Project Vote Smart; The U.S. Senate (Michigan) Edition Part III

On this Part II of the U.S. Senate (Michigan) Edition, I will talk about Harley Mikkelson’s Political Courage Test results. If you did not check out the first part of this segment, I ask that you check out Part I and Part II, in order to learn about the Political Curage Test. I am not quite sure why I am posting about this guy, but I like to be fair and let everyone know who is out there.

Here is Harley’ Political Courage Test;

Please Note

The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item. Project Vote Smart

OK, in the “Abortion Issues” the dude supports the position that “Abortions should always be legal.”

No joke, on the “On the “Budget Priorities” section of the “Budget, Spending and Tax Issues” he answered “Slightly Increase” “Arts”, “Slightly Increase” “Education”, “Greatly Increase” “Environment”, “Maintain Status” “FEMA”, “Greatly Increase” “Public health services”, “Slightly Increase” “United Nations” and last but not least “Slightly Increase” “Welfare.” What a freakin whack job. Folks, that’s not all of his wacky answers. I just posted the most absurd.

Let’s just skip his answers on the “Defense Spending” section of “Budget, Spending and Tax Issues.”

On the “Family Income Taxes” sub-category in the “Taxes” section of “Budget, Spending and Tax Issues” I agree with his answers to “Slightly Decrease” “Less than $12,000″ and “$12,001-$40,000.” For those making “$40,001-$100,000″ and “$100,001-$180,000″ “Slightly Increase.” Ah, don’t think so. He answered “Greatly Increase” to “$180,001-$350,000″ and “$350,001 and above.” Guess he wants to spread the wealth around too.

LOL, within the subcategory of “Other Taxes” in the “Taxes” section of “Budget, Spending and Tax Issues” he answered “Maintain Status” to “Alcohol taxes”, “Capital gains taxes”, “Cigarette taxes” and “Corporate taxes.” I kid you not, he answered “Slightly Increase” on “Gasoline taxes” and “Inheritance taxes.”

He’s not too awful bad on the “Deductions/Credits” sub-category in the “Taxes” section of “Budget, Spending and Tax Issues.” Except he answered “No” to both “Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?” and “Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year?”

Oy vay, in the “Crime Issues” he supports “Eliminate the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.” And of course, “Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released” and “Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.” Aw, ain’t that sweet. Let’s let the gubmint use our tax dollars to give hugs to people who were un-loved and/or abused as children. Those poor people are so misunderstood, but the gubmint understands them. Oh, of course, he supports this gem “Require that crimes based on sexual orientation be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.” Umm, I thought all crimes were hate crimes.

In “Education Issues” he supports “Support the federal government funding universal pre-K programs.” And it looks like he can talk too. Here’s what he says on his essay answer;

“We need medical care which identifies problems which may affect learning from birth on and early child universal education from age 2 1/2 for all children and earlier if necessary”

Golly, he done sound smart now.

Talk about a flip-flopper. On “Employment Issues” he claims he supports “Reduce government regulation of the private sector. Yet, on his answers to other things he support in “Employment Issues” sounds like anything but. Get this, supports “Increase funding for national job-training programs that retrain displaced workers or teach skills needed in today’s job market”, “Encourage employers to offer child care services, flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies”, “Increase the federal minimum wage”, ” Support the right of workers to unionize”, “Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws”, “Include gender identity in federal anti-discrimination laws.” Gee that don’t sound like he wants to reduce gubmint interference.

On “Environment and Energy Issues”, pretty much Green Party.

Kinda surprised that he supports “Allow individuals to carry concealed guns”, in “Gun Issues.”

If I didn’t talk about “Health Issues” in the Parts I & II about Scotty Boman and Jack Hoogendyke, I sure ain’t gonna waste my breath with this guy. But what of course, he does support “Implement a universal healthcare program to guarantee coverage to all Americans, regardless of income.”

Well this is good, he supports “Establish English as the official national language”, in the “Immigration Issues.” But yet he supports “Support a temporary worker program”, Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States” and of course “Illegal immigrants should be given a pathway to citizenship.”

I don’t have time to talk about his answers in “International Aid, International Policy and International Trade Issues.”

Let’s skip “National Security Issues” also.

How can anyone be “Undecided” on “Do you support federal funding for research on existing embryonic stem cell lines?” or “Do you support federal funding to create lines of stem cells from new embryos?” in “Social Issues”?  Well at least he answered “No” to “Should the federal government consider race and gender in government contracting decisions?”

He didn’t answer anything for “Social Security Issues.”

OMG, what a maroon to support “Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants” and “Support housing assistance for welfare recipients” in “Welfare and Poverty Issues.”

In conclusion to Harley’s Political Courage test;

Legislative Priorities

Please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.

Our number one priority should be to improve the environment by reducing our use of energy. We should subsidize mass transportation and the retrofitting of existing buildings with better insulation and heating systems. This would be paid for by a carbon tax. The next priority should be to provide Medicare coverage with an enhanced prescription drug coverage to everyone. This would be paid for by an increase in the Medicare tax and copays based on a persons income. The third priority should be to bring our troops home from all foreign countries.  Project Vote Smart

The answers I posted here is not Harley’s test in it’s full entirety. I implore that y’all click on the links I provided to the issues and read it all yourselves. My purpose was to inform you and let you know where to look for all the voting info you need.