Nelson Cole refused to tell citizens where he stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2012 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.
Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning abortion.
X | a) Abortions should always be legally available. | ||
X | b) Abortions should be legally available when the procedure is completed within the first trimester of pregnancy. | ||
c) Abortions should be legal only when the pregnancy resulted from incest, rape, or when the life of the woman is endangered. | |||
d) Abortions should be legal only when the life of the woman is endangered. | |||
e) Abortions should always be illegal. | |||
f) Abortions should be limited by waiting periods and parental notification requirements. | |||
Yes | g) Should North Carolina government funding be provided to clinics and medical facilities that provide abortion services? | ||
h) Other |
Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding affirmative action in North Carolina.
X | a) North Carolina government should prosecute cases of discrimination in the public and private sectors. | ||
b) North Carolina government should provide no affirmative action programs. | |||
c) North Carolina should increase its efforts to integrate the state's system of higher education. | |||
No | d) Do you believe that North Carolina government should recognize same-sex marriages? | ||
Undecided | e) Do you believe that North Carolina government should add sexual orientation to the state's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
f) Other |
Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding children & family issues in North Carolina.
X | a) Increase state funding for programs to prevent teen pregnancy. | ||
b) Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees. | |||
X | c) Deny or suspend state-issued permits and licenses to parents who are delinquent in paying court-ordered child support. | ||
X | d) Advocate stricter child labor laws which would not allow teens to work in high crime or high risk situations. | ||
e) Other |
Please indicate which principles you support (if any) to address crime in North Carolina.
X | a) Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and for hiring of additional prison staff. | ||
X | b) Expand and promote "community policing" programs. | ||
X | c) Support "truth in sentencing" for violent criminals so they serve their full sentences with no chance of parole. | ||
X | d) Expand the use of the death penalty for additional circumstances relating to murder. | ||
e) Oppose the death penalty. | |||
X | f) Implement penalties other than incarceration (e.g. community service, work programs, house arrest) for non-violent offenders. | ||
X | g) Require mandatory life sentences for third-time, violent felons. | ||
X | h) Inform communities when a convicted sex offender moves into the community. | ||
X | i) Increase state funds for programs which rehabilitate and educate inmates during and after their prison sentences. | ||
j) Decriminalize the possession and private use of certain illegal drugs such as marijuana. | |||
X | k) Strengthen penalties and sentences associated with drug-related crimes. | ||
X | l) Implement chain gangs in which prison inmates work together in chained work groups. | ||
X | m) Support contracting with private sector firms to manage state prisons. | ||
X | n) Advocate the use of prison inmate labor for public works projects such as prison construction. | ||
X | o) Toughen and strictly enforce penalties for those committing "hate crimes" directed against a specific group. | ||
X | p) Require prison inmates to pay for their incarceration. | ||
X | q) Other | ||
Victim compensation should be a condition for probation or parole. |
Please indicate which principles you support (if any) to address juvenile crime in North Carolina.
X | a) Prosecute juveniles who commit murder or other serious, violent crimes as adults. | ||
X | b) Provide state funding for military-style "boot-camps" as alternatives to incarceration for juvenile first-time felons. | ||
X | c) Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth. | ||
X | d) Support state funding of programs for at-risk youth such as guaranteed college loans and job training and placement. | ||
X | e) Support mandatory curfews for minors in high crime areas. | ||
f) Other |
Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning North Carolina's economic development.
a) Increase state funds for improving the state's transportation system, including major roadways, railways, and airports. | |||
X | b) Provide low interest loans and tax credits for expanding, start-up, or relocating businesses. | ||
c) Do not provide loans, tax credits or other incentives to expanding, start-up, or relocating businesses. | |||
d) Expand legalized gambling (e.g. casino gambling, state lottery, slot machines). | |||
X | e) Reduce state government regulations on the private sector. | ||
f) Remove state government controls or caps from wages, prices, rents, profits, production, and interest rates. | |||
X | g) Support limits on cash damages in lawsuits against businesses and professionals for product liability or malpractice. | ||
X | h) Increase state funding for programs to re-train unemployed workers. | ||
X | i) Provide tax incentives to attract out-of-state businesses to relocate to North Carolina. | ||
No | j) Do you support expanding the state's workers' compensation law to include full coverage for all agricultural workers? | ||
X | k) Other | ||
Incentives offered should be used only to the extent necessary to remain competetive with other states. |
Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding North Carolina's education system.
X | a) Increase state funds for professional development and salaries of public school faculty. | ||
b) Endorse teacher-led voluntary school prayer in public schools. | |||
X | c) Encourage private or corporate investment in certain public school programs. | ||
d) Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious, technical). | |||
X | e) Implement charter schools where teachers and other professionals receive state authorization and funding to establish new schools. | ||
X | f) Require the use of state-wide achievement standards for all North Carolina public schools. | ||
X | g) Emphasize local control of education as long as the school district meets state health and safety standards. | ||
X | h) Support sex education programs which stress abstinence. | ||
i) Support sex education programs which stress safe sexual practices. | |||
X | j) Support a school choice program which allows parents to choose which public school their child(ren) should attend. | ||
X | k) Increase state funds for school security (e.g. metal detectors, truancy officers). | ||
X | l) Other | ||
Mandate discipline and parent teacher conferences. |
Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning North Carolina's environment and natural resources.
a) Enact tougher environmental standards to encourage the sale of cleaner burning fuels in North Carolina. | |||
X | b) Support "self-audit" legislation which creates incentives for polluting industries to audit themselves and clean up pollution. | ||
X | c) Require a cost/benefit analysis be completed on the economic impact of proposed environmental regulations before they are implemented. | ||
X | d) Require the state to reimburse citizens when state-sponsored environmental regulations limit the use of privately owned land. | ||
X | e) Provide funding for recycling programs in North Carolina. | ||
X | f) Request flexibility from the federal government in enforcing and funding environmental regulations. | ||
g) Suspend North Carolina's participation in unfunded, federally mandated environmental protection legislation. | |||
X | h) Maintain minimum environmental quality as mandated by current federal regulations. | ||
X | i) Support the current system which automatically awards permits to hog farms which have a certified waste management plan. | ||
X | j) Toughen the permit process for hog farms by requiring owners to pay an application fee and implement state-regulated "Best Management Practice" waste cleanup standards. | ||
X | k) Increase funds to clean up the Newse River. | ||
l) Enforce stricter standards requiring physical barriers between agricultural and residential property and the Newse River. | |||
No | m) Do you support continuing North Carolina's status as a host state for commercial low-level radioactive waste disposal? | ||
n) Other |
Yes | a) Would you support amending the North Carolina Constitution to limit the terms of State Senators and Representatives? | ||
Yes | b) Do you support the current law which limits the North Carolina Governor's terms to a maximum of two consecutive four-year terms? | ||
Yes | c) Do you support amending the U.S. Constitution to require an annual balanced federal budget? | ||
Yes | d) Do you support requiring limits on individual contributions to state legislative candidates? | ||
Yes | e) Do you support requiring limits on PAC contributions to state legislative candidates? | ||
Yes | f) Do you support requiring limits on corporate contributions to state legislative candidates? | ||
Yes | g) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information? | ||
Yes | h) Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns? | ||
No | i) Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns? | ||
j) Other |
Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning gun issues.
a) Support expanding the nationwide federal ban on the public sale of assault weapons to include all forms of semi-automatic weapons. | |||
b) Increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms. | |||
X | c) Maintain all state registration procedures and state restrictions on possessing firearms. | ||
d) Ease state procedures and restrictions on the purchase and registration of firearms. | |||
X | e) Repeal all state bans and measures that restrict law-abiding citizens from obtaining firearms. | ||
X | f) Continue to allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms. | ||
g) Other |
Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning North Carolina's health care system.
X | a) Expand state funding for pre-natal and infant care programs available in the state, including immunizations. | ||
X | b) Provide tax incentives to assist small businesses in providing health care to their employees. | ||
c) Ensure that North Carolina's citizens have access to basic health care, through managed care, insurance reforms, or state funded care where necessary. | |||
X | d) Guaranteeing medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government. | ||
X | e) Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits. | ||
X | f) Support legislation requiring health insurance providers to cover certain medical expenses (e.g. 48-hr. hospital stay for mothers after childbirth). | ||
X | g) Impose and enforce stricter state regulations on nursing and long-term care facilities for seniors to ensure they provide proper care. | ||
h) Other |
Indicate what changes you support (if any) concerning levels of funding for the following categories. Select one option only.
Slightly Increase | a) Abortion | ||
Maintain Status | b) Affirmative Action | ||
Maintain Status | c) Agriculture | ||
Slightly Increase | d) AIDS programs | ||
Greatly Increase | e) Education | ||
Slightly Increase | f) Environment | ||
Maintain Status | g) Health Care | ||
Greatly Increase | h) Law Enforcement | ||
Slightly Increase | i) "Smart Start" - Program which provides child care, nutrition and preschool education to all North Carolina children. | ||
Greatly Decrease | j) Welfare | ||
k) Other | |||
l) Other |
Indicate the changes you support (if any) concerning North Carolina's tax levels. Select one option only.
Maintain Status | a) Alcohol Taxes | ||
Slightly Decrease | b) Business Taxes | ||
Slightly Decrease | c) Capital Gains Taxes | ||
Slightly Decrease | d) Income Taxes(incomes less than $75,000) | ||
Slightly Decrease | e) Income Taxes(incomes greater than $75,000) | ||
Slightly Decrease | f) Property Taxes | ||
Slightly Decrease | g) Sales Taxes | ||
Slightly Decrease | h) Sales Tax on groceries | ||
Maintain Status | i) State Fees | ||
j) Other | |||
k) Other | |||
Undecided | l) Do you support a flat tax structure for state income taxes? |
Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding North Carolina's welfare system.
X | a) Provide child care services to welfare recipients who work or attend school. | ||
X | b) Allow welfare recipients with small children to work and still receive state-funded health care and child care until they become self-sufficient. | ||
X | c) Require that able-bodied welfare recipients receive job training, attend school, or work in order to receive welfare benefits. | ||
X | d) Require that unwed mothers under the age of 18 attend school and live with a parent or guardian (if possible) to receive welfare benefits. | ||
X | e) Limit the welfare benefits given to recipients if they have additional children. | ||
f) Provide two-parent families living in poverty the same welfare benefits as one-parent families. | |||
g) Eliminate government-funded welfare and advocate privately funded assistance to people in need. | |||
X | h) Impose a two-year limit on welfare benefits for recipients who are able to work. | ||
X | i) Support a "workfare" program in which welfare recipients are required to work in order to receive benefits. | ||
j) Other |
First priority is education followed closely by the crime problem. Discipline and parental support are a must before education can begin. I will introduce legislation to allow local school boards to mandate discipline standards along with parent/teacher conferences. #2 is 'right sizing' government - maximize personnel, consolidate, eliminate duplication and waste. |
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