Summary of political beliefs

[Mr. Illini]

1. The right to individual autonomy is important, even if it threatens collective security. (Agree)
2. The government should penalize organizations that practice outsourcing. (Disagree)
3. Giving faith-based charities the same government resources as secular organizations is a good idea. (Agree)
4. We should increase foreign aid to countries struggling with poverty. (Disagree)
5. We should increase funding for education. (Disagree)

6. Heterosexual couples should receive higher marital recognition than same-sex couples. (Disagree)
7. Overall, free trade hurts more than it helps. (Disagree)
8. We should reduce the number of government programs substantially. (Agree)
9. Abortion should be illegal or very heavily restricted. (Usually agree)
10. The government should fund museums, theaters, and other cultural institutions that are unable to survive independently. (Disagree)

11. The government should subsidize health insurance for those who cannot easily afford it. (Disagree)
12. The government should work to reduce children's exposure to offensive radio and television content. (Disagree)
13. It is unfair that wealthier people pay higher tax rates. (Agree)
14. The minimum wage should be raised. (Disagree)
15. Marijuana should be legalized. (Agree)

16. Society focuses too much on forcing equality at the expense of real merit. (Usually agree)
17. Violating individual rights is acceptable when it comes to fighting terrorism. (Disagree)
18. Current levels of government regulation on industry are excessive. (Agree)
19. The government should provide basic needs for all people. (Usually disagree)
20. The death penalty should be an option for serious crimes. (Disagree)
21. We should reduce the difficulty of immigration. (Agree)

22. Union workers should be protected against being fired during strikes. (Usually disagree)
23. Prostitution should be legalized. (Agree)
24. Flag burning should be banned. (Disagree)
25. I support affirmative action. (Usually disagree)
26. The government should impose tariffs to protect industries from foreign competition. (Disagree)
27. Physician-assisted suicide should be legal if the patient is capable of informed, rational consent. (Usually agree)

[Mr. Illini]

Social Policy

Abortion: Pro-life, with exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother.

Drugs: Legalize marijuana and many other drugs, but not the most addictive of them.

Censorship: Don't censor the internet or the TV, only limit on freedom of speech should be those situations which could cause a mass-panic, such as the classic, "No yelling fire in a crowded theater."

Gay marriage: Legalize it nationally.

Prostitution:  Legalize it on the federal level, allow states to regulate it.

Church & State: This isn't a theocracy. All of our morals are informed by our respective religious beliefs, but there is a clear distinction between that and enforcing Biblical code through the legal system.

Affirmative action: Support to an extent.

Immigration: Create a path to citizenship, reform the immigration process to make it easier for people to come here legally.

PATRIOT Act: Terrible law, repeal it. Civil liberties must be preserved in all possible cases and this law grossly oversteps its bounds.

Gun Control:  Fairly pro-gun, support background checks and possibly a registry, but not supportive of the assault weapons ban (open-minded on the issue, however).

Criminals: End capital punishment, it is terribly immoral. End minimum mandatory sentencing and reform the justice system to more of a focus on rehabilitation.


Economic Policy

Welfare: An important piece of an industrialized nation. Supportive of legitimate reform but not open to politicization of said reform - should be strictly geared at reforming the system rather than an opportunity to restrict it.

Unions: Strongly supportive.

Environment: Supportive of sweeping measures to reduce carbon emissions. Climate change is man-made and needs to be acted on immediately. Hold big carbon producers accountable for their abuse of the environment. Invest in alternative energy. Solar energy is the way of the future.

Minimum wage:  Skeptical of how much it can really help the lower classes, job losses not worth minimum wage hikes. Definitely open to raising it a couple bucks but generally more supportive of the safety net to make up for low wages.

Taxation: Progressive taxation, the rich should pay the large share of the tax base, but not so much that it would kill ambition. Cut taxes on the middle and lower classes.

Healthcare: Single Payer health care system.

Trade: Generally supportive of free trade with some tariffs, support tax breaks for companies willing to keep labor here however.


Foreign Policy

Draft: Immoral and illegal.

UN: Support full cooperation on the part of the United States. Can be a force for good so long as sovereignty is not stripped.

Nukes: Gradual arms reduction, the benefits of MAD are overstated and the potential for misuse is greater than most think.

Foreign Aid:  Supportive of strong aid program but reformed from our current one, supportive of humanitarian aid and not military aid, re-target to ensure that aid is directly helping those in need and not used corruptly by governments.

Summary

Progressive policies on the safety net, health care, unionization, civil liberties, marriage, immigration, energy, and foreign policy.

Moderate on the minimum wage, trade, and guns.

Conservative on abortion.

Overall placed on the center-left. For now.