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Tracy Mitrano's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Key

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.

Tracy Mitrano has failed to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2020 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.

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Issue Positions

For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2020.

  • "The Senate is voting tonight on an abortion ban, but let's call it what it is-- an attack on women's rights. It's not expected to pass, but you should still tell your reps to vote NO, because one thing we know for sure--the GOP will bring it back again and again until it passes." (twitter.com)
  • ""But Tom Reed is always in favor of cutting taxes for the wealthiest and growing the deficit. We need a House member who will represent our interests, support our needs, and put principle over party. I believe Tracy will be that representative." (twitter.com)
  • ""The 1% must pay their fair share! The 1% will receive a 69,000 tax cut from the #TaxCutsandJobsAct," said Tracy on highlighting the gross inequalities in tax benefits between our nation's wealthiest and middle-class Americans." (twitter.com)
  • "To pass a tax cut bill that disproportionately benefits the wealthiest Americans and then turn around and blame entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security as the reason for the ballooning debt is unfair and unjust to the American people." (twitter.com)
  • "Residents in NY-23 rely heavily on Social Security and Medicare. In Congress, I will work to protect and expand those programs, not slash their budgets to pay for tax cuts that benefit executive salaries and corporate stockholders." (twitter.com)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "We need a national security plan which includes a robust military, secured digital borders, and protecting our natural resources. I'm proud to have a background in cybersecurity, and even more proud to have earned this veteran's vote." (twitter.com)
  • "As your representative, I pledge to work to improve public transportation throughout the district, expand robust rural broadband services for residents, business-owners, and farmers, and to build and/or repair our road, bridges, highway and rail systems as needed." (mitrano2020.com)
  • "Our roads, bridges and railways must be properly maintained to make our towns and businesses easily reachable; additionally, we need transportation systems that support working class people and their families getting to work and school easily and quickly. " (mitrano2020.com)
  • "Residents in NY-23 rely heavily on Social Security and Medicare. In Congress, I will work to protect and expand those programs, not slash their budgets to pay for tax cuts that benefit executive salaries and corporate stockholders." (twitter.com)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "Now, Congress says they will not even touch the issue until next year. In our predominantly rural district we need a bold and innovative vision for infrastructure development. We need a plan that can help us take advantage of our plentiful renewable energy sources." (twitter.com)
  • "This area is ripe to become a leader in renewable energy and green technology development. We cannot let #NY23 become a dumping ground for other municipalities. We must have a fully funded and staffed EPA to protect and force environmental regulations. #BlueWave2018". (twitter.com)
  • "But what we did agree on was a love of place & a need to protect that place. I love living in #NY23 for its lakes, farmlands, forests, & wildlife. Reed’s track record extending deadlines for the EPA is upsetting & puts forth a temporary fix rather than a long-term solution." (twitter.com)
  • "Federal funding for climate change research to both reduce our contributions to the changing climate as well as to support our businesses, especially our farmers, as they adapt to increasingly unpredictable weather patterns." (mitrano2020.com)
  • "Green New Deal! Watch this video to learn about the principled framework weaving the economic, social, and political issues to address climate change, social justice, and renewable energies." (twitter.com)
  • "I support comprehensive background checks on all gun sales, eliminating the loopholes that allow anyone to buy a gun, no questions asked." (mitrano2020.com)
  • "Is this a joke? Using the words "harmful" & "dead" to celebrate this attack on the Affordable Care Act, which may now collapse with no replacement, is tone deaf & out of touch with lower & middle class Americans. What is really "harmful" is not being able to afford appts & meds." (twitter.com)
  • "The Affordable Care Act isn't perfect, but it contains the necessary protection for those with pre-existing conditions: a protection that Republicans, including @TomReedCongress , have repeatedly attempted to pull back, even while claiming to support it." (twitter.com)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "I don't believe the benefits Trump says the wall will bring outweigh the costs." (twitter.com)
  • "Congress must now pass comprehensive immigration reform." (mitrano2020.com)
  • "earned documentation for those who are already in the U.S. undocumented and having lived here exercising unblemished citizenship" (mitrano2020.com)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "For those who thought it was impossible for Congress to conduct business as usual with the impeachment hearings -- the House has achieved a #USMCA (new NAFTA) agreement. This is a huge win for American workers, manufacturers, and farmers!" (twitter.com)
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.
Pro-choice Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
I firmly believe in a woman's right to access medically safe and legal means of abortion. I find efforts in many states to restrict access to women's reproductive rights to be unconstitutional, against our nation's values, and dangerous. The deeply personal decision to terminate a pregnancy should be made through the consultation of a woman, her doctor, and her partner should she choose so - not the government. It is critical that we defend pro-choice legislation and reaffirm women's reproductive rights as we navigate the uncertain future under this new Supreme Court.
Yes In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
Yes In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?
I firmly believe that we need to make the tax cuts for middle and working class people permanent while re-instituting previous tax rates on the wealthy. Furthermore, I believe that we must amend our tax system in order to include a greater diversity of tax brackets in the highest ends of the income scale. An individual making $2 million dollars a year is living a different quality of life from someone making $200,000 and tax rates and brackets should reflect those differences fairly.
Yes Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
While I support the regulation of corporate donations, I believe that unions should have the right to be activists for their members through any political action committee. Unions have been targeted and the definition of collective bargaining has been limited for too long. We need to defend the rights and interests of workers across this country.
Yes Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Yes Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
I believe that lowering the corporate tax rate can support economic growth in principle, but there must be mechanisms by which we ensure that those dollars are going to benefit workers rather than corporate shareholders. In the area of federal spending, our district desperately needs federal investment in our infrastructure as a means of promoting economic growth. Too much of our district has no access to the internet. Too many of our roads and bridges need to be repaired. We need the kind of federal spending on basic services that will attract private capital.
No Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
I believe that states and communities must pursue innovative and creative ideas to improve the lives of students. I do not believe that a one-system-fits-all scenario benefits the many children across our district that need help. I believe in federal investment in education, especially early education like a universal Head Start program. However the Common Core program too often misses the very children that it is supposed to help and does not sufficiently address the needs of the many diverse corners of our district.
Yes Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
Yes Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
Climate change and extreme weather events present a potentially existential threat to our country. We need to to develop alternative means of energy production and move away from fossil fuels and polluting technologies like fracking. I support a federal ban on fracking because the US cannot sacrifice its position as a world leader to pursue an energy source that endangers our short-term and long-term health.
No Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
While I support airtight, universal background checks that close the "private sale" or "gun show" loopholes. I do not support federal legislation restricting the rights of law-abiding gun owners. I do believe in repealing the immunity from civil lawsuits that gun manufacturers have taken advantage of since the passage of the PLCAA in 2005. I believe that through a system of civil law we can begin to take some of the most dangerous weapons off the streets in a way that respects the gun owning cultures of rural communities.
No Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
I believe that the 2010 Affordable Care Act was a step in the right direction for healthcare coverage in this country. However, we still have work to do. There are still nearly 30 million Americans without health insurance, and another 40 million who are underinsured. One illness or injury could leave any one of those 70 million Americans with a debilitating amount of debt. We need to move towards a single-payer system that will bring costs down and ensure that people can live their lives without fear of one accident completely ruining their finances.
No Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
No Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
I absolutely oppose the construction of a wall along the Mexican border and I support creating a pathway to citizenship for the millions of undocumented immigrants who have been essential parts of our community. Especially in a rural, agricultural district like NY-23, we rely on the hard work of immigrants to keep our economy functioning. Especially for DREAMers and those undocumented immigrants who have been here for many years, it is critical that we provide them with the same support that they have shown to our communities.
Yes Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
The criminalization of marijuana possession has led to unjust consequences for too many citizens across the country. The racial disparities in the criminal justice system that have been exacerbated regardless of the fact that white Americans use marijuana at the same rate as minorities do. Legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes is smart and an important matter of racial and social justice.
No Should the United States use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a nuclear weapon?
No Do you support increased American intervention in Middle Eastern conflicts beyond air support?
The US has spent far too much of the 21st century trying to be a global policeman rather than defending our own national security. What we need to ensure the safety of Americans is a comprehensive cybersecurity plan that I have the expertise and experience to implement - not further international intervention.
My top priorities in Congress will be to advance a healthcare system that works for everyone and investing in an infrastructure plan that brings communities like those across NY-23 into the 21st century. Both of these plans have broad, bipartisan support among voters across America. Implementing them will require the political will and leadership among Congressional representatives.

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