go to the back of the line, to pay back taxes, to do whatever Congress decides is going to be necessary in order for them to go through a process? Question: "And as far as 'back of the line' do you mean home country 'back of the line' or stay here in the United States 'back of the line' Response: "They need to start a process, and the process needs to be something that works." (www.rodneyglassman.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. Immigration. 14 October 2010. "We must hire and train the appropriate number of border patrol agents and utilize technology to secure and monitor the border. Additionally, we must have a system in place for those who would like to come to our country legally, work, pay taxes, and return home to do so in order for our economy to function properly. Those who are in our country illegally must be held accountable for breaking the law, but it would cost billions of taxpayer dollars to arrest or deport them all. We need a realistic solution so that those who work hard, pay back taxes, and contribute to society can pay a fine and get in the back of the line to become U.S. citizens. Those who refuse to obey our laws should be deported immediately." (www.rodneyglassman.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. Phoenix: Exclusive Phoenix.org interview of Senatorial candidate Rodney Glassman. 25 May 2010. Question: "Do you have any specific ideas that you think would help Arizona deal with the issues that come with being so close to the border?" Response: "Well, first and foremost we need to secure the border which means using the appropriate resources. We hear time and again the concept of a wall. The reality is that in rural areas where no one is living a wall is simply a waste of resources. We need to utilize technologies, technologies like the kind that have been created and developed in Arizona, such as unmanned aerial vehicles which can monitor the border utilizing technology.... Additionally we need to have a guest worker program that matches the economic realities of the state. We need to have the ability for individuals to come to Arizona to work and return home so that our agricultural industries, our restaurant industries, our tourist industries are able to function and we need to have a plan for the 11-12 million undocumented individuals that are already here. (phoenix.org)
  • Rodney Glassman. Press: Glassman Response to S.B. 1070. "S.B.1070 is the type of legislation that undermines the trust between law enforcement and neighborhoods that so many have worked so long to achieve. It does nothing to secure the border or stop the violence in our border region. It does nothing to address the reasons so many cross our borders without going through legal channels. This bill is nothing more than an unfunded mandate that shifts the financial burden onto cities and towns already grappling with budget cuts." (www.rodneyglassman.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. Issue Position: Immigration. "SB1070 is not the answer; it is a rash attempt to score political points. As a former Vice Mayor for the City of Tucson, I understand the importance of safety in our communities. SB1070 is an unfunded mandate and additional burden on local law enforcement at a time when every municipality in Arizona is struggling with budget cuts. Those who are in our country illegally must be held accountable for breaking the law, but it would cost billions of taxpayer dollars to arrest or deport them all. We need a realistic solution so that those who work hard, pay back taxes, and contribute to society pay a fine and get in the back of the line to become U.S. citizens. Those who otherwise do not obey our laws should be deported immediately." (votesmart.org)
  • Rodney Glassman. AOL News -- Rodney Glassman: Immigration Reform That Works. 20 October 2010. "We must address the fact that our nation's current economic realities do not match our immigration policy. Legislation like the AgJobs bill, crafted in a bipartisan effort with the United Farm Workers and American Farm Bureau Federation, highlight how cooperation and collaboration can lead to solutions. This is also legislation John McCain refuses to support. At the same time, we need to streamline the process for legal immigrants to come here. It shouldn't take 10 years to get paperwork in order, and I've worked with people whose paperwork has been bogged down that long. It can cost $10,000 for an immigration attorney -- most people are not likely to be able to afford that. An all-of-the-above federal approach also recognizes reality. We are not going to arrest and deport the estimated 12 million people here illegally now. I do not support amnesty. They need to pay a fine, pay back taxes and learn English before getting on a path to legalization. That path must exist or we will always have an illegal immigrant problem." (votesmart.org)
  • Rodney Glassman. 2010. Az Central: Candidate Q&A. Responded: "I am wary about announcing a timetable to our enemies, but I believe our troops should come home yesterday. The best people to secure Afghanistan are the Afghans themselves. George W. Bush botched this war while John McCain served as a cheerleader for the unnecessary war in Iraq. Afghanistan was too long neglected as Iraq turned into a quagmire." to the question "Do you support President Obama's strategy in Afghanistan? Why or why not?" (www.azcentral.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. 2010. Green Valley News and Sun: U.S. Senate: Rodney Glassman (D). Responded:"Yes. We should start to change our mission in July 2011. Our president and Congress have a moral obligation to think through military action before they put our troops in harm's way. We now have an exit strategy that George W. Bush and John McCain refused to consider. We're spending nearly $7 billion each month in Afghanistan, 1,000 American soldiers and countless innocent civilians have been killed, and there is still no end in sight. Every day, Americans are still feeling the consequences of the failed foreign policies of John McCain and George W. Bush." to the question "1. Do you support next summer's planned reduction of U.S. forces in Afghanistan?" (www.gvnews.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. Press Release. 14 October 2010. "And he said it's time to get out of Afghanistan. 'We need to do it sensibly, but we need to do it soon,' he said. Instead of nation-building there, he said, 'Let's build our own nation. Let's bring our men and women home.'" (www.rodneyglassman.com)
  • Shelley Gillespie. 2010. Copa News: Glassman in Maricopa "exploring" run for US Senate. 20 March 2010. "On his stance on withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, he "never supported sending" troops in the first place. Glassman commented that he would like to see the 600 families of veterans in Arizona taken care of, rather than sending 30,000 more troops." (www.copanews.com)
  • Rodney Glassman. 2010. AZ Central: Candidate Q & A. "I oppose all forms of discrimination. Every American should be afforded the same rights, privileges and protections as every other American. Same-sex couples should have all of the same the rights and privileges that are conferred upon married couples. Government should not be able to interfere in any way with two loving people committing their lives to one another." in response to the question: "Do you support the proposed same-sex marriage amendment to the state constitution? Do you support the proposed federal amendment?" (www.azcentral.com)

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