John O’Neill Answers Project Vote Smart Questions Jack Franks Ducks

John O'Neill

Yesterday, we took a look at State Rep. Jack Franks’ answers to Project Vote Smart’s questionnaire…from 1998 before he first won office.

Franks refused to answer this year’s questionnaire and was awarded a zero percentage of political courage for not doing so.

His opponent received a “100% political courage during this test” designation for answering the questionnaire.

O’Neill’s answers follow:

Illinois State Legislative Election 2010 Political Courage Test

Key:
Vote Smart's Research = Official Position
Candidate had the Political Courage to address this issue directly.
Vote Smart's Research = Unknown Position
Candidate refused to address this issue.

Vote Smart's ResearchAbortion and Reproductive Issues
Vote Smart's ResearchBudget, Spending, and Tax Issues
Vote Smart's ResearchCampaign Finance and Government Reform Issues
Vote Smart's ResearchCrime and Public Safety Issues
Vote Smart's ResearchEconomic Issues
Vote Smart's ResearchEducation Issues
Vote Smart's ResearchEnvironment and Energy Issues
Vote Smart's ResearchGun Issues
Vote Smart's ResearchHealth Issues
Vote Smart's ResearchSocial Issues
Vote Smart's ResearchLegislative Priorities

Abortion and Reproductive Issues
(Back to top)

Pro-life
Vote Smart's Research
a) Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?
No
Vote Smart's Research
b) Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy?
Vote Smart's Research c) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
d) Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
e) Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
f) Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
No
Vote Smart's Research
g) Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods?
Yes
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h) Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs?
Vote Smart's Research i) Other or expanded principles
b) I oppose abortion
c) The baby Is innocent

Budget, Spending, and Tax Issues
(Back to top)

1) State Spending
Indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.
Slightly Decrease
Vote Smart's Research
a) Education (higher)
Slightly Decrease
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b) Education (K-12)
Slightly Decrease
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c) Environment
Slightly Decrease
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d) Health care
Maintain Status
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e) Law enforcement
Maintain Status
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f) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Greatly Decrease
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g) Welfare
Eliminate
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h) Other or expanded categories
Any Program which caters to those who have entered this country illegally
2) State Taxes
Indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.
Maintain Status
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a) Alcohol taxes
Maintain Status
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b) Cigarette taxes
Slightly Decrease
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c) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status
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d) Gasoline taxes
Greatly Decrease
Vote Smart's Research
e) Property taxes
Slightly Decrease
Vote Smart's Research
f) Sales taxes
Slightly Decrease
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g) Income taxes (low-income families)
Slightly Decrease
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h) Income taxes (middle-income families)
Slightly Decrease
Vote Smart's Research
i) Income taxes (high-income families)
Vote Smart's Research j) Other or expanded categories
3) Budget Stabilization
Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Illinois’ budget.
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
a) Tapping into Illinois’ “rainy day” fund
No
Vote Smart's Research
b) Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
c) Increasing tuition rates at public universities
Yes
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d) Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees
Yes
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e) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
Yes
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f) Privatizing certain government services
Vote Smart's Research g) Other or expanded principles
e) Primarily illegal immigrants

Perform a line-by-line audit to find and eliminate wasteful government spending.

Campaign Finance and Government Reform Issues
(Back to top)

No
Vote Smart's Research
a) Do you support eliminating the position of lieutenant governor?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
b) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Illinois governors?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
c) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Illinois state legislators?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
d) Do you support limits on the number of terms for the four top legislative leadership positions?
e) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?
No
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1) Individual
No
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2) Political Action Committee
No
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3) Corporate
No
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4) Political Party
No
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5) Legislative Leader
No
Vote Smart's Research
f) Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
g) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
Vote Smart's Research h) Other or expanded principles
Limits on Campaign Contributions are similar to limits on free speech. We should steer clear of both.

Crime and Public Safety Issues
(Back to top)

Yes
Vote Smart's Research
a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
b) Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
No
Vote Smart's Research
c) Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized?
No
Vote Smart's Research
d) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
e) Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
No
Vote Smart's Research
f) Do you support requiring all motorcyclists to wear helmets?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
g) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
Vote Smart's Research h) Other or expanded principles
d) Some exceptions

Economic Issues
(Back to top)

Yes
Vote Smart's Research
a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
No
Vote Smart's Research
b) Should video gambling be legal in Illinois?
No
Vote Smart's Research
c) Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
No
Vote Smart's Research
d) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
e) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
f) Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
g) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
Vote Smart's Research h) Other or expanded principles

Education Issues
(Back to top)

No
Vote Smart's Research
a) Do you support national education standards?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
b) Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
c) Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
d) Do you support state funding for charter schools?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
e) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
No
Vote Smart's Research
f) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Illinois high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
Vote Smart's Research g) Other or expanded principles

Environment and Energy Issues
(Back to top)

Yes
Vote Smart's Research
a) Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
b) Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
No
Vote Smart's Research
c) Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops?
No
Vote Smart's Research
d) Do you support state funding for improvements to Illinois’ energy infrastructure?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
e) Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
No
Vote Smart's Research
f) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
Vote Smart's Research g) Other or expanded principles
As long as there are children who go to sleep hungry, we should not provide financial incentives for bio-fuel crops.

Gun Issues
(Back to top)

No
Vote Smart's Research
a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
b) Do you support requiring background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
c) Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns?
No
Vote Smart's Research
d) Do you support requiring a license for gun possession?
Vote Smart's Research e) Other or expanded principles
Criminals regulary carry concealed, loaded weapons. I simply wish to “level the playing field.”

Health Issues
(Back to top)

No
Vote Smart's Research
a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
No
Vote Smart's Research
d) Should individuals be required to purchase health care insurance?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
e) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
No
Vote Smart's Research
f) Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Illinois?
No
Vote Smart's Research
g) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
Vote Smart's Research h) Other or expanded principles

Social Issues
(Back to top)

Yes
Vote Smart's Research
a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
No
Vote Smart's Research
b) Should Illinois allow same-sex couples to form civil unions?
Yes
Vote Smart's Research
c) Do you support state funding for stem cell research?
No
Vote Smart's Research
d) Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research?
No
Vote Smart's Research
e) Do you support the state’s use of affirmative action?
No
Vote Smart's Research
f) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Illinois’ anti-discrimination laws?
No
Vote Smart's Research
g) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Illinois’ anti-discrimination laws?
Vote Smart's Research h) Other or expanded principles

Legislative Priorities
(Back to top)

Vote Smart's Research 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.
*We are in the midst of what many have called, “The worst recession since the Great Depression.” and the Chicago political machine which has gotten us into this mess has got to go.
*Over the last decade, many of the employers which have left the state have relocated to more “Employer Friendly” states within the Midwest.
*We need to reduce taxes on employers and employees, eliminate the restrictive regulations preventing people from opening their own businesses, and look a the Illinois budget line-by-line in order to get rid of the wasteful government spending in our state.

Comments

John O’Neill Answers Project Vote Smart Questions Jack Franks Ducks — 2 Comments

  1. God Bless You John for answering. Agree or disagree you show fortitude and courage in your answers.

    You are the kind of stud this country needs as a representative.

    We, the People, are tired of, and unexcited by, those candidates who are too weak to stand on their principles.

    We will never ever vote for a person who votes “present”.

    This is not what we pay for and will no longer be acceptable.

    I don’t vote “present” and neither should my representative.

    I will pray for your coming victory and your accurate representation of your constituency in Springfield.

    It will surely be better than the current gentleman who seems to be deeply conflicted over his choice of party and, sadly, seems to want to recuse himself from representing his constituency here at home.

  2. If McHenry County passes on John O’Neill they will be making a HUGE mistake. John is head and shoulders above,the do what he’s told, Jack-a-rouse. John has fresh ideas, a true desire to better McHenry and not himself. John is a honest and sincer man. Who, on his own, is trying to bring employment to those without jobs. How can you not VOTE FOR JOHN!

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