Dan Connolly's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Dan Connolly 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.
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.
- Dan Connolly. Stonewall Democrats: 2010 Pennsylvania Primary Election. 24 March 2010. Responded: "I believe the government should not be involved in the personal and private lives of Americans and I believe this is settled law," to the question: "Question 7: Please discuss your position on abortion and any thoughts you have on the current abortion debate." (www.stonewalldemocrats.org)
- Planned Parenthood. 2010. 14 September 2010. Planned Parenthood endorsed Dan Connolly in the 2010 general election. (www.plannedparenthoodaction.org)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Dan Connolly. Issue Position: Economy. "One of the most important solutions is to invest in our crumbling infrastructure -- our highways, our bridges and our public transportation systems. American infrastructure is aging, and some areas of the country -- like Western Pennsylvania -- are in critical need of significant infrastructure repairs. A reinvestment in America's infrastructure will not only help ensure the safety of our transportation systems, drinking water and sewage system, but such an investment will make it less expensive for companies to transport goods and create badly-needed, high-paying and long-lasting jobs. We need to work towards balancing our federal budget and paying down the massive debt that is strangling our ability to grow and crippling the strength of the dollar. When the deficit is as large as it is right now, the bond traders often invest in treasury bonds to restrict the money supply and curb inflationary expectations. This investment raises the interest rates on Treasury bonds. This, in turn, pushes more investors to take money from private, non-governmental investments and invest it in these bonds. This hurts publicly traded American businesses that rely on the influx of capital to grow. When American businesses suffer, we all feel the pain in the form of salary cuts or, even worse, layoffs. Our national debt suffocates our ability to grow, and career politicians in Washington have been allowed to kick the can down the road for far too long on this issue. Finally, I believe the federal bailout was misguided. The federal government must ensure that federal money spent to bolster our economic situation actually reaches entities that will spur economic development. If the money is locked away in a vault or returned to the government without serious changes in lending practices, then developers and individuals who actually create jobs through various economic development projects -- real estate development, technological development and manufacturing, for example -- are unable to secure the capital they need to create jobs and stimulate our economic recovery." (votesmart.org)
- Dan Connolly. Issue Position: Social Security and Medicare. "I will never support any effort to privatize Social Security or Medicare, or support any politician who attempts to do so. Republican leadership wants to increase the retirement age to 70 and see Social Security and Medicare trust fund money susceptible to corporations and the stock market, to the detriment of the senior citizens and working families of this country. When my father died in 1994, his benefits helped support my family at a crucial and painful time in our lives. Everything was turned upside down, including our financial stability. I know what Social Security and Medicare mean to the fabric of America, and as the Congressman from Pennsylvania's 18th District, I will fight for hard working Pennsylvanians, to protect the benefits they have rightfully earned." (votesmart.org)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Dan Connolly. Issue Position: Education. "No Child Left Behind has proven to be a very ineffective measure at improving the education of America's youth, however. I believe the most successful path the federal government can pursue is to assist local school boards and educational executive agencies with adequate funding and refrain from interfering with the decision making process of those officials closest to the students. I believe that the federal government cannot possibly understand the situation at each individual school district in the United States, and I think that the local officials are in the best position to decide what is best for the children in each particular school district."
- Dan Connolly. Stonewall Democrats: 2010 Pennsylvania Primary Election. 24 March 2010. Responded: "I am a strong supporter of public education and would support SSIA. Every child should have access to a quality education and bullying should be unacceptable," to the question: "Question 3: The Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA) would amend the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (part of the No Child Left Behind Act) to require schools and districts receiving federal funds to adopt codes of conduct specifically prohibiting bullying and harassment, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Act would also require that states report data on bullying and harassment to the Department of Education." (www.stonewalldemocrats.org)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Dan Connolly. Stonewall Democrats: 2010 Pennsylvania Primary Election. 24 March 2010. Responded: "I would have supported the healthcare bill that passed the House and hope that Congress passes healthcare reform. I look forward to working for additional progress on this issue in the next Congress. I believe that health care is a right and not a privilege and believe that fixing our health care system will have tremendous economic benefits as well," to the question: "Question 8: Our members are generally not one-issue voters. Many of us are also deeply concerned about issues such as healthcare, economic opportunity, education, foreign policy, and the environment. Please take this opportunity to provide a brief overview of what your legislative priorities will be if elected." (www.stonewalldemocrats.org)
- Dan Connolly. Statement from Dan Connolly on Tim Murphy Siding with the Insurance Industry. 21 May 2010. "Late Sunday night, Tim Murphy once again sided with his campaign contributors over his constituents. Murphy voted against historic legislation that would extend health coverage to families in western Pennsylvania. He voted against protecting people with preexisting conditions and for the health insurance industry. Tim Murphy is a cheerleader for the Party of No in Washington and the people of western Pennsylvania deserve real leadership. After I defeat Tim Murphy in November I will go to Washington to work to make health care more affordable for the people of western Pennsylvania." (votesmart.org)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- Dan Connolly. Notes: On the War in Afghanistan. 2 August 2010. "None of us will ever forget the horrific terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; our mission in Afghanistan must be to bring to justice the perpetrators of those attacks, build a better, more secure Afghanistan for the people of Afghanistan, and deprive al-Qaeda and other extremist groups of a safe haven to carry out further attacks. If we allow the Taliban to again take over Afghanistan and parts of western Pakistan, not only will al-Qaeda again have that safe haven to launch future terrorist attacks but the terrorist group will be unacceptably close to one of the world's most volatile nuclear arsenals in Pakistan. That's a risk we simply can't afford. The key to success in Afghanistan, I believe, is in our ability carry out the military mission in conjunction with efforts to build the Afghan state. The people of Afghanistan must have much more confidence in their own government and in the ability of the United States to bring economic aid to areas cleared of the Taliban. Our role as a military partner shouldn't overshadow our role as a partner in the Afghans' development of a better, newer infrastructure. When President Harry Truman was faced with a similar situation in Turkey and Greece, his administration came up with a plan - known as the Marshall Plan - to provide financial support to our allies in the region and thus secure political support for the fragile democratic governments in those countries. The United States must follow a similar path in Afghanistan; showing the Afghan people what their government and country can do with limited resources and encouraging them to take over more and more responsibility for the rebuilding process. We and the Afghans partnering to build basic roads, highways, water and sewage systems, and other basic infrastructure is the only way to begin bringing together the people of Afghanistan and truly defeat the Taliban." (www.facebook.com)
- Dan Connolly. Issue Position: Afghanistan. "I believe the key to success in Afghanistan is not simply militaristic, however. The people of Afghanistan must believe they have a stake in their own government for our efforts to succeed. Therefore I believe the role of the United States should not only be to provide military support in the Afghani's battle against the Taliban, but the United States must also be a major partner in the development of Afghanistan's infrastructure." (votesmart.org)
- Dan Connolly. Stonewall Democrats: 2010 Pennsylvania Primary Election. 24 March 2010. Responded: "I believe that the time has come to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and permit the federal government to recognize same-sex relationships. That's why I'm an original cosponsor of The Respect for Marriage Act, which repeals DOMA and restores the rights of all lawfully married couples -- including same-sex couples -- to receive the benefits of marriage under federal law. This legislation requires the federal government to equally apply its policy of looking to the states in determining what legal relationships are eligible for federal benefits," to the question: "Question 1: The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) singles out lawfully married same-sex couples for unequal treatment under federal law. This law discriminates in two important ways. First, Section 2 of DOMA purports to allow states to refuse to recognize valid civil marriages of same-sex couples. Second, Section 3 of the law carves all same-sex couples, regardless of their marital status, out of all federal statutes, regulations, and rulings applicable to all other married people -- thereby denying them over 1100 federal benefits and protections." (www.stonewalldemocrats.org)
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