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Colonel Engstrand's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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Candidates who qualify will be invited to take the 2020 Political Courage Test.

What is the Political Courage Test?
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.

Texas Congressional Election 2012 Political Courage Test

Pro-life Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
I am pro life. I believe that the liberal point of view , called prochoice is a misnomber. The liberal term of prochoice is no choice at all. It should be called infanticide/Infant Murder. The left does not support adoption they encourage parents (Mothers) to murder their children.
No Do you support United States' combat operations in Afghanistan?
No Do you support a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan?
I believe that we no longer have a clear purpose for being in Afghanistan and we should bring our forces home. However, we should never announce to the enemy when we are bringing our forces out. This sets up our forces for unnecessary risk and puts the host country in jeopardy at the time we are announcing that we are leaving.

Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing the federal budget.In order to balance the budget,

No do you support reducing defense spending?
No do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
No do you support reducing Medicaid spending?
No do you support reducing Medicare spending?
Yes Is balancing the budget a legislative priority?
This administrations only "real" cut has been $1.2 Trillion to the defense budget over the next decade. I support cuts to the budget across the board, but smart cuts with discipline. As for income tax increases, I do not believe we have a tax revenue problem but a spending problem and we must get our spending under the amount of tax we collect. I personally believe we should repeal the 16th amendment and replace our tax system with a fair tax. Medicare spending needs reform, mostly in captureing the fraud. And yes we must have a balanced budget.
No Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
Yes Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
No Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Yes Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation?
No Do you support spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
No Do you support the temporary extension of unemployment benefits?
Yes Do you support the 2010 temporary extension of tax relief?
No Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants?
States should not be required to adhere to any federal requirements concerning education. I am a firm believer that the Federal Department of Education should be abolished and education managed at the state level both K-12 and post graduate.
Yes Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production?
No Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change?
No Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
No Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
Believe in the right to bear arms!
Yes Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
No Should individuals be required to purchase health insurance, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
There is no place in the US Constitution that requires or mandates citizens to purchase anything product or service!
Yes Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
No Do you support allowing illegal immigrants, who were brought to the United States as minors, to pursue citizenship without returning to their country of origin?
Yes Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration law by state and local police?
No Do you support same-sex marriage?
Marriage is between a man and woman.
Yes Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict?
Yes Should the U.S use military force in order to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon?
Yes Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?

SpendingIndicate what federal spending levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category; you can use a number more than once.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.

Eliminate a) Agriculture
Eliminate b) Arts
Slightly Increase c) Defense
Eliminate d) Education
Eliminate e) Environment
Maintain Status f) Homeland Security
Greatly Decrease g) International aid
Maintain Status h) Medical Research
Maintain Status i) Scientific Research
Slightly Increase j) Space exploration
Eliminate k) United Nations
Greatly Decrease l) Welfare
Eliminate m) Other or expanded categories
Greatly Decrease a) Capital gains taxes
Eliminate b) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status c) Excise taxes (alcohol)
Maintain Status d) Excise taxes (cigarettes)
Maintain Status e) Excise taxes (transportation fuel)
Eliminate f) Income taxes (low-income families)
Eliminate g) Income taxes (middle-income families)
Eliminate h) Income taxes (high-income families)
Eliminate i) Inheritance taxes
Eliminate j) Payroll taxes
Department of Energy
I support the Fair Tax.
Repeal of Obamacare and reduction of the size of the federal governmwnt across the board. Significant reduction or elimination of many federal beaucracies.

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