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Dennis Anderson's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
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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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Dennis Anderson has refused to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2014 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests.

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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 2014.

  • Guy Stephens. Northern Public Radio: Interview with Dennis Anderson, Democrat running in the IL 14th Congressional District. 6 March 2012. "Abortion has been decided by Roe v. Wade." (northernpublicradio.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. Independent Voters of Illinois Independent Precinct Organization: 2012 Congressional Questionnaire. Responded "YES" to the question: "Do you support the Freedom of Choice Act? Do you support repeal of the Hyde Amendment?" (www.iviipo.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. Independent Voters of Illinois Independent Precinct Organization: 2012 Congressional Questionnaire. Responded "A qualified 'No.' I understand very well that under certain circumstances “ the most obvious being in cases of incest “ parental notification is a very bad idea. For such cases I am opposed to notification. I also understand that in other cases there may be two good parents at home who would be very supportive of a pregnant teenager, even though the teen may not see that through the stress and fear of her situation. For these cases, I'm not so sure" to the question: "Do you support parental notification to obtain an abortion?" (www.iviipo.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. Independent Voters of Illinois Independent Precinct Organization: 2012 Congressional Questionnaire. Responded "I would allow for access to birth control for teenagers as well as scientifically sound sex education offered to kids at an early age. Parents and churches can teach their children about abstinence if that is their preference. Would also have easy access to pre-natal and post-natal medical and psychological care for minors with educational support of adoption opportunities as well as child rearing for those who wish to keep their children. Moves to defund such valuable providers of reproductive care as Planned Parenthood ought to be fought as vigorously as possible" to the question: "What other changes would you support in the area of reproductive health?" (www.iviipo.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. Independent Voters of Illinois Independent Precinct Organization: 2012 Congressional Questionnaire. Responded "The procedure should not be banned, but medical necessity must be carefully considered" to the question: "Do you support a ban on so-called partial birth abortions?" (www.iviipo.org)
  • "In 2011, some 1,100 pieces of legislation restricting access to reproductive health care were introduced around the Nation. These included not only restrictions on access to abortion, but "personhood" bills, the defunding of primary care clinics and public health clinics that represent the only source of care for millions of poor women, the requirement of such intrusive and unnecessary procedures as trans-vaginal ultrasound, and even restrictions on access to contraception and sex education. These continuing efforts must be fought." (votesmart.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. ABC 7 Chicago: 2012 Survey Questions. Responded "Cuts alone, however, will not solve the deficit problem. The primary causes of the current deficit situation are the Bush-era tax cuts [¦] The first of those two those factors can be readily addressed by Congress by allowing at least the higher income tax cuts to lapse and by raising the tax rate on unearned income." to the question: "Can the budget deficit be controlled only by spending cuts or does the federal government need to raise more revenue?" (abclocal.go.com)
  • Dennis Anderson. Independent Voters of Illinois Independent Precinct Organization: 2012 Congressional Questionnaire. Responded "YES" to the question: "Do you favor a more progressive income tax?" (www.iviipo.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. Issue Position: Bringing Jobs to the District. 2 April 2012. "Return tax fairness to the middle class and small businesses that make up 99.8% of America's economy." (www.dennisforcongress.com)
  • Dennis Anderson. Issue Position: Reducing the Burden by Creating Tax Fairness. 2 April 2012. "The Bush Era Tax Cuts, in theory were a good idea, but they have become a budgetary nightmare and have done nothing to create jobs. In fact, much of the Bush tax cuts were paid for by closing tax credits and deductions once enjoyed by the middle class. If we create a fair tax system, one where we increase the tax base, not the tax rate, we will take a crucial first step to solving our deficit and we will set the middle class on a course of prosperity." (www.dennisforcongress.com)
  • Dennis Anderson. NBC Chicago: 2011 Chicago Tribune Editorial Board Questionnaire. Responded "Personal income taxes ought not be effectively higher on low income and middle class workers than they are on the richest among us." to the question: "Specify what spending you want to cut and/or what revenues you want to increase." (elections.chicagotribune.com)
  • Dennis Anderson. Plainfield Patch: March 2012 Primary Candidate Questions. Responded "The previous administration's tax cuts for those in the upper-income brackets should be permitted to expire." to the question: "What steps would you take to reduce the federal deficit?" (plainfield.patch.com)
  • "The Republican House majority response is cuts to programs that help the most vulnerable while leaving in place taxpayer subsidies for enormously profitable industries. Their budget proposals would increase taxes on the middle class while lowering them for those at the top. Their "jobs bills" have virtually no jobs in them. They aim to weaken regulation of the financial services industry that brought us the worst recession since the Great Depression, while big banks grow larger and your account balance has likely shrunk." (votesmart.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. NBC Chicago: 2011 Chicago Tribune Editorial Board Questionnaire. Responded "I support the Obama administration's Jobs Bill." to the question: "Identify three specific actions you would support to foster private-sector job creation." (elections.chicagotribune.com)
  • Dennis Anderson. Issue Position: Bridges to Prosperity: Our Infrastructure. 2 April 2012. "Well maintained infrastructure is crucial for businesses to ship their products in an economical manner. It also saves commuters money at it cuts down on wear and tear. Dennis's plan would reinvest money into these failing arteries of commerce to get the economy moving forward again." (www.dennisforcongress.com)
  • Dennis Anderson. Kane County Chronicle: Election Central 2012 On the Record. Responded "The Administration's Jobs Bill, with its funding for infrastructure repair and upgrade projects, will bring both social and economic benefits" to the question: "Outside of jobs and the federal deficit, what are the one or two most important issues in the 14th Congressional District, and how do you plan to address them?" (ssm.kcchronicle.com)
  • Dennis Anderson. Kane County Chronicle: Election Central 2012 On the Record. Responded "The Obama Administration's Jobs Bill offers a number of well-considered proposals for job creation, and ought to be passed. Congress should address problems faced by small business in obtaining financing so that those businesses can expand more readily." to the question: "Most everyone agrees that job growth, particularly in the private sector, is critical to turning the American economy around. What should Congress do to help spur job growth?" (ssm.kcchronicle.com)
  • Dennis Anderson. Plainfield Patch: March 2012 Primary Candidate Questions. Responded "A good first step would be passage of the Administration's Jobs Act. The Act provides a blueprint for a multi-faceted jobs creation program, addressing such issues as small-business access to capital, infrastructure repair and upgrade, and including small business tax cuts and credits." to the question: "What should the government do to create more jobs?" (plainfield.patch.com)
  • Guy Stephens. Northern Public Radio: Interview with Dennis Anderson, Democrat running in the IL 14th Congressional District. 6 March 2012. "I think that the federal government has a major role to play. I think that the government can work closely with local governments, and with the state government, and with private industry to identify opportunities for start up capital, encouragement, and subsidization of new industry. " (northernpublicradio.org)
  • "There is general agreement that the National debt and deficit require attention and must be reduced. There is great disagreement on how to accomplish this. What we must do is ensure that the prospects for long term growth and recovery are enhanced, and that essential services are preserved. Recovery will require both cuts and increases in revenue, and should include increased investment in some vital areas of the economy." (votesmart.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. Independent Voters of Illinois Independent Precinct Organization: 2012 Congressional Questionnaire. Responded "NO. I support the President's alternative plan" to the question: "Are the provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act the most effective way to advance student achievement? If not, what plan would you propose?" (www.iviipo.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. NBC Chicago: 2011 Chicago Tribune Editorial Board Questionnaire. Responded "Insofar as Race to the Top is applied in such a way as to assign resources to those schools most in need of improvement, I am in support. I do have concerns about the implementation of standardized measures of success, particularly given the one-size-fits-all tendency of such standards and the unreliability of the results of such measures that we have seen in No Child Left Behind." to the question: "What role should the federal government play in public education? Do you favor or oppose the Obama administration's Race To The Top program?" (elections.chicagotribune.com)
  • Dennis Anderson. Plainfield Patch: March 2012 Primary Candidate Questions. Responded "Yes. I support the allowance for innovation built into the President's Race to the Top Initiative as an alternative to NCLB's one-size-fits all approach." to the question: "Should the "No Child Left Behind Act" set different measurements than now for economically disadvantaged students, special education students, students learning English as a second language, etc?" (plainfield.patch.com)
  • "I support our teachers and our public schools system, and will work to ensure that much-needed resources are not diverted to for-profit corporations. I also support Senator Warren's proposal that would allow college students to refinance their current student loans and would recommend reforms to the financing process to make college more affordable." (votesmart.org)
  • "We must increase investment in education to ensure that the workers of tomorrow are adequately and appropriately trained for the 21st Century." (votesmart.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. NBC Chicago: 2011 Chicago Tribune Editorial Board Questionnaire. Responded "the auctioning of cap and trade emission allowances" to the question: "Specify what spending you want to cut and/or what revenues you want to increase." (elections.chicagotribune.com)
  • Dennis Anderson. ABC 7 Chicago: 2012 Survey Questions. Responded "There is also scientific consensus that human activity is, in fact a contributor to the warming. We can reduce the man-made contribution by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases." to the question: "Do you believe there is global warming? If so, is any of it man made and can we do anything about it?" (abclocal.go.com)
  • Dennis Anderson. Independent Voters of Illinois Independent Precinct Organization: 2012 Congressional Questionnaire. Responded "With reservations. I believe that while a cap and trade mechanism may result in some progress in reducing greenhouse and other emissions, I fear that it might also result in a sense of accomplishment out of proportion to its benefits, and that other badly needed environmental protection action will be deferred as a result. I believe that stronger action is required if we are to effectively address the environmental issues we face" to the question: "Do you support cap and trade?" (www.iviipo.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. Independent Voters of Illinois Independent Precinct Organization: 2012 Congressional Questionnaire. Responded "Yes" to the Question: Do you support Lower National Carbon emissions goals?" (www.iviipo.org)
  • I believe that we all want a clean environment for ourselves and for the generations to follow and there is nearly unanimous consensus in the scientific community that climate change is real; that it is critical; and that human activities, in particular the production and use of fossil fuels play a very real part in creating the problem of climate change. If we are truly concerned about what sort of world we leave to future, we must be willing to address climate change now.While fossil fuels will remain a part of our energy mix for some time to come, we must make serious effort reduce our dependency on them and move to more sustainable resources such as wind, solar and biomass, many of which would provide economic growth opportunities to the 14th District (see Ref. 3). We must also work to increase the efficiency of our transportation system, not only at the micro-level through vehicle fuel standards, but at the macro-level through a more considered approach to our development of roads, rails and mass transit systems. Once again providing economic as well as environmental opportunities to the 14th.The overwhelming majority of American businesses are good citizens and respectful of the environment. However, when the rare bad actor is responsible for an oil or coal ash spill, or when corporate failure to adhere to safety standards results in an accident that damages or destroys life or property, we must ensure that the industry involved, and not the taxpayer, is responsible for the costs of rectifying the damage.Finally, I oppose the Keystone Pipeline due to the reported risk of environmental catastrophe, the project's minimal long-term job creation and unlikely effect on energy prices. (votesmart.org)
  • Harry Hitzeman. The Daily Herald: Anderson, Farnick split on gun laws, campaign money. 15 March 2012. "Anderson opposes concealed-carry laws for Illinois. He's worried that innocent bystanders could be placed in harm's way. 'My concern is primarily with having guns in public places,' he said." (www.dailyherald.com)
  • 0% NRA Rating (votesmart.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. CAIR Chicago: 2012 Primary Election Guide. "He is a supporter of Obama's Dream Act and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." www.cairchicago.org/pdf/voter_education_guide_primaries_2012.pdf
  • Dennis Anderson. Plainfield Patch: March 2012 Primary Candidate Questions. Responded "The Affordable Care Act should be implemented and expanded." to the question: "What steps would you take to reduce the federal deficit?" (plainfield.patch.com)
  • Dennis Anderson. Independent Voters of Illinois Independent Precinct Organization: 2012 Congressional Questionnaire. Responded "I am a supporter of the single payer approach to health care, with provisions allowing those who want to shop the private market for insurance to do so. The quality and customer satisfaction surveys that I've seen indicate that current government run health care programs are by and large well received, and certainly the administrative overhead is lower that that in private market insurance. Those who argue that they don't want bureaucrats making their health care decisions fail to recognize that bureaucrats are already doing so, albeit privately-employed bureaucrats. If there were a private sector solution to the problem of health care access in this country, we would have seen it sometime over the past seventy years or so" to the question: "Do you support 'Single Payer' or 'Extended Medicare'?" (www.iviipo.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. NBC Chicago: 2011 Chicago Tribune Editorial Board Questionnaire. Responded "I do not support repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. I would favor changes that would strengthen and expand the Act." to the question: "Do you favor repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which President Obama signed into law in 2010? What changes, if any, would you support in the health care law?" (elections.chicagotribune.com)
  • Dennis Anderson. Plainfield Patch: March 2012 Primary Candidate Questions. Responded "There may be some tweaking of the Affordable Care Act necessary as it is implemented, but the Act should not be repealed." to the question: "Do you think some or all of the health care bill should be repealed?" (plainfield.patch.com)
  • "The Affordable Care Act is a big step in the right direction. Within the ACA insurance companies will no longer be able to drop coverage for ridiculous reasons as they have done in the past." (votesmart.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. CAIR Chicago: 2012 Primary Election Guide. "He is a supporter of Obama's Dream Act and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." www.cairchicago.org/pdf/voter_education_guide_primaries_2012.pdf
  • Dennis Anderson. NBC Chicago: 2011 Chicago Tribune Editorial Board Questionnaire. Responded "I support the proposals outlined in the Obama Administration's Dream Act." to the question: "How should the U.S. government reform its immigration system, and how should it treat the 12 million immigrants who are here illegally?" (elections.chicagotribune.com)
  • Dennis Anderson. Independent Voters of Illinois Independent Precinct Organization: 2012 Congressional Questionnaire. Responded "YES" to the question: "Do you support prioritizing family reunification as criteria in granting visas and processing citizenship and permanent resident applications? Do you support halting deportations of immigrants until final determination of residency status has been made and appeals have been exhausted? Do you support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants currently in the country? Do you support prohibiting deportation of undocumented immigrants arrested for misdemeanors or traffic violations? Do you support the DREAM Act? Do you support recognizing same sex marital or union status when determining immigration status?" (www.iviipo.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. Plainfield Patch: March 2012 Primary Candidate Questions. Responded "I support the Dream Act." to the question: "Should federal immigration policy be changed, and if so how?" (plainfield.patch.com)
  • "I believe that S 744, the 'Border Security, 'Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act', represents the best alternative to address immigration reform that we have yet seen. Provisions of particular merit are the 'W' worker program, the expansion of visa opportunities for those with plans and means to start businesses in the U.S., the inclusion of the 'DREAM Act' in the bill, the inclusion of the AgJobs Act, and other provisions. I am less supportive of the expansion of the expensive border fencing and patrol portions of the bill, primarily due to lack of certainty that those efforts, including their considerable costs, will be justified by their results." (votesmart.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. Independent Voters of Illinois Independent Precinct Organization: 2012 Congressional Questionnaire. Responded "YES" to the question: "Do you support repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act? Do you support the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act?" (www.iviipo.org)
  • Guy Stephens. Northern Public Radio: Interview with Dennis Anderson, Democrat running in the IL 14th Congressional District. 6 March 2012. "In this day and age, I think that marriage equality is something ought to be supportive of." (northernpublicradio.org)
  • "Despite majority public support for legalizing same-sex marriage, there are still too many states where such marriages are illegal." (votesmart.org)
  • "While we must support our allies, we must be cautious about international entanglements." (votesmart.org)
  • Dennis Anderson. Kane County Chronicle: Election Central 2012 On the Record. Responded "Privatization is a horrible idea that would subject the retirement security offered by the system to the vagaries of the stock market, the skills of the individual investor and advisors, and the cost of private investment fees. Privatization would also reduce the projected life span of the current system by diverting funds into those private investments." to the question: "There have been a lot of ideas floating around Washington D.C. to save Social Security. Raising the eligibility age. Increasing the Social Security tax on employers and employees. Privatization. What do you think should be done to make Social Security solvent decades into the future? Or are you of the opinion that Social Security should be phased out?" (ssm.kcchronicle.com)
  • Dennis Anderson. NBC Chicago: 2011 Chicago Tribune Editorial Board Questionnaire. Responded "Perhaps most importantly, I am opposed to any efforts to privatize the system, which would reduce the certainty of benefits, divert resources from the current system, and result in increased costs through brokerage and administrative fees." to the question: "Do you support extension of a cut in payroll taxes, which provides money for Social Security? How would you change revenues or benefits to keep the system financial solvent? Specifically, would you raise the Social Security payroll tax on employers and employees? Would you raise the retirement age? Would you change the benefit formula? Please explain." (elections.chicagotribune.com)
  • "Medicare and Social Security are insurance programs that hard working Americans pay into throughout their working lives. These programs provide vital security in retirement to tens of millions of us. I will fight against any proposal to privatize Social Security, which would divert dollars to the for-profit sector, increasing the cost to program participants. I will also fight against changes in the benefit formula that decrease program benefits, and against changes in the retirement age." (votesmart.org)

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