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Ed Thompson's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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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.

Ed Thompson refused to tell citizens where he stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2010 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.

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.

Wisconsin Gubernatorial Election 2002 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.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning abortion.

a) Abortions should always be illegal.
b) Abortions should always be legally available.
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
f) Eliminate public funding for abortions and public funding of organizations that advocate or perform abortions.
X g) Other or expanded principles
I will not change the current abortion law in Wisconsin.

State Budget: Indicate the funding levels you will support for the following general categories.State Taxes: Indicate the tax levels you will support.State Budget Reform: Indicate which principles you support (if any) to address state budget reform.

a) Education (Higher)
b) Education (K-12)
c) Environment
d) Health care
e) Law enforcement
f) Transportation and Highway infrastructure
g) Welfare
Greatly Decrease a) Alcohol taxes
Greatly Decrease b) Capital gains taxes
Greatly Decrease c) Cigarette taxes
Greatly Decrease d) Corporate taxes
Greatly Decrease e) Estate taxes
Greatly Decrease f) Gasoline taxes
Greatly Decrease g) Income taxes (incomes below $75,000)
Greatly Decrease h) Income taxes (incomes above $75,000)
Greatly Decrease i) Property taxes
Greatly Decrease j) Sales taxes
Greatly Decrease k) Vehicle taxes
No m) Should Internet sales be taxed?
Yes n) Should increases in state taxes require prior approval by voters?
X a) Build reserve funds.
X b) Decrease government spending.
c) Raise state taxes.
X d) Other or expanded principles
I pledge to dramatically reduce state spending and refuse to sign any budget that fails to cut spending.
I pledge to fight to, and to propose state budgets that will, dramatically lower taxes and take Wisconsin off the list of the top ten taxed states in the nation.
I pledge to fight against and veto any and all state tax increases or expansions of what is subjected to taxes. I pledge to fight against and veto any and all decreases in shared revenue that would result in local governments having to raise taxes or fees.
Eight year term limit for all state elected office-holders. I will propose a budget free of non-fiscal policy issues and will veto any non-fiscal policy issues put in the budget by the legislature.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.c) Do you support limiting the following types of contributions to state legislative and gubernatorial candidates?

Yes a) Do you support limiting the number of terms for Wisconsin governors?
Yes b) Do you support limiting the number of terms for Wisconsin state senators and representatives?
No 1) Individual
No 2) PAC
No 3) Corporate
No 4) Political Parties
Yes d) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
No e) Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns?
Undecided f) Do you support voting on-line?
Yes g) Do you support adopting statewide standards for counting, verifying and ensuring accuracy of votes?
Undecided h) Do you support prohibiting the reporting of media exit polling results until all polling locations in Wisconsin are closed?
Yes i) Should Wisconsin recognize civil unions between same-sex couples?
j) Should Wisconsin restrict marriage to a union only between a man and a woman?
No k) Should Wisconsin prohibit drivers from using hand-held cellular phones while driving?
Eliminate the shadow caucuses in the legislature that are campaigning with our tax dollars and shaking down lobbyists for campaign contributions. Prosecute those responsible for the caucus scandals. Seek retribution for the taxpayers. Eight year term limits for all state elected office-holders.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) to address crime.

a) Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and for hiring of additional prison staff.
b) Support contracting with private sector firms to build and/or manage state prisons.
c) Implement the use of the death penalty in Wisconsin.
X d) Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
e) End parole for repeat violent offenders.
X f) Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
X g) Decriminalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
h) Strengthen penalties and sentences for drug-related crimes.
i) Lower the .10 blood-alcohol-content limit defining drunk driving.
j) Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
k) Require that crimes based on gender, sexual orientation or disability be prosecuted as hate crimes.
X l) Ban the use of racial profiling by law enforcement officers.
m) Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
n) Increase state funding for additional security of critical infrastructure against terrorist attacks.
X o) Other or expanded principles
Cut the state prison budget by $500 million. It will still be twice the 1989 budget. We can do this through reforms including placing nonviolent offenders in alternatives to prison decriminalizing marijuana and returning sentencing discretion to judges.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

a) Support national standards and testing of public school students.
X b) Support state funding for vouchers that allow parents to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious).
X c) Support public funding for online charter schools.
d) Increase state funds for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings and infrastructure).
e) Increase state funds for hiring additional teachers.
f) Support teacher testing and reward teachers with merit pay.
g) Support displaying the Ten Commandments in public schools.
h) Endorse teacher-led voluntary prayer in public schools.
i) Require public schools to administer high school exit exams.
X j) Provide state funding to increase teacher salaries.
k) Increase state funding to expand Head Start programs.
X l) Provide state funding for tax incentives and financial aid to help make college more affordable.
m) Support age-appropriate sexual education programs that teach about abstinence, contraceptives and HIV/STD prevention methods.
n) Support abstinence-only sexual education programs.
X o) Other or expanded principles
Return local control to public schools and move money from capital improvements and state bureaucracy. Elminate state mandates on local public schools. Expand the successful Milwaukee voucher and charter school program statewide (for up to $380 million in taxpayer savings). Respect parents home-schooling their children.

Employment: Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning employment.Affirmative Action: Should race, ethnicity or gender be taken into account in state agencies' decisions on:

a) Increase funding for state job-training programs that re-train displaced workers or teach skills needed in today's job market.
X b) Reduce state government regulations on the private sector to encourage investment and economic expansion.
c) Provide low interest loans and tax credits for starting, expanding or relocating businesses.
d) Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees.
e) Increase state funds to provide child care for children of low-income working families.
f) Include sexual orientation in Wisconsin's anti-discrimination laws.
X g) Other or expanded principles
No a) College and university admissions
No b) Public employment
No c) State contracting
Cut state spending to dramatically lower taxes. We have a beautiful state, a great workforce, and wonderful schools. The high taxes keeping us from bringing in and keeping great jobs.
As Governor, I will demand that state employment, contracting and admissions be based on the applicant's qualifications.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

a) Promote increased use of alternative fuel technology.
b) Increase financial incentives to municipalities that allow construction of power plants in their communities.
c) Use state funds to clean up former industrial and commercial sites that are contaminated, unused or abandoned.
d) Should Wisconsin increase state funding to combat chronic wasting disease (CWD)?
e) Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
f) Should state environmental regulations be stricter than federal law?
X g) Other or expanded principles
I refuse to take special interest money. I will look to good science to make environmental decissions. The big polluters must pay to clean up their messes.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning gun issues.

a) Ban the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns, except those used for hunting.
b) Maintain and strengthen the enforcement of existing state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
X c) Ease state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
X d) Repeal state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
X e) Allow citizens to carry concealed guns.
f) Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks on guns.
g) Require background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows.
h) Require a license for gun possession.
X i) Other or expanded principles
As Governor, I will push for the adoption of shall issue concealed carry (preferably Vermont syle). I support a state constitutional amendement affirming the right to keep and bear arms and to hunt.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health issues.

X a) Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms or state-funded care where necessary.
b) Transfer more existing Medicaid recipients into managed care programs.
X c) Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
X d) Support patients' right to sue their HMOs.
e) Support patients' right to appeal to an administrative board of specialists when services are denied by their HMO.
f) Guaranteed medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
g) Legalize physician-assisted suicide in Wisconsin.
h) Increase state funding for training health workers to recognize and respond to the release of biological agents.
X i) Other or expanded principles
Adopt medical savings accounts so people can afford insurance and build savings at the same time. Adopt a small business insurance pool similar to the one Governor McCallum vetoed, so small businesses and farmers can get cheaper insurance through their combined power.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare.

a) Support current time limits on welfare benefits.
b) Increase employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
c) Provide tax incentives to businesses that hire welfare recipients.
d) Provide child care for welfare recipients who work.
e) Increase access to public transportation for welfare recipients who work.
f) Eliminate government-funded welfare programs.
g) Redirect welfare funding to faith-based and community-based private organizations.
h) Use federal TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) funds to expand state services to include the working poor.
X i) Other or expanded principles
I want to thoroughly review Wisconsins welfare programs to ensure that they are providing the best help-especially to the elderly and disabled-in the most efficient manner. In particular, we should focus on self sufficency, encouraging home care over one size fits all nursing homes.
Solve the budget deficit and dramatically lower taxes: Preserve shared revenue to keep local taxes down. Veto any tax or fee increase or expansion. Accountability budgeting: justify every tax dollar spent. Major spending cuts. Refuse special interest money. Legalize, regulate, and tax gambling. If local people vote for a casino, let them have one. Every dollar in gambling revenue is a dollar less in taxes. Fight rampant corruption.

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