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The AmericansElect.org quiz outlines how elected officials and public figures address political topics, plus the relative importance they place on each key topic. The nine key topics are:

We list below summaries of one public figures's issue stances related to each topic, and which AmericansElect.org quiz answer each issue stance indicates. Click on the quiz answer link to see the full original excerpt and citations.
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Ben Nelson on AmericansElect Senate Quiz

 

 



Quiz Responses
(Click here for AmericansElect quiz)
AmericansElect Question & Answer
(Summary answer based on details in right-hand column)
Based on these stances:
(Click on answers for full excerpt & citation)

Question 1 answer A on Economy:

When you think about the US budget deficit, which of the following solutions is closest to your opinion?
  • A: Cutting existing programs
  • B: More spending cuts than tax increases (mix of both solutions)
  • C: More tax increases than spending cuts (mix of both solutions)
  • D: Raising Taxes
  • E: Unsure
Summary answer 'A' from 3 out of 7 statements:

Supports the Taxpayer Protection Pledge: A on question 1
NO on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million: A on question 1
YES on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years: A on question 1
NO on $40B in reduced federal overall spending: D on question 1
YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: B on question 1
YES on additional $825 billion for economic recovery package: D on question 1
YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending: D on question 1
This question weighted at 17% importance.
(Relative importance: 7 out of 41 statements.)

Question 2 answer A on Energy:

When you think about America’s energy needs, which of the following solutions comes closest to your opinion?
  • A: Strong investment in renewable energy like wind and solar
  • B: More drilling than investment in renewables (mix of both solutions)
  • C: More investment in renewable than drilling (mix of both solutions)
  • D: Strong focus on offshore drilling and allowing drilling in federal lands including wildlife reserves
  • E: Unsure
Summary answer 'A' from 3 out of 6 statements:

Supports spending resources to stop Global Warming: A on question 2
YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: D on question 2
YES on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months: D on question 2
YES on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010: A on question 2
YES on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR: A on question 2
YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: C on question 2
This question weighted at 15% importance.
(Relative importance: 6 out of 41 statements.)

Question 3 answer B on Healthcare:

When you think about healthcare reform in the United States, which of the following solutions is closest to your opinion?
  • A: The Government should be the sole provider of healthcare insurance
  • B: The Government should have a major role in providing healthcare insurance
  • C: The Government should have a limited role in providing healthcare insurance
  • D: Only private companies should provide healthcare insurance
  • E: Unsure
Summary answer 'B' from 3 out of 5 statements:

Supports More Federal Funding for Health Coverage: A on question 3
NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: B on question 3
NO on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit: B on question 3
YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare: A on question 3
YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: B on question 3
This question weighted at 12% importance.
(Relative importance: 5 out of 41 statements.)

Question 4 answer D on Immigration:

When you think about illegal immigration, which of the following solutions come closest to your opinion?
  • A: All illegal immigrants should be able to stay in the US legally
  • B: Most illegal immigrants should be able to stay in the US, with some exceptions
  • C: Most illegal immigrants should be deported, with some exceptions
  • D: All illegal immigrants should be deported
  • E: Unsure
Summary answer 'D' from 4 out of 6 statements:

Supports “Immigration helps our economy-encourage it”: A on question 4
YES on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities": A on question 4
NO on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship: D on question 4
NO on establishing a Guest Worker program: D on question 4
YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: D on question 4
YES on declaring English as the official language of the US government: D on question 4
This question weighted at 15% importance.
(Relative importance: 6 out of 41 statements.)

Question 5 answer A on Foreign Policy:

When you think about the US pursuing its interests abroad, which of the following is closest to your opinion?
  • A: The US should always act in its own interest regardless of what other countries think
  • B: The US should rarely listen to other countries
  • C: The US should listen to other countries more often than not
  • D: The US should always listen to other countries before pursuing its own interests
  • E: Unsure
Summary answer 'A' from 3 out of 5 statements:

Opposes linking Human Rights to trade with China: C on question 5
Supports continuing Foreign Aid to Russia, Israel, & others: C on question 5
Build a rule-based global trading system: A on question 5
YES on authorizing use of military force against Iraq: A on question 5
NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007: A on question 5
This question weighted at 12% importance.
(Relative importance: 5 out of 41 statements.)

Question 6 answer D on Education:

When you think about education in the US, which of the following is closest to your opinion?
  • A: School curriculums should be set entirely at a local school board level
  • B: School curriculums should be set more by local school boards than at a national level
  • C: School curriculums should be set more by national standards than at a local level
  • D: School curriculums should be set entirely at a national standardized level
  • E: Unsure
Summary answer 'D' from 3 out of 4 statements:

Opposes parents choosing schools via vouchers: D on question 6
Rated 100% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: D on question 6
YES on $5B for grants to local educational agencies: B on question 6
YES on additional $10.2B for federal education & HHS projects: D on question 6
This question weighted at 10% importance.
(Relative importance: 4 out of 41 statements.)

Question 7 answer B on Social Issues:

When you think about the rights of same-sex couples, which of the following is closest to your personal opinion?
  • A: Same-sex couples should not be allowed to marry or form any kind of civil union
  • B: Same-sex couples should be allowed to form civil unions, but not to marry in the traditional sense
  • C: Same-sex couples should be allowed to marry legally, with all the same rights as traditional marriages
  • D: Unsure
Summary answer 'B' from 2 out of 3 statements:

Supports “Sexual orientation protected by civil rights laws”: B on question 7
YES on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes: B on question 7
YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage: A on question 7
This question weighted at 7% importance.
(Relative importance: 3 out of 41 statements.)

Question 8 answer A on Environment:

Which of the following statements comes closest to your personal view?
  • A: Natural resources exist for the benefit of humanity
  • B: Natural resources exist for the benefit of humanity, but should be somewhat protected
  • C: Natural resources should be mostly protected, but also exist for the benefit of humanity
  • D: Natural resources exist on their own and should be completely protected
  • E: Unsure
Summary answer 'A' from 1 out of 2 statements:

Rated 21% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes: A on question 8
NO on prohibiting eminent domain for use as parks or grazing land: C on question 8
This question weighted at 5% importance.
(Relative importance: 2 out of 41 statements.)

Question 9 answer C on Reform:

Which of the following comes closest to your personal opinion?
  • A: To make this country great, we should return to the examples and values of our forefathers
  • B: This country is already great, we shouldn't change a thing
  • C: To make this country great, we should keep building and adapting for the future
Summary answer 'C' from 2 out of 3 statements:

Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence: C on question 9
YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's roving wiretaps: B on question 9
NO on requiring photo ID to vote in federal elections: C on question 9
This question weighted at 7% importance.
(Relative importance: 3 out of 41 statements.)

Other candidates' AmericansElect.org quiz: Ben Nelson on the issues:
NE Gubernatorial:
Dave Heineman
Jon Bruning
Peter Ricketts
NE Senatorial:
Bob Kerrey
Dave Domina
David Kramer
Deb Fischer
Mike Johanns
Shane Osborn
Steven Larrick

Retiring in 2014 election:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Retired as of Jan. 2013:
AZ:Kyl(R)
CT:Lieberman(D)
HI:Akaka(D)
ND:Conrad(D)
NM:Bingaman(D)
TX:Hutchison(R)
VA:Webb(D)
WI:Kohl(D)
Senate Retirements 2014:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Senate races Nov. 2014:
AK: Begich(D) vs.Miller(R) vs.Treadwell(R) vs.Sullivan(R)
AL: Sessions(R,unopposed)
AR: Pryor(D) vs.Cotton(R)
CO: Udall(D) vs.Gardner(R) vs.Baumgardner(R) vs.Buck(R) vs.Hill(R) vs.Stephens(R)
DE: Coons(D) vs.O`Donnell(R)
GA: Gingrey(R) vs.Nunn(D) vs.Perdue(R) vs.Handel(R) vs.Broun(R) vs.Kingston(R)
HI: Schatz(D) vs.Hanabusa(D) vs.Cavasso(R)
IA: Braley(D) vs.Whitaker(R) vs.Ernst(R) vs.Clovis(R)
ID: Risch(R) vs.Mitchell(D)
IL: Durbin(D) vs.Oberweis(R) vs.Hansen(L) vs.Truax(R)
KS: Roberts(R) vs.Tiahrt(R) vs.Wolf(R) vs.Taylor(D) vs.Sebelius(D)
KY: McConnell(R) vs.Bevin(R) vs.Grimes(D)
LA: Landrieu(D) vs.Cassidy(R) vs.Maness(R)
MA: Markey(D) vs.Herr(R) vs.Skarin(I) vs.Gomez(R)
ME: Collins(R) vs.D`Amboise(R) vs.Bellows(D)
MI: Land(R) vs.Peters(D) vs.Wiedenhoeft(R)
MN: Franken(D) vs.McFadden(R) vs.Abeler(R) vs.Ortman(R)
MS: Cochran(R) vs.McDaniel(R) vs.Childers(D)
MT: Walsh(D) vs.Bohlinger(D) vs.Daines(R) vs.Edmunds(R)
NC: Hagan(D) vs.Tillis(R)
NE: Sasse(R) vs.Domina(D) vs.Osborn(R)
NH: Shaheen(D) vs.Martin(R) vs.Brown(R) vs.Smith(R) vs.Rubens(R) vs.Testerman(R)
NJ: Booker(D) vs.Sabrin(R) vs.Lonegan(R)
NM: Udall(D) vs.Weh(R) vs.Clements(R)
OK-2: Shannon(R) vs.Lankford(R)
OK-6: Inhofe(R) vs.Silverstein(D)
OR: Merkley(D) vs.Wehby(R) vs.Conger(R)
RI: Reed(D) vs.Carcieri(R)
SC-2: Scott(R) vs.Dickerson(D) vs.Wade(D)
SC-6: Graham(R) vs.Stamper(D) vs.Mace(R) vs.Bright(R)
SD: Rounds(R) vs.Weiland(D) vs.Pressler(I)
TN: Alexander(R) vs.Carr(R)
TX: Cornyn(R) vs.Alameel(D) vs.Roland(L) vs.Stockman(R)
VA: Warner(D) vs.Gillespie(R) vs.Sarvis(L)
WV: Capito(R) vs.Tennant(D) vs.Raese(R) vs.McGeehan(R)
WY: Enzi(R) vs.Cheney(R) vs.Hardy(D)
Abortion
Budget/Economy
Campaign Finance
Civil Rights
Corporations
Crime
Drugs
Education
Energy/Oil
Environment
Families
Foreign Policy
Free Trade
Gay Issues
Govt. Reform
Gun Control
Health Care
Homeland Security
Immigration
Iraq/Mideast
Infrastructure
Jobs/Farming
Medicare/Rx
Principles
Social Security
Tax Reform
Technology
War/Peace
Welfare/Poverty

All Ben Nelson's positions
Other NE politicians
NE Archives


To assess the Relative Importance of each answer, observe the citation counts in the left-hand column of the table above. The AmericansElect.org quiz relative importance are the citation counts expressed as pie-chart percentages.


Copyright 2011 OnTheIssues.org, contact Jesse Gordon, jesse@ontheissues.org