Card image cap

Dan Johnson's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Key

Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.
Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.
What is the Political Courage Test?

Michigan Congressional Election 2008 Political Courage Test

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.

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.
d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
f) Dilation and extraction or "partial-birth" abortion procedures should be legal.
X g) Medicare, Medicaid, and federal subsidies should be prohibited from being used on abortion procedures.
Personally, I believe that life begins at conception. However, I do not feel that the FEDERAL government has the right (based on my interpretation of our Constitution) to dictate and make blanket moral legislation to our citizens. With that being said, I oppose abortion from both a personal moral standpoint. But I feel strongly that moral decisions are based on making a CHOICE and that choice, even if it is against my personal beliefs or religious morals is the right of the individual(s) making that decision. Unfortunately, the voice of the unborn is unheard except through education and family values/intervention.

Indicate what federal funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.1) Budget Priorities2) Defense Spending3) TaxesIndicate what federal tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.Family Income TaxesOther TaxesDeductions/Credits

Greatly Decrease a) Agriculture
Eliminate b) Arts
Slightly Increase c) Defense
Greatly Decrease d) Education
Slightly Decrease e) Environment
Greatly Decrease f) FEMA
Greatly Decrease g) Homeland security
Greatly Decrease h) International aid
Greatly Decrease i) Law enforcement (Federal)
Slightly Increase j) Law enforcement (State)
Greatly Decrease k) Medical research
Maintain Status l) National parks
Greatly Decrease m) Public health services
Greatly Decrease n) Scientific research
Greatly Decrease o) Space exploration programs
Maintain Status p) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Eliminate q) United Nations
Eliminate r) Welfare
Greatly Increase a) Armed forces personnel training
Greatly Decrease b) Intelligence operations
Slightly Decrease c) Military hardware
Slightly Increase d) Modernization of weaponry and equipment
Greatly Increase e) National missile defense
Greatly Increase f) Pay for active duty personnel
Greatly Decrease g) Programs to improve troop retention rates
Greatly Decrease h) Research and development of new weapons
Maintain Status i) Troop and equipment readiness
Eliminate a) Less than $12,000
Eliminate b) $12,001-$40,000
Eliminate c) $40,001-$100,000
Eliminate d) $100,001-$180,000
Eliminate e) $180,001-$350,000
Eliminate f) $350,001 and above
g) Other or expanded categories
Maintain Status a) Alcohol taxes
Greatly Decrease b) Capital gains taxes
Maintain Status c) Cigarette taxes
Maintain Status d) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status e) Gasoline taxes
Eliminate f) Inheritance taxes
g) Other or expanded categories
Maintain Status a) Charitable contribution deduction
Greatly Increase b) Child tax credit
Maintain Status c) Earned income tax credit
Slightly Increase d) Medical expense deduction
Maintain Status e) Mortgage deduction
Slightly Increase f) Student loan credit
g) Other or expanded categories
Yes 4) Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
Yes 5) Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year?
Less taxation allows for more money for the citizens who earned that money. That money can be better used in a true free market economy towards whatever priorities each individual citizen may feel they need to address financially in the first place.
Keep our military primarily on United States soil to protect our homeland.
Limited government, especially when it comes to the taxpayers pocketbook.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.

a) Support increasing the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
X b) Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
c) Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
d) Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties.
X e) Support prohibiting ads containing candidates' name that are paid for by third parties from airing 60 days before a primary and 30 days before a general federal election.
f) Support instant run-off voting (IRV).
X g) Support designating Election Day as a national holiday.
h) Support giving the President the power of the line item veto for items concerning appropriations.
X i) Support limiting the President's use of signing statements in order to prevent an alternative interpretation of the bill.
X j) Support a federal shield law to protect reporter-source privilege.
In my opinion the IRV does not allow for the supporters of 3rd party candidates to actually have their voices heard and will only help to exacerbate the current problems with the two major party system we have in place.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding crime.

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 vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
d) Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
X e) Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
f) Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
g) Support strict penalties for internet crime (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
h) Require that crimes based on sexual orientation be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
i) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

a) Support the federal government funding universal pre-K programs.
X b) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any public school.
X c) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any private or religious school.
d) Allow teachers and professionals to receive federal funding to establish charter or magnet schools.
e) Increase funding for the Pell Grant program.
X f) Decrease interest rates of Stafford Loans.
g) Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
h) Ban university financial aid officers from owning stock in or accepting gifts from student loan lenders.
i) Require universities to disclose financial relationships with lenders.
j) Support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
X k) Eliminate all federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
Education is a local and state issue, it never should have become a Federal issue.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.

a) Increase funding for national job-training programs that retrain displaced workers or teach skills needed in today’s job market.
X b) Reduce government regulation of the private sector.
X c) Encourage employers to offer child care services, flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
d) Increase the federal minimum wage.
e) Support the right of workers to unionize.
f) Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
g) Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
h) Include gender identity in federal anti-discrimination laws.
i) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

a) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act.
b) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
c) Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil).
d) Strengthen emission controls on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
e) Strengthen fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
f) Support domestic oil exploration in areas that are currently restricted.
X g) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels.
X h) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
X i) Support research and development of nuclear reactors as an alternative energy source.
j) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits under "cap and trade" laws.
k) Support international mandatory emission targets to limit global warming.
X l) Support international voluntary emission targets to limit global warming.
I support VOLUNTARY initiatives, not legislative initiatives.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.On (c) and (d), indicate what levels (#1-6) you support for the following categories.

X a) Allow individuals to carry concealed guns.
b) Ban the sale, ownership or possession of handguns except by law enforcement and other government officials.
Slightly Decrease c) Enforcement of existing restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
Slightly Decrease d) Restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
According to the Constitution, our Second Amendment is very clear. However, it has become much more of a beaurocratic nightmare to exercise your right to bear arms. The federal government should get out of creating "blanket" laws/legislation and restrictions and give that power back to the local and state level.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health.

a) Implement a universal healthcare program to guarantee coverage to all Americans, regardless of income.
b) Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts.
X c) Allow the importation of prescription drugs into the United States.
d) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
X e) Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
f) Support expanding child healthcare programs.
X g) Providing healthcare is not a responsibility of the federal government.
h) Other or expanded principles

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.
X d) Support harsher financial punishments for those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants.
e) Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States.
X f) Illegal immigrants should have to return to their countries of origin before being considered for citizenship.
g) Illegal immigrants should be given a pathway to citizenship.
h) Support merit-based visas over family-based visas.
We already have a plethora of laws and guidelines in place. However, we do not ENFORCE those laws due to having a government that is far too large and beaurocratic. Smaller government is the first step in fixing the problem. Secondly, having our armed forces protecting our borders (as they should already be doing) as opposed to spread out all over the globe would do a great deal in deterring illegal immigration and would secure our country and borders far more than they are currently.

International AidIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international aid.International PolicyIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international policy.International TradeIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international trade.

X a) Support the United States granting aid to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives.
b) Support the United States granting aid to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States.
c) Eliminate United States aid for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
X d) Aid granted by the United States should be scaled back and eventually eliminated.
No 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?
No c) Should the United States impose greater international sanctions on Iran if it continues to defy United Nations mandates?
No d) Should the United States support the Lebanese government against insurgent forces?
No e) Should the United States maintain its troop levels in Iraq?
Yes f) Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?
No h) Should the United States apply greater economic and diplomatic sanctions against North Korea if it fails to abide by its agreement to suspend its nuclear program?
No i) Should the United States increase financial support for Afghanistan?
No j) Should the United States increase military support for Afghanistan?
Undecided k) Should the United States trade nuclear fuel to India for civilian purposes?
Yes l) Should the United States decrease financial support for Pakistan?
Yes m) Should the United States decrease military support for Pakistan?
No n) Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in Darfur, Sudan?
No o) Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
No p) Should the United States provide economic and military support to the Transitional Government of Somalia?
No q) Should the United States use sanctions to encourage the government of Zimbabwe to end its human rights abuses?
No r) Should the United States support the creation of an independent nation of Kosovo?
No a) Do you support the United States imposing economic sanctions on China?
No b) Do you support the United States imposing trade sanctions on Venezuela?
Yes c) Do you support the United States involvement in free trade agreements?
No d) Do you support the United States involvement in intergovernmental organizations dedicated to trade?
e) Other or expanded principles
I believe that private charities and organization as well as faith based charities are better equipped and better suited to provide aid, relief and comfort. ONLY in extreme cases of need (natural disasters) should the Federal Government involve itself in foreign aid.
Democracy has never been won, earned or acquired when forced at the muzzle end of a weapon. True democracy occurs when the PEOPLE of a nation themselves rise up and stir a revolution for change. This is not done by strong-arming nations (even with the best of intent and good-will).
I believe in free trade and open negotiation with ALL nations with good-will and inent. However, much like Thomas Jefferson, I believe that we should have entangling alliances with NO nation(s).

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 law enforcement agencies have greater discretion to monitor domestic communications, to prevent future terrorist attacks?
Yes c) Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country?
Undecided d) Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?
No e) Do you support pre-emptive military strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to United States national security?
No f) Do you support the creation of a federal identification card system?
No g) Do you support long-term use of National Guard troops to supplement the armed forces in assignments overseas?
Yes h) Should the United States expand its missile defense shield?
Our military forces should be HERE in the United States...strengthening OUR borders and our nation from enemies both foreign and domestic. I believe that we should practice our Constitutional objective of Letters of Marque and Reprisal to go after Bin Laden as opposed to spending TRILLIONS of dollars and risking thousands of our servicemen and womens (and our son's and daughters) lives. Military tribunals for "military combatants" is not Constitutional.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.

Yes a) Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?
No b) Do you support a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman?
No c) Do you support federal funding for research on existing embryonic stem cell lines?
No d) Do you support federal funding to create lines of stem cells from new embryos?
No e) Should the federal government consider race and gender in government contracting decisions?
No f) Should the federal government continue affirmative action programs?
No g) Should the federal government regulate internet gambling?
It states clearly in the Constitution, the inalianable...right from our Creator, that we have the RIGHT to pursue happiness. Whatever that may mean. Be it morally objectionable to some or even MOST, it is not the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S job to lay blanket laws across the nation. The right of the individual take precedence over the power of the state or the federal government according to the Constitution. Your Creator will ultimately determine if you are deemed worthy of accension as we have all sinned. The government should not have that power or authority.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Social Security.

X a) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts that they manage themselves.
b) Ensure the viability of Social Security by increasing the payroll tax.
c) Decrease benefits paid to retirees.
d) Support proportional increases of Social Security benefits based on the cost of living index.
e) Raise the retirement age for individual eligibility to receive full Social Security benefits.
The United States is about FREEDOM. Freedom of Religion, freedom of choice. EVEN if those choices may not be fiscally responsible, intelligent or even good for you. The Federal Government has absolutely NO RIGHT to force people to put their money into a system with minimal returns and minimal financial impact to them, while having far more detrimental impact to society as a whole, our economy as a whole and is opposite of the freedoms of which we as a country espouse. Allow people a CHOICE to do what they wish with THEIR hard earned money!

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) Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants.
c) Support housing assistance for welfare recipients.
X d) Abolish all federal welfare programs.
I believe that it has been proven through both practice, in writing and in philosophy that a welfare state, no matter how well intentioned and philanthropic, ultimately fails. I do believe in helping our fellow man and do believe that there are systems in place (i.e. private charities, christian charities and private endeavor donators) who are better equipped to not only GIVE to those that are in need, but can far better SERVE the needy than can our Federal Government which sets up a system that is beaurocratic, prone to abuse and corruption and has not proven successful.
My priorities would be to addess the overall size and scope of the Federal Govenrment and my goal would be to minimize the footprint and presence of the government. Especially with regards to being in peoples daily lives. I would use the principles of our founding fathers in helping to determine how we can reduce the bloated beaurocracies and government meddling in areas that the Constitution clearly states that the FEDERAL government has no right in which to impede.

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

arrow_upward