Shelli Yoder's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
Office:
- Councilor (Monroe County, IN) - District 1
- State Senate (IN) - District 40, Democratic Assistant Minority Caucus Chair, Assistant Minority Leader
On The Ballot: Running, Democratic for State Senate (IN) - District 40
Key
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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.
Indiana Congressional Election 2012 Political Courage Test
| Pro-choice | Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| Reproductive rights are fundamental to women's health and well-being. Women have the right to choose their doctors and health care. That right to choose is a personal decision, and nobody--least of all the government--should be allowed to make that choice for women. | |||
| Yes | Do you support a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan? | ||
| No | Do you support United States' combat operations in Afghanistan? | ||
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| [Do you support United States' combat operations in Afghanistan?]: Not currently. I support the President's plan to withdraw our troops from Afghanistan. The War in Afghanistan is more than a decade old, making it the longest war in American history. Now that Osama bin Laden has been killed and Al Quaeda is decimated, there is little reason to remain. I would support accelerating withdrawal of troops in an orderly but quick manner. Our troops have fought valiantly and represented America honorably. However, now it is time to bring them home as quickly as is possible and safe. | |||
Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing the federal budget.In order to balance the budget,
| Yes | do you support reducing defense spending? | ||
| Yes | do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? | ||
| No | do you support reducing Medicaid spending? | ||
| No | do you support reducing Medicare spending? | ||
| Yes | Is balancing the budget a legislative priority? | ||
| [In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?]: We can reduce defense spending not only by bringing our troops home from Afghanistan, but also by reducing unnecessary spending by the Pentagon. We spend more on constant defense expenditures now than at any time during the height of the Cold War, yet our return on this record spending does not seem justified. Just as we are asking of all government spending, the Pentagon needs to tighten it's belt. [In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?]: I [...] | |||
| Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | |||
| [...] constitutionally permitted under Citizens United v. FEC is disclosure. Disclosure is currently required of "Super PACs." However, meaningful disclosure is not required of 527s and non-profits engaged in "issue advertising." I support strict and timely disclosure requirements of all independent spending by non-profits and 527s engaged in issue advertising. The Supreme Court should revisit Citizens United and reverse its earlier decision. While I support a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, I do not believe it is likely to pass in the near future. | |||
| No | Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| Our judicial system makes far too many mistakes in convictions, including capital convictions. The current system is too arbitrary and discriminatory to let capital punishment stand. I support a national moratorium until such time as we are convinced that punishments are being meted our evenly and fairy. | |||
| Yes | Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| Yes | Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| Yes | Do you support spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| Yes | Do you support the temporary extension of unemployment benefits? | ||
| Yes | Do you support the 2010 temporary extension of tax relief? | ||
| [Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?] I support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth. [Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation?]: Tax incentives should be provided ONLY when a business is held to its promises used to achieve those incentives, and if the promised jobs materialize. Otherwise, the business should pay the incentives back to the government. Already the taxpayer provides many incentives: sewers, roads, water lines, garbage disposal, etc. Allowing businesses to use the entire infrastructure without shouldering any of the burdens [...] | |||
| No | Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants? | ||
| Education is strapped by lack of funds and other measures that vary, state by state; dumping another unfunded mandate on schools while threatening to withhold needed funds is nothing short of blackmail and directly harms our most vulnerable citizens - children. | |||
| No | Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production? | ||
| [...] there need to be more restrictions, not fewer, and there need to be more enforcement personnel, as well. | |||
| Yes | Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change? | ||
| Yes | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| [Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change?]: Science is not a belief system. The science shows clearly that we humans are quickly causing our own climate to change, to become warmer, which will lead to predictable consequences. We must act before it is too late for our survival. [Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?]: Unequivocally. It is but one step to reduce the heat in our atmosphere. | |||
| Yes | Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| The Second Amendment was much appreciated in the rural area where I was raised, and I support the laws on the books. Criminals who are convicted of using guns to commit crimes should be prosecuted to the full extent of those laws. | |||
| No | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act? | ||
| Yes | Should individuals be required to purchase health insurance, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act? | ||
| [Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act?]: The ACA is a step in the right direction. The addition of a Public Option would further help to keep cost down. [Should individuals be required to purchase health insurance, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act?]: We already pay for healthcare for all, in that those who don't have insurance get care, can't pay, and we pay for it via high premiums and costs. Further, those who are sick and don't have insurance wait longer to get care, meaning it is more expensive and less successful. Insurance for [...] | |||
| No | Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? | ||
| Yes | Do you support allowing illegal immigrants, who were brought to the United States as minors, to pursue citizenship without returning to their country of origin? | ||
| No | Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration law by state and local police? | ||
| [Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?]: Otherwise law-abiding immigrants and their families should be provided the opportunity to become citizens. [Do you support allowing illegal immigrants, who were brought to the United States as minors, to pursue citizenship without returning to their country of origin?]: I support the DREAM Act. [Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration law by state and local police?]: Border security is the responsibility of the federal government and should remain so. | |||
| Yes | Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
| Marriage equality is not a government issue; the government should not be able to tell someone who they will love, or to whom they will leave their property, for example. Government should stay out of these private affairs of individuals. | |||
| No | Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? | ||
| This is another scheme to weaken and eventually destroy Social Security, and I will never do that. We need to protect both Social Security and Medicare; both are promises we make to our seniors, and I intend to keep those promises and protect their investments. | |||
SpendingIndicate what federal spending levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category; you can use a number more than once.TaxesIndicate what federal tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category; you can use a number more than once.
| Maintain Status | a) Agriculture | ||
| Slightly Increase | b) Arts | ||
| Slightly Decrease | c) Defense | ||
| Greatly Increase | d) Education | ||
| Greatly Increase | e) Environment | ||
| Slightly Decrease | f) Homeland Security | ||
| Maintain Status | g) International aid | ||
| Slightly Increase | h) Medical Research | ||
| Slightly Increase | i) Scientific Research | ||
| Slightly Increase | j) Space exploration | ||
| Maintain Status | k) United Nations | ||
| Maintain Status | l) Welfare | ||
| m) Other or expanded categories | |||
| Greatly Increase | a) Capital gains taxes | ||
| Slightly Increase | b) Corporate taxes | ||
| Greatly Increase | c) Excise taxes (alcohol) | ||
| Greatly Increase | d) Excise taxes (cigarettes) | ||
| Greatly Decrease | e) Excise taxes (transportation fuel) | ||
| Eliminate | f) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Greatly Increase | h) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| Slightly Increase | i) Inheritance taxes | ||
| Slightly Decrease | j) Payroll taxes | ||
| Greatly Increase | k) Other or expanded categories | ||
| Financial-transactions tax | |||
| As a working Mom, I will be your fresh voice in Congress that will better represent the needs of working families. My priorities include: Bring new businesses and jobs back to Southern Indiana; increase opportunities for job training/retraining for the unemployed; support good public education; insure all families have equal access to quality medical care; and protect Social Security and Medicare for seniors. I have the professional training and education to lead this collaboratively, including Hoosiers and our values in decisions that affect us every day. Funding is a matter of priorities - mine are the working people of [...] |
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