Joe Millado's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
Key
Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
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Joe Millado has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2020 Political Courage Test.
Florida Congressional Election 2020 Political Courage Test
| Pro-life | Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| We need to do more than repeat the same argument if we truly want to find a way forward. Providing abortions should not be provided as a federal benefit nor should it be paid by taxpayers. It is not outlined as an enumerated power. Additionally, personal responsibility is free. Consenting adults should know when engaging on an intimate level the possibility of raising a child. Cause and effect. How many that could have cured cancer, solved our energy crisis, or other great accomplishments that were wiped from history as a result of, in some cases lack of personal responsibility. | |||
| No | In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? | ||
| No | Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare? | ||
| As a former Senior Policy Advisor for two high profiled Florida Members of Congress, I can attest what has already been known regarding out of control spending in Washington. Everyone should pay their fair share, but that doesn't currently happen. I support taxing goods on imported and exported and/or the fair tax proposal. Those on Social Security and Medicare should be protected as promised. Period. I propose my generation and younger to pay into the current system to sustain current recipients on the day of enactment. Our generation will find other viable avenues for retirement other than Social Security. | |||
| Yes | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| The problem I've seen is that laws have ultimately been useless due to poor legislating. Hence, running for office with a qualified Member on Day 1 would be exponentially more effective for voters looking for real change. Laws are only effective if drafted, implanted, and enforced properly. Unfortunately, politics has completely overrun every aspect of what's supposed to be an organic process with checks and balances. There are too many people finding new ways to side-step campaign contributions and not enough resources to catch and hold these individuals accountable. Before enacting new laws, we should follow the current laws. | |||
| Yes | Do you support increasing defense spending? | ||
| I was honored for the opportunity to work with our military, veterans, and their families having handled but not limited to defense, homeland, intelligence, and veterans affairs for two former Vice-Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. Our national defense shouldn't be tied to any formula other than need. I do, however, know there is waste fraud and abuse everywhere. Auditing the Pentagon was authorized but still hasn't effectively happened. Nor will it. Military budget isn't just bullets, bandages, and tanks. Its medical research like prostate cancer research through an amendment I authored or jobs in your community. | |||
| 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? | ||
| Yes | Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19? | ||
| The House especially has the power of the purse and the taxpayers in theory dictate how that should be spent. But that doesn't happen. Lowering Corporate taxes without Raising Capital Gains didn't help the regular people as much as advertised. Or the rich getting richer wasn't as advertised. Either way, the problems persist. We have emergency response and planning budgets but yet we were caught off guard as always. The problem again, is that the relief went to companies that didn't need it while those that did had to fight for what was left. Better written bills is necessary. | |||
| No | Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards? | ||
| I don't really much like "requiring" states to do anything. Constitution outlines enumerated powers and leaves all else to the States. If States want to do so, they can without wasting time on hearings or opinions from people that shouldn't be considered in the decision making process. Congress can't tie its shoes properly without costing tax payers a lot of money. Additionally, as this is a controversial topic, there would be no way of getting consensus on who and what said standards look like. Thus, more government intervention that doesn't belong, costing taxpayers, without a solution at the end. | |||
| Yes | Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)? | ||
| No | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| We need to break the rhetoric of the past that Republicans don't care about the environment. I do care and we all have our role to play in preserving and maintaining our environment. It's the chicken or the egg scenario. One side says "we can't invest because it hasn't been fruitful" and the other side says "it isn't fruitful because we haven't invested enough." Gas emissions is a global problem and needs a global solution without summits that only emit more gas emissions getting to said summit. Can those living month to month afford "greaner" yet more expensive bills. | |||
| No | Do you generally support gun-control legislation? | ||
| The right to bear arms is a constitutional right and wouldn't be necessary if the possibility of overreaching governments wasn't possible. But it is a possibility and at times a reality. I truly believe that fire arms like any "tool" yield positive or negative results dependent on the user and intent. This is in the hands of a good for good is ok, but vice-versa, no. The problem is we don't have the capability of knowing someones intent when questionable scenarios happen. Disrespect to life and others causes mass shootings, not firearms. Personal responsibility and parenting is free. | |||
| Yes | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? | ||
| No | Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19? | ||
| There many options both sides could have compromised on such as insurance across state lines, expanding definition of "child" to 25, pre-existing conditions, etc. without jamming an imperfect bill because of election politics. A lot of things we investigated while serving for a Member on Health Subcommittee, such as employers and Fortune 500 companies would figure it would be cheaper to pay the penalty, actually happened. Some concerns on both sides were warranted but not considered. Having handled Veterans Affairs, if government can adequately provide 1.7 million veterans with care, they wouldn't be successful with adding more workload. | |||
| Yes | Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border? | ||
| Yes | Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? | ||
| As a first generation Filipino American, my family and I came here the right way. We need to reform our process but until then, the rule of law must be followed and enforced. The "Wall" was first authorized in 1992 and expanded in 2008 when I started working in Congress as a staff assistant. The Wall completion was a campaign promise and the people voted. Instead of whether it should be built, we should be discussing how will it be operated? How much personnel versus drones? Processes for detainees? Whether it will be inter-agency responsibility and funding? Etc. | |||
| Yes | 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)? | ||
| Yes | Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts? | ||
| My opinion nor any Representative's opinion should not out weigh the needs of the district. All possible diplomatic means needs to be considered, but any sign of imminent threat can be authorized by the President. Other than that, if that is the will of the people, Congress declares war and its within our constitution. We cannot play world police to the extent as before with a changing world and limited resources. You cannot deny the will of the people of rebuilding our own infrastructure instead of fighting conflicts and rebuilding other nations. We must rebuild our own streets. | |||
| Yes | Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)? | ||
| Removing unnecessary barriers and regulations, yes. There are those that are there for a reason and should be in place until the need to change it. I support generally free markets and allowing people to solve problems where we can instead of big government. This issue again falls in the bigger question of what do we see as a nation as the future in terms of fair taxation, role of government, and equal representation. I do understand its importance in our economy having handled the Travel and Tourism caucus and consumer protection. | |||
| Ensuring our national security is protected by any threats including visible and invisible ones. If we are not safe, then nothing else matters. Our response to injustices here and abroad need to be swift and decisive. There are many avenues to cut in the defense funding that does little for national security and more with big government corruption. The other is addressing mental health and suicide for our nations veterans. I authored numerous pieces of legislation during my time handling veterans affairs and feel well positioned to start putting some viable options by repurposing funding accounts in mil/con VA. |
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