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Robert Dole's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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What is the Political Courage Test?

Presidential Election 1996 National Political Awareness 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.

A) Please indicate which principles you support concerning abortion.

a) Abortions should be legal in all circumstances.
b) Abortions should be legal in all circumstances as long as the procedure is completed within the first trimester of the pregnancy.
c) Abortions should be legal only when the life of the woman is endangered.
X d) Abortions should be legal only when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape, or when the life of the woman is endangered.
X e) States should have the right to impose waiting periods and /or notification requirements.
f) Other
Yes B) Do you support prohibiting the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program from paying for abortions?

B) Please indicate which Affirmative Action programs you support.

Yes A) Do you believe the federal government has a role to play in preventing discrimination based on race and/or gender?
a) Preferences to minority-owned business in granting government contracts.
b) Preferences to minority students applying for college admission.
X c) Encouraging the Justice Department to prosecute cases of discrimination in the public and private sector.
d) Other
Yes A) Do you support amending the US Constitution to require a balanced federal budget?
B) If you do (or do not) support a Balanced Budget Amendment, please explain your reasons.

A) Do you support the use of block grants given to states in the following areas?C) Proposals have been made to reduce the budget deficit by eliminating certain departments in the executive branch. Please indicate if you would eliminate the following.

a) Agriculture
Yes b) Education
Yes c) Law Enforcement
Yes d) Medicaid
e) Medicare
Yes f) School Lunches
Yes g) Welfare
h) Other
i) Other
B) In the space provided, please explain your position on block grants.
Yes a) US Dept. of Education
Yes b) US Dept. of Energy
Yes c) US Dept. of Commerce
Yes d) US Dept. of Housing & Urban Development
Yes e) Other
Yes f) Other
Nat'l Endowment for the Arts
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Bob Dole believes that the federal government today is too large, too costly, and too intrusive. He has called for the elimination of four cabinet agencies: Education, HUD, Energy and Commerce. He opposed the establishment of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting as well as the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities and supports their elimination. ...

Please indicate what changes you support (if any) concerning levels of funding for the following categories.

a) Arts Funding
b) Environmental Cleanup and Enforcement
c) Education (K-12)
d) Farm Subsidies
e) Food Stamps
f) Housing Projects (HUD)
g) Infrastructure Projects
h) International Drug Interdiction
i) Job Training Programs
j) Law Enforcement
k) Medicaid
l) Medicare
m) NASA
n) National Institute of Health
o) Science/Medical Research
p) Student Loan Programs
q) Welfare (AFDC)
r) Other
s) Other
Yes A) Would you support legislation prohibiting Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office?
No B) Would you support legislation that establishes spending limits on congressional campaigns and provides for government funding for candidates that comply with these limits?
Yes C) Would you support eliminating the check-off box (for the presidential campaign) from the personal income tax form?
Bob Dole has been a long-standing advocate for comprehensive campaign finance reform. In 1990, he first proposed the creation of a bipartisan commission to develop reform proposals. He has subsequently introduced legislation that would ban contribution by Political Action Committees, restrict fundraising out-side a candidate's own state, prohibit 'franked' mass mailing a full year before an election, ban the practice of 'bundling' contributions and allow political parties to provide 'seed' money for opponents of incumbents.

E) Please indicate which principles you support to address crime.F) Please indicate which principles you support to reduce juvenile crime.

Yes A) Do you support capital punishment for federal crimes involving murder?
No B) Do you believe that most crime is the result of poor economic and social conditions and would be alleviated if training, education, and adequately paying jobs were available?
Yes C) Do you support proposals designed to deport any permanent resident alien if convicted of a felony?
Yes D) Are you in favor of legislation prohibiting the exclusion of evidence in criminal searches and seizures when no warrant, but just cause, is present?
X a) Impose stricter penalties for convicted violent felons.
X b) Increase spending to build more federal prisons.
X c) Increase funding to states to build and maintain more prisons and correctional facilities.
X d) Impose "truth in sentencing" for violent criminals so they serve full sentences with no chance of parole.
X e) Impose the death penalty for convicted international drug traffickers.
f) Increase funding for states that use "boot-camps" as alternative sentencing for adult first-time felons.
g) Allow federal judges flexibility in sentencing non-violent offenders.
X h) Limit the number of appeals allowed to inmates on death row.
i) Fund programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
j) Expand funding for community policing programs.
k) Create enterprise-zones for high crime areas to improve opportunities & promote economic expansion in the private sector.
X l) Increase penalties for the possession of any illegal firearms.
m) Other
a) Impose harsher penalties for youths convicted of violent offenses.
X b) Prosecute youths as adults who are third time violent felons.
X c) Prosecute youths charged with murder as adults.
X d) Increase funding for states that use "boot-camps" as alternative sentencing for juvenile offenders.
X e) Fund programs that separate violent from non-violent youth offenders and treat each accordingly.
f) Increase funding for community programs that focus on preventing youths from joining gangs.
X g) Increase funding for local Boys & Girls Clubs and other independent organizations in communities with at-risk youth.
h) Increase the availability of college loans for at-risk youth.
i) Fund programs that provide job training and placement services for at-risk youth.
j) Other

Please indicate what changes you support (if any) concerning the level of funding for the following categories.

a) Arms Control Disarmament Agency (ACDA)
b) CIA Appropriations
c) Defense Plant Conversion to Civilian Production
d) Military Hardware
e) Military Space Shuttle Missions
f) Pay for Active Duty Officers & Enlisted Personnel
g) Research & Development of New Weapons
h) Strategic Defense Initiative
i) US Information Agency (USIA)
j) Other

C) Please indicate which principles you support concerning school choice and charter schools.

Yes A) Do you support the principle of amending the United States Constitution to allow voluntary prayer and/or moment of silence in public schools?
No B) Do you support funding the National Service Program (Ameri-Corps) in which college students receive money from the federal government for college in return for performing community service?
a) Maintain the national standards & goals set forth in "Goals 2000."
b) Implement programs that provide parents with vouchers to send their children to any publicly-funded school.
X c) Implement programs that provide parents with vouchers to send their children to any participating school, public, private or religious.
X d) Implement a charter school program where teachers and/or professionals receive state authorization & funding to establish new schools.
X e) Other
Supports giving parents a larger say in where and how their children are educated.

H) Please indicate which principles you support regarding America's environment and natural resources.

Yes A) Do you support requiring the federal government to reimburse citizens when federal environmental regulations limit their use of privately owned lands?
B) Would you support the transfer of public lands, such as federal forests and range-lands, to the jurisdiction of state and local governments?
C) Do you support strengthening the Clean Water Act and enforcing regulations designed to protect drinking water, wetlands and farming water sources?
Yes D) Would you support changing the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and limiting the number of habitats eligible to be designated endangered?
Yes E) Do you support the use of "cost-benefit analysis" to determine the economic impact of proposed environmental protection and cleanup legislation?
No F) Do you support increasing the fees charged to ranchers who graze cattle on federal lands?
G) Do you support revising the 1872 mining law and increasing the amounts charged to mining companies using federal lands?
a) Enact tougher environmental standards to encourage the sale of cleaner burning gasoline throughout the nation.
b) Phase in a prohibition of pollution-causing products such as gas-powered autos and lawn mowers.
c) Increase federal taxes on gasoline and diesel fuels to promote conservation and alternative fuel development.
d) Sell public lands to private parties or to the state in which the land is located.
e) Require federal agencies to purchase a percentage of their products made from recycled materials.
f) Promote the selling of pollution credits to encourage industries to decrease amount of pollution.
X g) Other
Bob Dole supports common-sense protection of the environment. He believes in the passage of environmental legislation that seeks to further current environmental efforts, while simultaneously keeping the laws reasonable and affordable. ...
Bob Dole demonstrated courage and leadership by taking on Hollywood in its own backyard. His accusations that the entertainment industry was undermining the character of America touched a chord with parents everywhere. Bob Dole is right. Shame is a powerful weapon.

B) Please indicate which level of government should have primary responsibility for the following services.

Yes A) Do you support the unfunded mandates law passed in the 1995 session of Congress?
Federal Government a) Border Security
b) Civil Rights Enforcement
c) Education
d) Environmental Cleanup and Enforcement
State Government e) Job Training
f) Law Enforcement
State Government g) Low-Income Housing
State Government h) Medicaid (health care for poor)
Federal Government i) Medicare (health care for elderly)
State Government j) Welfare (AFDC)
k) Other

A) Please indicate your position on economic aid to Russia and the former Soviet Republics.B) Please indicate which principles you support regarding US economic aid to foreign countries.C) Please indicate whether the level of economic aid going to the following countries and/or agencies should increase, stay the same, decrease or be eliminated:

a) Economic aid to Russia & the former Republics should be increased to facilitate democracy and market reforms.
X b) Economic aid to Russia & the former Republics should be continued unless Russia exports nuclear weapons, equipment, or related technology used for weapons of mass destruction.
c) Economic aid to Russia & the former Republics should be decreased and/or eliminated.
d) Other
a) Foreign aid should be given to countries only when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten the lives of the civilian population.
b) Foreign aid should be given to countries only when it is in the security interests of the United States.
X c) Foreign aid should be given to countries that are close allies of the US and in need of financial/military assistance.
d) Foreign aid should be eliminated from any nation with documented human rights abuses.
e) Foreign aid should be scaled back and eventually eliminated except for extraordinary circumstances.
f) Other
a) Agency for International Development (AID)
b) African Development Fund
c) Contribution to UN Peace Keeping Missions
d) Egypt
e) Israel
f) Mexico
g) Turkey
h) Other
No A) Should the US have open diplomatic relations with the government of Vietnam?
No B) Should the US have open diplomatic relations with the government of Cuba?
Yes C) Should the US have open diplomatic relations with the government of China?
Yes D) Should the US have open diplomatic relations with the government of Taiwan?
F) Briefly explain under what conditions you would use the US military in the former Yugoslavia.
Yes G) Do you support continuing funding for Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty?
Yes H) Do you support continuing funding for Radio Marti and TV Marti?
I) Do you support continuing funding for Radio Free Asia?
Bob Dole disagrees with the President over sending American troops to Bosnia. Bob Dole believes, along with a bipartisan majority in Congress, that the best solution would be to lift the arms embargo allowing the Bosnians to defend themselves. But the President is the Commander and Chief and he has decided to send American troops. Once American soldiers are on the ground, following their orders and risking their lives, Bob Dole feels that Congress cannot and should not cut the funds that finance their food, arms and supplies. ...

Please indicate which principles you support concerning gun issues.

a) Expand the nationwide ban on the public sale of assault weapons to include all forms of automatic weapons.
b) Increase restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
c) Maintain all federal registration procedures and restrictions on possessing firearms.
d) Ease procedures on the purchase and registration of a firearm.
e) Eliminate all bans and measures that restrict law-abiding citizens from owning legally obtained firearms.
X f) Allow law-abiding citizens to carry a concealed firearm that is legally owned and registered.
X g) Other
Bob Dole supports the Second Amendment. He is committed to stopping criminals from purchasing firearms through an instant background check without infringing upon the rights of law-abiding citizens. ...

A) Health Care: Please indicate which principles you support regarding America's health care system.B) AIDS: Please indicate the level of federal funding you support, in each of the following categories, concerning AIDS.

a) Implement a universal health care program to guarantee coverage to all Americans regardless of income.
b) Provide vouchers to the working poor so they can buy into a private health care plan.
c) Implement a government-financed, single-payer national health care system similar to that of Canada.
d) Support a managed competition health care plan to contain costs and improve access that does not include mandated health alliances, government cost control powers, or employer/employee mandates.
X e) Provide tax incentives for small businesses to help provide health care to their employees.
X f) Allow middle and low income families to deduct yearly health care costs from their taxable income.
X g) Establish limits on the amount of damages awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
X h) Allow Americans to set up a tax-free medical savings account, which would be taxed if used for any purpose other than medical costs.
i) Other
a) Care and treatment of AIDS patients.
b) Needle exchange programs.
c) Preventive education programs.
d) R&D grants for hospitals/universities searching for a cure.

Please indicate which principles you support concerning illegal drugs.

X a) Increase penalties for selling illegal drugs.
X b) Impose mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs near schools.
X c) Impose capital punishment for convicted international drug traffickers.
d) Support mandatory drug testing for federal employees in sensitive positions (Air Traffic, Nat'l Park Police, Secret Svs, etc).
e) Strengthen current laws dealing with non-controlled substances, including inhalants and commercially-available pills.
X f) Increase spending on federally-sponsored drug education and drug treatment programs.
g) Eliminate all prohibitions on the medicinal use of marijuana.
h) Decriminalize the possession and private use of certain illegal drugs such as marijuana.
i) Other
A) Should states that receive a higher number of immigrants receive extra federal aid to provide necessary medical and social services?
B) Explain your position on US immigration policy.
C) Would you support legislation that would further limit the number of immigrants allowed into the country?
No D) Would you support legislation prohibiting states from passing laws that deny human services (such as medical care & public school education) to illegal immigrants or the children of illegal immigrants?
No E) Would you support legislation to ease citizenship requirements making it easier for immigrants to become United States citizens?
Yes F) Would you support legislation establishing English as the official language of the United States?
A) Do you support imposing tariffs on products imported from nations that maintain trade barriers that restrict the importation of American products?
No B) Do you support lifting the trade embargo imposed against Cuba?
Yes C) Should the US consider the human rights record of each nation before granting most favored nation trading status?
Yes D) Do you support NAFTA?
Undecided E) Would you support extending NAFTA into other western hemisphere countries?
Yes F) Do you support the World Trade Organization (WTO)?
Yes Do you support amending the US Constitution to grant the President the authority to veto certain items in legislation while signing the bill into law?

Please indicate which principles you support regarding the poor and homeless.

a) Provide tax incentives for companies to hire and train homeless people who want to work.
b) Increase spending on homeless shelters and/or low income housing projects.
c) Increase spending on programs that help alcoholics and drug addicts recover and find steady work.
d) Increase the minimum wage so that all full-time American workers have incomes above the poverty level.
e) Provide homeless families with apartment vouchers they can use to supplement the cost of an apartment.
f) Provide government jobs for all those who wish to work and cannot find a job in the private sector.
g) Increase the income tax deduction on individual contributions made to charities & organizations that help the poor & homeless.
h) Expand the earned-income tax credit for low income families.
i) Implement enterprise zones in communities with high unemployment.
j) Other

E) Please indicate the changes you support (if any) concerning the level of deductions allowed in personal income taxes.F) Please indicate the changes you support (if any) concerning the tax levels for the following categories.

A) Do you support replacing the US income tax structure with a flat income tax?
No B) Do you support replacing the US income tax structure with a national sales tax?
C) If you have any proposals of your own to change the US income tax system, please explain in the space provided.
Yes D) Do you support the expansion of Individual Retirement Accounts so citizens can make larger tax-free deposits?
a) Charitable Donation Deduction
b) Dependent Deduction
c) Mortgage Deduction
d) Personal Deduction
e) Other
a) Alcohol Taxes
b) Business Income Taxes
c) Capital Gains Taxes
d) Cigarette Taxes
e) Dependent Deductions on Taxable Income
f) Earned Income Tax Credit
g) Estate Taxes
h) Gas/Diesel Taxes
i) Income Taxes on Retirees Earning More than $40,000
j) Income Taxes-Families Earning Between $25,000 - $75,000
k) Income Taxes - Families Earning Between $75,000 - $150,000
l) Income Taxes - Families Earning Over $150,000
m) Other

B) If you do support term limits, please indicate the limits you support:

Yes A) Do you support amending the US Constitution to limit the number of terms US Senators and Representatives can serve in Congress?
a) House Limit in years:
No C) If you do support term limits, should such legislation be retroactive (thus affecting current office holders)?
12

Please indicate which principles you support concerning terrorism.

a) Relax current guidelines that forbid the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from investigating terrorist groups when there is a "reasonable indication" of terrorist activities.
b) Relax wiretapping restrictions, thus granting the FBI broader authority to investigate individuals or organizations suspected of terrorist activities.
c) Require that chemical tracing agents be added to commercially-sold products that can be used to produce explosives.
d) Implement tighter restrictions on the sale of firearms in an effort to hinder terrorist groups from stockpiling weapon arsenals.
X e) Grant broader authority to the US Immigration Service to deny an entrance visa to anyone suspected of being involved in terrorist activities.
f) Maintain all current federal laws and limits on the authority of federal agencies.
X g) Other
Senator Dole introduced a comprehensive antiterrorism bill earlier this year that placed restrictions on fundraising for foreign terrorist organizations, incorporated the Alien Terrorist Removal Act, and increased funding for the FBI.

Please indicate which principles you support regarding unemployment.

X a) Provide tax credits for companies that move job-creating industries into areas with high unemployment.
b) Increase funding for national job-training programs.
c) Increase funding for public works projects such as the repair of roads and bridges.
X d) Eliminate government regulations to encourage investment and economic expansion of the private sector.
e) Establish enterprise zones in areas with large numbers of unemployed.
f) Overhaul the current unemployment system by focusing on training and education in skills needed in certain industries.
g) Other

Please indicate which principles you support concerning the relationship between the United States and the United Nations.

a) The US should contribute more money and troops to the United Nations peacekeeping missions protecting civilian populations and international law.
b) The US should use military force only when our borders or US territories are attacked, when American citizens are in danger, or when our vital national security interests are at stake, and never under the flag of the United Nations.
X c) The US should participate with UN peacekeeping missions only when vital US interests are directly threatened.
d) Other

Please indicate which principles you support regarding the US welfare system.

X a) Strengthen child support collection procedures & increase penalties for parents who do not pay child support.
X b) Impose a two-year limit on welfare benefits for recipients who are able to work.
c) Require welfare recipients to accept some form of government-sponsored job after two years if unable to find work in the private sector.
X d) Require that unwed teenage mothers live with a parent or guardian (if possible) and attend school to receive benefits.
X e) Limit the benefits given to single women if they have additional children.
f) Provide child care services to welfare recipients who work or attend school.
g) Increase spending on programs that help homeless people find shelter and employment.
h) Make no substantial changes at this time.
i) Eliminate the current American welfare system.
j) Other
B) If any of your priorities will require additional government funding, please explain how you intend to obtain the additional funding.
Bob Dole believes one of the most important issues that must be addressed is the federal budget deficit. That's why Bob Dole and the Republican Members of Congress have been working to pass legislation for a balanced budget by 2002. By reigning in the federal government, passing a balanced budget and providing tax relief to the American people, Bob Dole believes he can get America's sluggish economy growing again and expand opportunities for all our people.

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