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David Kim's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

On The Ballot: Running, Democratic for U.S. House (CA) - District 34

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.

David Kim has failed to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2024 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.

What is the Political Courage Test?

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 2024.

  • "We need to throw it back to the Roe Era. SCOTUS got it right once, but 2022? Was not it. Those who are in positions of power need to codify Roe, as VETOing any further bills is a temporary solution. Let's be clear SCOTUS, because women's choices=women's voices!" (x.com)
  • "Democratic incumbents have had the ball in their court for years to codify Roe v Wade, so don’t fall for their fundraising and campaign tactics around the overturning of Roe v Wade and for any others that could occur. Their time is done. Vote them out. Expand the court." (x.com)
  • "The same Dem politicians using Roe v. Wade to fundraise for their re-election are the same people who *chose* not to codify Roe. These people do not serve us. All we have is each other. Donate to these abortion funds to support our most vulnerable" (x.com)
  • "Imagine a world where we have it all: Medicare For All, Green New Deal, UBI, a Homes Guarantee, student debt cancellation, and the govt making the people a priority by the way it legislates, spends our money. It's all possible. Never give up. This is our generation's calling." (x.com)
  • "I will fight to install the vital social safeguards which prevents structural & cyclical unemployment and automation, and instead stimulates bottom-up economic development, through Universal Basic Income" (davidkimforca.com)
  • Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare? "Yes" (None)
  • "Another reason why we need to tax the rich and cut corporate funding of politics" (x.com)
  • "$43B could end homelessness, world hunger, and more. Instead it will be burned in yet another ego-fueled passion project. Billionaires should not exist." (x.com)
  • "Tax billionaires. Fund the people." (x.com)
  • "Another reason why we need to tax the rich and cut corporate funding of politics" (x.com)
  • "$43B could end homelessness, world hunger, and more. Instead it will be burned in yet another ego-fueled passion project. Billionaires should not exist." (x.com)
  • "Tax billionaires. Fund the people." (x.com)
  • Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? "Yes" (None)
  • "How do the same establishment politicians keep being re-elected despite achieving minimal change? Why does it seem that politicians do the bidding of big business interests over those of their own constituents? Why is the standard of living of average people worsening, while the top 1% add to their riches? The answer: Corporate money in elections. Politicians who falsely claim to be progressive Democrats, like my opponent, rely on corporate dollars to fund over 98% of their election bills. In return, they stall true progressive change and maintain legislative norms to protect the economic interests of those companies, above all else." (davidkimforca.com)
  • "Our reality was cemented by the 2010 supreme court case Citizens United vs FEC, which upended over 100 years of FEC regulation that prevented unlimited political spending from corporations. The decision allowed for companies to spend endless amounts of resources on political elections, as long as they are not "officially" associated with a candidate and/or party. So, not only are corporations empowered to donate up to $5000 per year to candidates directly through Political Action Committees (which my opponent benefits from), but with Citizens United, they are capable of donating unlimited funds through Super PACs. Super PACs are outside groups which can funnel millions of dollars towards campaign efforts to target or support a candidate. When elected, I will fight to reverse Citizens United by supporting legal efforts to overturn the decision and political efforts to amend the constitution to end corporate personhood and eliminate the ruling’s authority, with proposed efforts like Rep. Jayapal’s We the People Amendment." (davidkimforca.com)
  • "End qualified immunity now. My heart breaks for Daunte Wright. #JusticeForDaunteWright" (x.com)
  • "Don’t know who needs to hear this, but End Qualified Immunity Now." (x.com)
  • "We must be vigilant and call out racist and discriminatory policies and agendas that kill and hurt instead of giving life and empowering, by stopping them from passing and uprooting those that have passed. #BlackLivesMatter" (x.com)
  • "Taking money from defense contractors is disqualifying for a candidate. We do not need more missiles. We do not need more war. Our people are suffering right here at home." (x.com)
  • Do you support increasing defense spending? "No" (None)
  • "Congress must pass a Green New Deal to transform our energy system to 100% renewables and to create 20 million thriving union jobs across a transforming United States. The Green New Deal must prioritize the voices and needs of frontline communities disproportionately affected by climate change, including Indigenous populations, energy-industry workers, under-resourced groups, communities of color, people with disabilities, children and the elderly. This is our opportunity to initiate an era of explosive and sustainable economic growth, driven by the inception of countless new clean industries that will propel this nation towards equity and prosperity for all. We must not let it pass us by" (davidkimforca.com)
  • "A Green New Deal is beneficial for our planet and for our people. We would create 20 millions jobs solving the climate crisis and empower Americans from all walks of life to join forces in this fight. If you care about the next generation, care about a Green New Deal." (x.com)
  • Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? "Yes" (None)
  • "We must pass big, bold policies and reforms including a housing public option. We have the ability to build 12 million new social/publicly funded housing units over the next 10 years with the goal of providing homes to the nearly 12 million renter households who are extremely cost burdened (paying over 50% of their income to rent) and to the millions experiencing homelessness. Rent would be charged according to real costs-based or income-based formulas (i.e., no more than 30% of one’s income), and as social/publicly funded housing would be permanently off the private market, we would eliminate the profiteering and short-term maximization of profits that come at the expense of the people. It’s critical that we increase the supply of homes to all." (davidkimforca.com)
  • "A public option to housing will provide a roof over everyone’s head, improve education, expand health and employment prospects for tens of millions of people, and will provide a meaningful step in equalizing disparities across racial lines. A public option will also play a critical role in the combating climate change, as every federal housing support must also be a climate intervention, be it from upgrading the existing building stock and making it carbon neutral, ensuring that everyone has sufficient access to efficient and affordable energy in their homes, and upholding equity among all communities across race or socio-economic status. In the world’s wealthiest country, we can and we must guarantee safe, accessible, sustainable and permanently affordable housing for everyone." (davidkimforca.com)
  • "Housing is a human right, but it’s too often solely treated as a for-profit business. And every choice must be made keeping this in mind. In Los Angeles County, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), over 75,000 people in Los Angeles County are houseless – the second highest rate in the nation. In some parts of our district, the median income for a family of four is approximately $37,000 while the average monthly rent for a 1-bedroom apartment is well over $1800. When you do the math, you wonder how a family of four could live with this kind of income. They can’t." (davidkimforca.com)
  • "I will do everything I can to shift the scales of balance in this country’s housing market, in order to reduce the unjustly attained power of real estate corporations and fight regulatory barriers which both limit the supply of affordable housing and leave renters/buyers more vulnerable than ever" (davidkimforca.com)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "Cancel student debt. Pass it on." (x.com)
  • "Imagine a world where we have it all: Medicare For All, Green New Deal, UBI, a Homes Guarantee, student debt cancellation, and the govt making the people a priority by the way it legislates, spends our money. It's all possible. Never give up. This is our generation's calling." (x.com)
  • "At the core of our education platform is a plan to solve the student loan crisis. First and foremost - we must forgive ALL student loan debt. President’s Biden proposal to cancel $10k in student loan debt is short sighted & won’t fix the systematic issues. #CancelStudentDebt" (x.com)
  • "As a candidate who is running solely on the grassroots support of CA-34 voters, no lobbyist or corporate donor can stop me from attempting to empower impoverished and marginalized American voters. I will fight to pass legislation which protects voters, bans unnecessary voter ID requirements, prosecutes unlawful voter purges, consecrates mail-in ballot voting, establishes a federal election holiday, ends Gerrymandering nation-wide, and restores civil liberties to our fellow Americans who were formerly incarcerated." (davidkimforca.com)
  • "The vote is our most powerful tool. To do nothing in the face of voter suppression is to idly watch as our very democracy becomes nothing but a tool to perpetuate the oppression and exploitation of our most vulnerable neighbors. It’s time for our system to reflect our needs as a society. It’s time for our politics to center the people." (davidkimforca.com)
  • "Voter suppression is a debilitating threat to American politics, with impoverished and BIPOC communities made victims of a political system entirely unsympathetic to their needs. Voter suppression is also a conscious act–a purposeful ploy by those in power to protect their interests. Our political system will never be people-centered until we empower those routinely ignored by our democracy." (davidkimforca.com)
  • Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)? "Yes" (None)
  • "Congress must pass a Green New Deal to transform our energy system to 100% renewables and to create 20 million thriving union jobs across a transforming United States. The Green New Deal must prioritize the voices and needs of frontline communities disproportionately affected by climate change, including Indigenous populations, energy-industry workers, under-resourced groups, communities of color, people with disabilities, children and the elderly. This is our opportunity to initiate an era of explosive and sustainable economic growth, driven by the inception of countless new clean industries that will propel this nation towards equity and prosperity for all. We must not let it pass us by" (davidkimforca.com)
  • "I will ease the anxiety of a generation of Americans’ whose very future is now compromised from the devastating threat of climate change and its horrific impacts, by working towards a Green New Deal which not only mobilizes the resources of this country to fight the crisis, but builds an opportune path towards new, clean American industry that values justice and the perspective of vulnerable communities" (davidkimforca.com)
  • "Shift Away from Dirty Energy" (davidkimforca.com)
  • "If we want a habitable planet for our future generations, we need to stop investing in new dirty energy projects altogether and shift to clean, renewable energy projects that serve Americans for the long term. All federal oil and gas tax subsidies must end, and that revenue must instead subsidize clean energy solutions. We must establish ambitious and stringent federal deadlines for energy companies which mandate a phasing-out of fossil fuel-based production. We have only 6 years to take legitimate action to limit the average global temperature increase below 1.5C, and yet no real federal measures have been taken today. Through federal investigation, audits, and public suits, we can hold fossil fuel corporations accountable for the damages they have inflicted on local marginalized communities, threatened American environments, and the climate as a whole." (davidkimforca.com)
  • "Was it worth selling our future? Last month the US government sold 308 tracts of the Gulf of Mexico’s seabed, covering 1.7 MILLION acres to oil companies for $191.6 million without by a proper review of climate/environmental impacts." (x.com)
  • Do you generally support gun-control legislation? "Yes" (None)
  • "Honored to receive this distinction & assignment to fight for a future free of gun violence, instead of being a sitting member of Congress & pointing fingers at the other party, like my opponent. It’s time that we stand & fight for our communities as our lives depend on it." (x.com)
  • Rated 8% by Gun Owners of America (None)
  • "It’s simple: Health care is a human right. During the COVID-19 pandemic, roughly 1 out of 3 COVID-19-related deaths have been linked to health insurance gaps. Over 30 million Americans have no health insurance, and millions more have delayed getting the medical attention they need due to high co-pays and deductibles. With recent economic volatility, cuts in employer-provided health insurance, and unemployment, it is more important than ever to implement Guaranteed Healthcare For All. Our current healthcare system is broken. Our frontline workers are overworked, our hospitals are understaffed, and many patients aren’t getting the care they need. Yet despite enduring a global pandemic, the healthcare sector continues to operate as a business prioritizing profits over people." (davidkimforca.com)
  • "Guaranteed Healthcare is the best way to provide equitable, universal healthcare to cover the costs of essential treatments to all Americans, regardless of status or employment." (davidkimforca.com)
  • "I will work to elevate the very value attributed to human life in this country, demanding that our elected officials work towards securing a comprehensive Medicare for All program, ensuring that no American family needs to factor in overwhelming medical bill costs in any life decision" (davidkimforca.com)
  • "We must fight for Guaranteed Healthcare: a national health insurance program that will provide comprehensive healthcare for every American. Coverage will be free at the point of care" (davidkimforca.com)
  • "Universal childcare and paid family leave should be guaranteed to all." (x.com)
  • "People really need paid sick leave. Now’s a good time to give it." (x.com)
  • "We could have a world without poverty, without child hunger, without police arresting parents for trying to make ends meet. A world where parents instead have paid family leave, free childcare, free healthcare — the resources they need to thrive." (x.com)
  • "Pharma companies charging Americans 8 times more than the rest of the world to profit from the millions who rely on insulin to live the next day is sickening. If I were in Congress, I’d support @RepJayapal & @RepCori’s call for a $35 cap. #BuildBackBetter" (x.com)
  • "We must fight for Guaranteed Healthcare: a national health insurance program that will provide comprehensive healthcare for every American. Coverage will be free at the point of care and guarantee: Prescription drugs" (davidkimforca.com)
  • Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border? "No" (None)
  • "@POTUS must end the use of a metering system to process asylum-seekers at the border. Metering disproportionately impacts Black migrants & has left Black asylum-seekers languishing at the border for months & even years. #MeteringIsRacist" (x.com)
  • "Thinking about how the incumbent voted YES to fund DHS, ICE, Border Patrol three times....Yet still calls himself "progressive." (x.com)
  • "I was the only #CA34 candidate to attend the Igniting Justice immigration reform rally, and I’m proud of that because creating a pathway to citizenship is a top priority for me. I’m the son of immigrants and grew up in the Korean immigrant community; I know how important this is." (x.com)
  • "I march in the streets. The incumbent takes donations from private prisons. I help immigrants navigate the legal system. The incumbent voted to increase ICE funding. I fight for the people. The incumbent has proven he won’t." (x.com)
  • Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? "No" (None)
  • "Today we marched in solidarity with our Palestinian brothers and sisters to continue the call for an end to the ongoing Nakba. End US aid to Israeli Apartheid!" (x.com)
  • "Let's not forget that just last week the Senate failed to stand against human right's abuses in Palestine. I stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine in their quest for their own sovereignty. From day 1, I have called for a ceasefire and for humanitarian aid to be given to the civilians who have been put in harm's way. I did this, not because it was politically convenient, but because it was the right thing to do" (x.com)
  • "broad economic sanctions which are doing little to stop Putin's escalation of conflict and will most severely affect innocent civilians who have nothing to gain and everything to lose from this war. We must additionally focus on humanitarian assistance abroad" (x.com)
  • "Sending solidarity to the innocent civilians of Ukraine, Russia, & other nations of Eastern Europe, none of whom benefit from these terrible wars or deserve such horrific violence at the hands of warmongers & profiteers. Praying for peace" (x.com)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
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?
Yes Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare?
Yes In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
Yes Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
No Do you support the protection of government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal liability in civil lawsuits concerning alleged misconduct?
No Do you support increasing defense spending?
Yes Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
No Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
Unknown Position Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19?
Unknown Position Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
Yes Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
Yes Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
Yes Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
No Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
Yes Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19?
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?
Yes Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts?
Unknown Position Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)?
Unknown Position Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)?
1. Universal Basic Income - funded by a VAT tax, and for every robot that replaces a human job 2. Medicare For All 3. Ending Homelessness [4. Reversing Climate Change] [5. Free Public Colleges & Vocational School]

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