Duke Aiona, Jr.'s Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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Duke Aiona, Jr. did not provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2022 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.
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.
Hawaii Gubernatorial Election 2010 Political Courage Test
| Pro-life | a) Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life? | ||
| No | b) Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy? | ||
| No | c) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | ||
| No | d) Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor? | ||
| g) Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods? | |||
| Yes | h) Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs? | ||
| We must respect all human life. It is my personal belief that we should o everything we can to stand up and speak out for the most innocent among us. | |||
1) State SpendingIndicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.2) State TaxesIndicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.3) Budget StabilizationIndicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Hawaii's budget.
| a) Education (higher) | |||
| b) Education (K-12) | |||
| c) Environment | |||
| d) Health care | |||
| e) Law enforcement | |||
| f) Transportation and highway infrastructure | |||
| g) Welfare | |||
| Maintain Status | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
| Maintain Status | b) Cigarette taxes | ||
| c) Corporate taxes | |||
| d) Gasoline taxes | |||
| e) Property taxes | |||
| f) Sales taxes | |||
| Greatly Decrease | g) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | h) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Maintain Status | i) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| a) Tapping into Hawaii's "rainy day" fund | |||
| b) Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders | |||
| No | c) Increasing tuition rates at public universities | ||
| d) Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees | |||
| e) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients | |||
| Yes | f) Privatizing certain government services | ||
| No | g) Legalizing and regulating gambling | ||
| I believe the State has sufficient resources to fund all critical government functions and services and substantially all of the desired ones. Being smarter with how we use our existing resources should take priority over proposals to increase taxes on working families. For example, additional revenues do not guarantee education will improve. As numerous studies have shown, dedicated teachers, supportive principals and the encouragement of new and innovative teaching methods are important factors, as well as sufficient funding. | |||
| A fair, broad-based, and transparent tax system, coupled with fiscally responsible policies, will enable government to provide services more efficiently and within its means. For example, we need to take a deeper look at certain activities that have received special tax exemptions. We also need to ensure that those who owe taxes pay their fair share via vigorous enforcement and follow-up. | |||
| No employer, government or private, wants to furlough its most important resource: its employees. Whether furloughs for state employees continue depends on the fiscal health of the state. If the economy recovers sufficiently, furloughs will end. If the economic outlook is still unclear then it may be necessary to continue the furlough of state employees to avoid increasing the tax burden on Hawai'i residents, families and businesses who suffer from one of the highest overall tax rates in the nation. | |||
c) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?
| Yes | a) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Hawaii governors? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Hawaii state legislators? | ||
| Yes | 1) Individual | ||
| Yes | 2) Political Action Committee | ||
| Yes | 3) Corporate | ||
| Yes | 4) Political Party | ||
| Yes | d) Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information? | ||
| f) Other or expanded principles | |||
| No | a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment? | ||
| No | c) Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized? | ||
| Yes | d) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | ||
| Yes | e) Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges? | ||
| f) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | |||
| g) Other or expanded principles | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers? | ||
| No | c) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| No | e) Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| No | f) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure? | ||
| While some believe big businesses drive our economies, our small businesses do much of the "heavy lifting." In Hawai'i, small businesses represent 99 percent of all our businesses. Recently I met with more than 120 small business owners over 100 days. As I listened to these entrepreneurs, it's clear that we must ensure a friendly business climate in Hawai'i. Instead of making it harder for businesses to grow, we ought to make it easier. Government doesn't create the jobs that fuel our economy over the long-term, but as governor, I can make it easier for those who do. | |||
| No | a) Do you support national education standards? | ||
| b) Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams? | |||
| Yes | c) Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid? | ||
| No | f) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Hawaii high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
| We must ensure Hawai'i has a world-class public education system, which is the key to long-term prosperity and broad-based economic growth. Hawai'i has some of the best teachers in the world, but without enough money going into the classroom, they don't have the resources to achieve their goals. It's not just about spending more money, it's about getting the most out of every dollar we invest. I'll support "Race to the Top" educational reforms, direct more money to the classroom, expand STEM programs in all schools by 2012, expand pre-kindergarten opportunities and strive for a world-class University system. | |||
| Yes | a) Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy? | ||
| No | b) Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)? | ||
| Yes | c) Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support state funding for improvements to Hawaii's energy infrastructure? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support state funding for open space preservation? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change? | ||
| I'm committed to the long-term vision of making Hawai'i the greenest place on Earth and doing it in a way that's affordable for all of our citizens. I helped launch the Hawai'i Clean Energy Initiative, which is helping to transform Hawai'i from the most fossil fuel dependent state in the nation into a worldwide leader in clean energy. And as Governor, I'm committed to pursuing a clean energy future free of the dependency of oil. This will not only benefit the environment, it will create jobs and keep money in our economy that is otherwise being spent on foreign sources. | |||
| No | a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| Yes | b) Do you support requiring background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | ||
| No | c) Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns? | ||
| Yes | d) Do you support requiring a license for gun possession? | ||
| As a former State judge, I understand the Second Amendment, which allows for the ownership of firearms and he has sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution. | |||
| No | a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option? | ||
| b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform? | |||
| Yes | c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts? | ||
| No | d) Should individuals be required to purchase health care insurance? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits? | ||
| No | f) Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Hawaii? | ||
| No | g) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes? | ||
| As Governor, my vision is for Hawai'i's citizens to lead healthy, productive lives with access to affordable, high-quality health care that is available to all and where a healthy lifestyle is the norm. To achieve this goal, I'll pursue policies that focus on prevention rather than just treatment of illnesses. I'll work to expand health care options available to Hawai'i's families and encourage a greater number of providers to ensure we have a competitive market that gives our citizens meaningful choices when choosing insurance. And I'll pursue programs that increase our supply of well-trained physicians, nurses and health care professionals. | |||
| Yes | a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman? | ||
| No | b) Should Hawaii allow same-sex couples to form civil unions? | ||
| No | c) Do you support state funding for stem cell research? | ||
| No | d) Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research? | ||
| Yes | e) Do you support the state's use of affirmative action? | ||
| Yes | f) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Hawaii's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| Yes | g) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Hawaii's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
| I believe each state needs to handle the issue in accordance with the will of its people. In Hawai'i, I believe the will of the people has been clear on the issue of same-sex marriage and civil unions, as demonstrated by election vote in 1998 and public opposition in 2009. The wonderful thing about our system of government is that we encourage dialogue from all parties, regardless of the size of their constituency. Thus, it is commendable and admirable when people make their beliefs known in a respectful way in an effort engender the type of change they seek. | |||
| I'm running for Governor to ensure balance, integrity and good judgment in state government while reducing the financial burden on our working families and small businesses, creating jobs and investing in the quality of our education system. As Governor, my most important job will be jobs. To achieve this goal, I'll focus on cultivating a business-friendly environment by minimizing bureaucratic delays, investing in naturally competitive industries, creating a competitive tax system and investing in Hawai'i's human capital. My vision is for all of our residents to live, work and raise a family in a Hawai'i they can afford and enjoy. |
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