Steve Lynch topics and responses

Stimulus Spending to Beat Great Recession

PRO:

• 05/09/2013: Voted NO on prioritizing spending in case debt limit is reached
• 03/06/2013: Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016
• 04/15/2013: Sequestration: Across-the-board cuts are a bad idea
• 07/29/2009: Voted YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending
• 07/27/2011: Increase debt limit from $14.3 trillion to $16.7 trillion
• 09/26/2008: Voted YES on $60B stimulus package for jobs, infrastructure, & energy

  CON:

• 03/27/2013: Supported sequestration and opposed financial bailouts
• 04/15/2013: 2011: Supported sequestration and SuperCommittee
• 04/09/2013: Voted for sequestration because debt default was worse

Acknowledging and Addressing Climate Change

PRO:

• 06/26/2009: Voted YES on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution
• 02/10/2005: Establish greenhouse gas tradeable allowances
• 04/07/2011: Voted NO on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases

Getting Money Out of Politics

PRO:

• 02/14/2002: Voted YES on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions
• 02/09/2012: Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures
• 05/24/2007: Voted YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations
• 04/05/2006: Voted NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees
• 02/05/2014: Establish "My Voice Voucher" small campaign contributions

Saving Elephants, Whales, Dolphins and Lions

PRO:

• 01/04/2007: Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting
• 01/13/2012: Ranked by HSLF, indicating a pro-animal welfare voting record
• 03/09/2007: Promote conservation of rare felids & canids
• 07/17/2009: Voted YES on protecting free-roaming horses and burros
• 02/12/2013: Sponsored educating humans about spaying, neutering, & adopting pets

Renewable Energy

PRO:

• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence
• 09/26/2008: Voted YES on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets
• 05/21/2008: Voted YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation
• 01/18/2007: Voted YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies
• 06/07/2006: Voted NO on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries
• 08/04/2007: Voted YES on investing in homegrown biofuel
• 02/12/2008: Voted YES on tax incentives for renewable energy
• 06/29/2006: Voted YES on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore

Making it Harder to Get a Gun

PRO:

• 04/09/2003: Voted NO on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse
• 10/20/2005: Voted NO on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers
• 01/03/2013: Ban large-capacity ammunition

GMOs and Food Labeling

PRO:

• 12/31/2003: Ranked by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes

  CON:

• 09/29/2005: Voted NO on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species

Cutting the US Military Budget

PRO:

• 02/02/2005: Voted NO on continuing military recruitment on college campuses
• 03/15/2007: Voted YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts

  CON:

• 04/03/2003: Voted YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan
• 12/19/2007: Extend reserve retirement pay parity back to 9/11

Legalizing Marijuana and Industrial Hemp

CON:

• 12/31/2006: Ranked by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance
• 06/10/2008: Voted YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs
• 03/14/2011: Harsher sentencing for "pill mill" operators

Abortion Rights

PRO:

• 05/04/2011: Voted NO on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion
• 04/09/2013: Protect Roe v. Wade; it keeps abortion in clinical setting
• 01/11/2007: Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines
• 05/24/2005: Voted YES on allowing human embryonic stem cell research

  CON:

• 04/27/2005: Voted YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions
• 10/02/2003: Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother`s life
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record
• 02/26/2004: Voted YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime
• 09/25/2002: Voted YES on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info
• 03/27/2013: Opposes abortion funding but funded Planned Parenthood

Gay Rights and Gay Marriage

PRO:

• 03/03/2010: Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays
• 09/30/2004: Voted NO on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage
• 07/18/2006: Voted NO on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman
• 06/24/2009: ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays
• 04/03/2001: More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes
• 11/13/2007: Voted YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation
• 04/02/2009: Voted YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes
• 07/08/2013: Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance
• 03/10/2011: Prohibit sexual-identity discrimination at schools

Repealing ObamaCare

PRO:

• 03/27/2013: Opposed ObamaCare and would repeal aspects of it

  CON:

• 10/25/2007: Voted YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility
• 01/23/2008: Voted YES on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids
• 04/02/2009: Voted YES on regulating tobacco as a drug
• 11/22/2003: Voted NO on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients
• 04/13/2011: Voted NO on repealing the "Prevention and Public Health" slush fund
• 04/15/2011: Voted NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts
• 01/12/2007: Voted YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D
• 02/01/2006: Voted NO on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay
• 07/24/2003: Voted YES on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs
• 01/14/2009: Voted YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program
• 03/13/2003: Voted NO on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits
• 01/18/2000: More funding for community health centers
• 04/11/2013: Sponsored merging Alzheimers diagnosis and care benefit
• 03/05/2008: Voted YES on giving mental health full equity with physical health
• 07/15/2008: Voted YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record

Addressing and Fighting Income Inequality

PRO:

• 04/15/2013: Sponsored enforcing against corporate offshore tax haven banking
• 12/12/2007: Voted YES on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes
• 12/31/2003: Ranked by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes
• 04/18/2002: Voted NO on making the Bush tax cuts permanent
• 12/31/2006: Ranked by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation
• 12/08/2005: Voted NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends

  CON:

• 09/23/2004: Voted YES on providing tax relief and simplification
• 06/25/2008: Voted YES on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income

Building the Keystone XL Pipeline

CON:

• 10/07/2005: Voted NO on authorizing construction of new oil refineries
• 05/12/2011: Voted NO on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling
• 02/28/2001: Preserve Alaska's ANWR instead of drilling it