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Perry Gershon'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.

Perry Gershon has failed to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2020 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.

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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 2020.

  • Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? "Pro-Choice" (votesmart.org)
  • "I oppose increasing the tax burden on middle-class Americans. I oppose the Republican "Tax Scam," which cuts taxes on the richest Americans and big corporations, while hurting the middle class and disproportionately hurting Suffolk County families by removing deductions for state and local income and property taxes." (jvotesmart.org)
  • "The wealthiest earners must pay their fair share in income tax." (www.perrygershon.com)
  • "I’m ready to fight for Medicare for All, common sense gun safety laws, and investing in our community through public infrastructure programs." (twitter.com)
  • "I believe that health care is a right and not a privilege. And the best way to do that is with Medicare for All. " (twitter.com)
  • "I support this plan to increase Social Security benefits and keep the system solvent. It seems that good policy proposals do not always receive lots of attention - this is a good case in point." (www.facebook.com)
  • Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? "Yes" (votesmart.org)
  • "America must remain the premier military power in the world and we must ensure that our service members have the required resources to perform their jobs, but we must be smart and thoughtful in how we spend our military dollars." (votesmart.org)
  • Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? "Yes" (votesmart.org)
  • "I’m ready to fight for Medicare for All, common sense gun safety laws, and investing in our community through public infrastructure programs." (twitter.com)
  • "While preserving the lower corporate tax rates necessary to allow American businesses to complete globally, we must pass new laws to ensure corporations will share profits with workers and repatriate assets to the U.S." (www.perrygershon.com)
  • "The previous stimulus package gave many Americans a necessary safety net - extension of unemployment benefits, aid to small businesses to keep workers employed, paid sick leave for those who have symptoms of the coronavirus, as well as direct cash payments for those individuals who fall under a certain income level." (www.perrygershon.com)
  • Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards? "Yes" (votesmart.org)
  • Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)? "Yes" (votesmart.org)
  • Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? "Yes" (votesmart.org)
  • Do you generally support gun-control legislation? "Yes" (votesmart.org)
  • "I’m ready to fight for Medicare for All, common sense gun safety laws, and investing in our community through public infrastructure programs." (twitter.com)
  • Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? "No" (votesmart.org)
  • "We must fight any effort to repeal the protections in the ACA and work to fix problems with the ACA for those who depend on it." (www.perrygershon.com)
  • "If @RepLeeZeldin really believes in bipartisan solutions to fight #Covid19, he should join House Democrats to support: - free and widely available coronavirus testing - paid sick leave so that the sick will stay home - extension of Medicaid in all 50 states" (twitter.com)
  • Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border? "No" (votesmart.org)
  • Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? "No" (votesmart.org)
  • "Nuclear proliferation is a serious threat to world peace, and the U.S. has a major security interest in ensuring that nuclear weapons do not spread, especially to unfriendly regimes. Although the nuclear agreement with Iran could be strengthened, it is a critical tool for ensuring that Iran does not gain nuclear weaponry. Weakening it risks a resumption of Iranian efforts to develop such weapons and calls into question U.S. credibility. Furthermore, baiting an unstable North Korean dictator and a paranoid regime poses grave risks and does nothing to constructively address the situation. Dealing with North Korea requires every tool at our disposal -- strength, artful diplomacy, and strategic coordination with allies." (votesmart.org)
  • "Trump Withdraws U.S. From Iran Nuclear Deal - This is a very bad move. Will lead to Iranian nuclear development, internationally destabilizing. Move not justified or provoked. Hurts the US position internationally and with our European allies as well." (twitter.com)
  • "US military force should be a path of last resort. Given current circumstance, I am likely to oppose the use of force to deter foreign countries from acquiring nuclear weapons. But, there could be a situation where US interests are threatened sufficiently enough that we need to take action." (votesmart.org)
  • "Why does @RepLeeZeldin to go after the JCPOA? Iran is a global bad actor. But the JCPOA at least holds back its nuclear development. Why does Zeldin make up alternative facts - Iranian violations not seen by most of the world? We can negotiate better deal while keeping old." (twitter.com)
  • 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.
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.
Pro-choice Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
I have always been, and will continue to be, unequivocally prochoice. I believe that reproductive health and reproductive freedom are inalienable human and constitutional rights. I will fight against the Hyde Amendment, an insidious example of legislative overreach, which severely restricts abortion access for women insured by Medicaid or Medicare. In addition, I support implementing a Medicare for All system because health care is a fundamental right to which all Americans should have easy, free, and equal access, including access to birth control and a woman's right to choose.
Yes In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?
Yes In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
I oppose increasing the tax burden on middle-class Americans. I oppose the Republican "Tax Scam," which cuts taxes on the richest Americans and big corporations, while hurting the middle class and disproportionately hurting Suffolk County families by removing deductions for state and local income and property taxes. America must remain the premier military power in the world and we must ensure that our service members have the required resources to perform their jobs, but we must be smart and thoughtful in how we spend our military dollars.
Yes Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
I will fight the Citizens United Supreme Court decision because it gives corporations and their special interests unduly influence in American politics, while undermining the influence of average Americans. In addition, I will work to preserve the Johnson Amendment, which prevents nonprofit and religious organizations from endorsing political candidates.
Yes Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Yes Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
Continuing to underinvest in our roads, bridges, and tunnels will limit our ability to accommodate Long Island's growing population, attract new businesses, and expand our economy. I support federal spending on infrastructure because it will make us more economically competitive, more environmentally sound, and will create thousands of jobs right here in Suffolk County.
Yes Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
Public education is vital. I will fight to make sure that every child, regardless of what neighborhood they grow up in or how much their parents make, will receive a quality, affordable education. I support minimal federal education standards to ensure that students have the proper skills needed to succeed in the 21st century economy.
Yes Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
Yes Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
Environmental issues affect the entirety of Suffolk County and I will fight to ensure that protecting our environment is a top federal priority. In order to address human caused climate change, I support the improvement of environmental regulations and enforcement mechanisms, reduced reliance on fossil fuels through expanded incentives to use clean energy, bringing the US back into the Paris Climate Accords, increased government subsidization of electric vehicles, and offshore wind projects, such as the Deep Water project in East Hampton.
Yes Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
I will work to require and improve background checks without loopholes at a national level, enact an assault weapons ban, similar to the 1994 bi-partisan assault weapons ban, ban bump stocks, and prevent those guilty of domestic violence from owning guns. In addition, I am opposed to arming teachers in schools because research shows that increasing the number of guns in schools, no matter how carefully they are safeguarded, will increase gun violence. Finally, I am a vociferous opponent of Concealed Carry Reciprocity.
No Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
The ACA is imperfect, but instead of stripping health insurance from millions, we need to build on its strengths and address its weaknesses by stabilizing insurance exchanges, maintaining subsidies to keep healthy people enrolled, improving provider networks, and implementing a public option that would create competitive pricing in all locations. I strongly support universal healthcare and Medicare for All because Americans should have access to healthcare that is both accessible and affordable, but, in the short term, it is also imperative to focus on repairing the Affordable Care Act.
No Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
No Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
We need real, commonsense immigration reform that is true to our American values: tough on border security and workplace enforcement, fair to American taxpayers, rooted in practical and realistic solutions, and focused on keeping families together, growing our economy, creating jobs, and encouraging innovation. I support passing a clean DACA bill, which will protect young people that are in this country for no fault of their own, and creating a path to citizenship that rewards immigrants who have worked to fit into our society and penalizes felons and domestic abusers.
Yes Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
I support the federal decriminalization of marijuana, which would allow states to make their own decisions regarding its usage, for three reasons. First, marijuana legalization will develop a new industry, helping to grow the economy and create new jobs. Second, it is inconsistent to have federal laws prohibiting marijuana usage, while individual states have laws decriminalizing it. Finally, marijuana decriminalization will reduce the number of non-violent drug offenses, which have been used to incarcerate people of color and wreak havoc on local communities.
No Do you support increased American intervention in Middle Eastern conflicts beyond air support?
Unknown Position Should the United States use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a nuclear weapon?
US military force should be a path of last resort. Given current circumstance, I am likely to oppose the use of force to deter foreign countries from acquiring nuclear weapons. But, there could be a situation where US interests are threatened sufficiently enough that we need to take action.
My top three priorities are creating high-quality jobs, enacting federal gun control legislation, and passing Medicare for All. First, we need to fund infrastructure upgrades and decrease the tax burden on small businesses in order to create a favorable business climate and good jobs for Long Island families. Second, we must enact meaningful gun control laws, such as improving background checks at a national level and passing an assault weapons ban, to curb the growing list of gun violence tragedies. Finally, I support Medicare for All because all Americans should have access to healthcare that is both accessible and affordable.

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