</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>FARMSUBSID</Tag>
<Display>Farm Subsidies</Display>
<Image>Family</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Family_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The government has long subsidized the agricultural sector, allowing food grown in the United States to remain competitive with food grown overseas. Supporters of farm subsidies wish for these subsides to continue to support American farmers. Opponents feel this is an inefficient use of government resources, and feel American farmers should have to compete fairly on the market.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">1</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="11">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="11">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="11">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="11">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="11">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="11">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="15">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="15">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="15">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="15">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="15">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="15">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="22">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="22">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="22">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="22">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="22">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="22">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="28">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="28">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="28">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="28">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="28">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="28">8</Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>FIGHTINGIS</Tag>
<Display>Fighting ISIS</Display>
<Image>War</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_War_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is a terrorist organization operating in Syria and Iraq. Involved in the civil war in Syria, ISIS is known for its brutal terrorist attacks, including the destruction of monuments and the beheading of hostages. Fighting ISIS is a complicated matter, and could involve risking U.S. troops in the Middle East, or supporting parties in the Middle East whose goals we might not share.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">2</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">8</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">8</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">5</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">5</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>FIXINGINFR</Tag>
<Display>Fixing Infrastructure</Display>
<Image>Economy</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Economy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Much of the United States' infrastructure is reaching the end of its life, and the existing system of patches and repairs can only keep it going for so much longer. Extensive new infrastructure spending may soon be required, but the cost of this will be substantial.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="21">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="21">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="21">4</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="21">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="21">4</Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>FIXINGOBES</Tag>
<Display>Fixing Obesity Crisis</Display>
<Image>Cheese</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Family_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The continent hasn't started sinking under the weight of Americans yet, but maybe one day soon. Some people want the government to regulate the food and restaurant industry, enforcing labeling requirements, and restricting access to high sugar, high calorie foods. Opponents worry about the effects such heavy handed regulations might have on the free market.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">2</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-2</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>GUNCONTROL</Tag>
<Display>Gun Rights</Display>
<Image>Gun</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Gun_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Supporters of Gun Rights wish for their Second Amendment rights to own a firearm to be protected, and for regulations that restrict access to firearms to be limited or ended. Opponents feel that unfettered access to firearms is a serious public safety issue, and point to the number of high profile mass shootings that have occurred in recent years as a good reason for increased gun regulations.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-8</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">-1</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="0">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="0">-3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="0">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="0">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="0">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="0">2</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="3">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="3">-3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="3">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="3">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="3">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="3">2</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="4">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="4">-5</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="4">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="4">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="4">-2</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="6">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="6">-5</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="6">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="6">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="6">-2</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="25">4</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="25">-3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="25">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="25">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="25">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="25">2</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="30">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="30">-5</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="30">3</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="30">-2</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="42">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="42">-3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="42">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="42">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="42">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="42">3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="45">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="45">-3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="45">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="45">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="45">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="45">2</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="49">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="49">-3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="49">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="49">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="49">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="49">2</Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>HIGHGASPRI</Tag>
<Display>High Gas Prices</Display>
<Image>Jobs</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Family_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Expensive gas is un-American. Worse than that it's European. You will likely have no influence on this issue if you manage to get yourself elected, but it makes a good carrot to dangle in front of some of the more clueless voters.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-7</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-7</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">-5</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>HIGHERMINI</Tag>
<Display>Higher Minimum Wage</Display>
<Image>Jobs</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Jobs_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Many workers in the United States cannot find jobs that pay above the minimum wage, which is almost impossible to support a family on. Supporters of a higher minimum wage want businesses to pay more to these workers, to increase their standard of life. Opponents worry that this would lead to job losses, and feel that wages are best set by the market itself.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">6</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>HILLARYSEM</Tag>
<Display>Hillary's Emails</Display>
<Image>Generic</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Generic_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>In 2015 it was revealed that Hillary Clinton had been using a private email account while serving as Secretary of State. When ordered to turn these emails over, it was revealed that several thousands emails have gone missing, in violation of various governmental recordkeeping requirements. How Mrs. Clinton responds to this and other allegations against her credibility and integrity has become an important campaign issue.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">-2</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>IRANIANNUC</Tag>
<Display>Iranian Nuclear Deal</Display>
<Image>War</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_War_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Iran has been beligerant and diplomatically isolated for some time. Notably, its leaders have threatened to eliminate Israel on several occasions, and the country has begun its own nuclear weapons program. Western leaders have installed economic sanctions to convince Iran to stop these programs, though to date these sanctions have been ineffective.||However, in the Summer of 2015 a deal was reached where these sanctions would be lifted in exchange for a halt to nuclear weapons development. Supporters of this deal feel that they will stop weapons development, and provide an important first step to reducing tensions in the region. Opponents do not trust Iran to obey the conditions of the deal, and don't want to economically reward them.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>KEYSTONEXL</Tag>
<Display>Keystone XL Pipeline</Display>
<Image>Energy</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Energy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The Keystone XL is a proposed pipeline which would transport oil from Western Canada to refineries in the United States. Although the Obama Administration rejected the pipeline in November of 2015, proponents hope that a new administration may revive the project. Supporters of this pipeline believe the environmental risks are overstated and can be controlled. Opponents disagree, and wish for passage of the pipeline to be continued to be blocked.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">0</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="15">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="15">-3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="15">10</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="15">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="15">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="15">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="25">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="25">-3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="25">10</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="25">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="25">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="25">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="27">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="27">-3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="27">10</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="27">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="27">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="27">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="28">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="28">-3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="28">10</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="28">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="28">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="28">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="35">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="35">-3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="35">10</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="35">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="35">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="35">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="40">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="40">-3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="40">10</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="40">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="40">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="40">4</Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>CRIME</Tag>
<Display>Law Enforcement</Display>
<Image>Gun</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Gun_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Since 9/11, police forces across the United States have received powerful hardware once restricted to use by the military. Some feel that the police require these tools to deal with terrorist threats and highly equipped criminals. Others fear the effect this militarization has had on police relations with the public they're supposed to protect.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-2</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>LEGALIZINGMARIJUANA</Tag>
<Display>Legalization of Marijuana</Display>
<Image>LegalizingPot</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Family_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>!Supporters of legalizing marijuana feel that the social and health impacts of the drug are minimal, that the current law treats marijuana users too harshly, and that if legal, revenue from its production could be taxed. Opponents feel the health and social impacts of marijuana use are too dangerous to ignore and oppose any attempts to legalize the drug.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="4">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="4">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="4">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="4">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="4">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="5">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="5">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="5">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="5">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="5">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="5">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="28">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="28">2</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="28">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="28">-8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="28">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="28">-2</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="30">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="30">2</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="30">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="30">-8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="30">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="30">-2</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="35">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="35">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="35">-8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="35">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="35">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="36">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="36">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="36">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="36">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="36">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="36">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="46">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="46">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="46">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="46">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="46">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="46">8</Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>FEDERALEDUCATION</Tag>
<Display>More Money for Education</Display>
<Image>School</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_School_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The education system provides students with the training and education they need to lead productive lives, and provides the economy with trained, useful workers. Supporters want more money invested into the system. Opponents doubt the effectiveness of an inefficient public education system, and believe the private sector can provide a better alternative.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>DOMESTICSU</Tag>
<Display>NSA Surveillance</Display>
<Image>Generic</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Generic_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Following the September 11th Attacks, the National Security Agency began to conduct surveillance on communications within the United States to detect terrorist activity. Large amounts of personal data on normal, law-abiding citizens has been captured during these efforts, and the government's use and retention of this data has become a potential election issue.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>DIPLOMACY</Tag>
<Display>Greater Role for Diplomacy</Display>
<Image>War</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_War_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Greater Role for Diplomacy.Liberals and Democrats believe the State Department should have more resources and authority to maintain alliances and deploy America’s soft power to serve common objectives such as preserving and enhancing the liberal international order ,fighting terrorism, mitigating climate change and protecting human rights. It is called ‘soft’ or ‘smart’ power. Some ‘Realist’ Republicans also endorse a greater role for diplomacy because they believe it compliments America’s ‘hard’ military power. Neoconservatives and isolationists tend to take a dim view, making this a divisive issue both between, and within the parties.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">5</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">8</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">5</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-8</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">8</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>MIDDLECLASSTAXCUTS</Tag>
<Display>Middle Class Tax Cuts</Display>
<Image>FAMILY</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Family_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Middle class tax cuts are less controversial than tax cuts for the wealthy, in that a middle class household is likelier to spend untaxed income or use it to pay down the overhang of home mortgage and other debt, hence spurring the economy. It could still lead to the deficit if not accompanied by other measures that increase revenues or reduce spending. However, since a huge proportion of the population benefits, it is widely supported.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">5</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">1</Default_Party_Position>
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</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>NATURALGASEXPLORATION</Tag>
<Display>Natural Gas Exploration</Display>
<Image>Energy</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Energy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Natural Gas Exploration:Americans used to believe that it would have to import natural gas in vast quantities, just like it was doing with oil. However, the combination of Energy Department and private sector funding has led to the innovative processes of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”: now trillions of cubic meters of gas reserves once deemed unrecoverable can be explored and utilized. The positive consequences could be profound. Firstly, natural gas is cleaner than coal and oil, so the expansion of natural gas power stations and the conversion of small trucks and large utility vessels to natural gas engines could lead to a sharp drop in CO2 emissions, acting as a bridge fuel to a renewable economy. Secondly, a smarter energy mix means that America would develop some immunity to the volatile oil price and also gain strategic strength in dealing with various authoritarian allies who currently sell it oil. Moreover, the gain in strategic strength would correspond with a strategic loss suffered by adversaries who either sell oil/gas or use price rises to benefit themselves during geopolitical tensions. Thirdly, the abundance of cheap natural gas could fuel a new industrial revolution in America, as cheaper energy means certain manufacturing industries could bring jobs back home. Jobs would also be created in building the infrastructure and in selling some surplus quantities of the gas, narrowing the trade deficit with the rest of the world.
However, liberals are divided on the issue. People in states such as New York and Pennsylvania are worried that “fracking” for gas or shale oil, if done shoddily, could lead to higher CO2 emissions, destruction of countryside and wildlife areas, the contamination of water supplies and the potential for explosive accidents, as well as earthquakes. Strong regulations are needed to ensure that the cost/benefit analysis works as it should. Conservative Republicans say strong regulations will only keep the gas underground and that Palin’s cry of “Drill,Baby,Drill!” is the answer.</Description>
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</issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>VENTURE</Tag>
<Display>Venture Capitalism</Display>
<Image>Economy</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Economy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Democrats tend to praise venture capitalism and hold it as a contrast to private equity, its close relation. While private equity can just as often destroy jobs as well as create them for mature companies it invest in, venture capital institutions create jobs in that their role is to back promising new ideas of entrepreneurs which could become successful startups like Google and Facebook. According to sources, it is Venture capital is also associated with job creation (accounting for 2% of US GDP),[2] the knowledge economy, and used as a proxy measure of innovation within an economic sector or geography. Every year, there are nearly 2 million businesses created in the USA, and 600–800 get venture capital funding. According to the National Venture Capital Association, 11% of private sector jobs come from venture backed companies and venture backed revenue accounts for 21% of US GDP.[3]
It is also a way in which public and private actors can construct an institution that systematically creates networks for the new firms and industries, so that they can progress. This institution helps in identifying and combining pieces of companies, like finance, technical expertise, know-hows of marketing and business models. Once integrated, these enterprises succeed by becoming nodes in the search networks for designing and building products in their domain.</Description>
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</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>EUROPE/NATO</Tag>
<Display>Europe/North Atlantic Treaty Organization</Display>
<Image>War</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_War_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>America’s traditional allies in Europe and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization are concerned that America’s commitment to defending Europe is not as strong as it used to be, especially when juxtaposed with the Middle Eastern misadventures and the Pivot to Asia. Obama is trying to fix that in his last year by ratcheting up deployment strength in Europe in the wake of Putin’s Ukraine Conflict and threats to various members of NATO and the EU. However, there is now a growing alarm that the Republicans may turn towards isolationism, with Donald Trump expressing scepticism about the alliance’s value.</Description>
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</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>COLLEGE</Tag>
<Display>Aid for College/Universties</Display>
<Image>Family</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Family_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description> America was once a leader in terms of the proportion of its population obtaining further academic and vocational qualifications post-high school. However, due to the growth in inequality and the difficulties facing working and middle class families over the past 12 years, the rates of enrolment have dropped at the same time the dropout rates have increased across the entire spectrum of further education- from two year community colleges ,to full-fledged universities. Furthermore, colleges and universities have seen a marked decline in the amount of tuition funding guaranteed to them by state governments that have been hit by crisis, as well as shrinking research grants and endowments. The result is that higher education institutions have to increase fees for their students and reduce the amount of investment across the academic spectrum, demoralizing students and faculty alike, with future consequences for the job market. Add in the fact that America faces stiff competition from other elite Western universities such as Britain’s Oxford and Cambridge, and the rise of prestigious institutions in Asia, there is a risk that America may be left behind in the race for innovation, enterprise, knowledge based, technology and economic leadership, hence heralding national decline. Foreign students thinking of coming to our best universities may hesitate because they hear about their relative [and maybe even real] decline and feel they can get a better investment on their futures elsewhere, further contributing to the narrowing of America’s talent and knowledge base and a decline in standards, funding and expectations. Furthermore, businesses are demanding that community colleges train future vocational and technical workers in how to use sophisticated technology in the manufacturing process. Democrats say that it is up to the job of the Federal government to step in where the states are failing and provide programs that make colleges more affordable, [with scholarships, tax credits, aid, grants], to ensure that students and their families are protected and to ensure that America’s public university, 4 year college and community college system remains strong and capable of thriving in face of the challenges, otherwise private colleges and universities [non-profit] such as Columbia and Stanford would also fail in their objective of educating the future workforce and preparing American youngsters for their role as responsible citizens, as they will become complacent about their competition from public rivals such as Berkeley, University of California. Some Republicans are open towards some free market reforms that they say would open competition to help middle class and working class families, while others believe the Federal Government should leave it up to the states, universities, students and their families to take responsibility and improve efficiency. </Description>
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</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>MUSLIM</Tag>
<Display>Better Relations with The Muslim and Arab Worlds</Display>
<Image>War</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_War_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Barack Obama came to power promising to revive America’s standing in the Muslim world. So far the results have been mixed, with America still being quite unpopular, although there is greater approval for Obama than for Bush.
Democrats argue that invading certain countries in the Arab and Muslim world and toppling their dictatorships is not the correct way to bring about a new, liberal, pluralist and modern Middle East. It leaves America open to charges of double standards in that it tolerates oppressive allies and crushes oppressive enemies, and it feeds into theories of imperialism. It shows a lack of appreciation and understanding of Islamic and Middle Eastern histories, cultural, socio-economic and anthropological make up, as was exposed in the aftermath of the Iraq War. While military force is sometimes necessary to check the balance of power [Gulf War 1991] or to stop ongoing and especially egregious crimes against humanity [as may be the case with Syria], such actions undertaken on a whim could feed into ancient narratives of a crusading West.
Instead, the United States must show that it has benign intentions for Middle Eastern societies through greater diplomacy, of both the traditional and untraditional kind. America must choose when and how to support people power movements in Iran and other countries that are US opponents, based on exactly how strong the current regime is and how likely they are to survive challenges to their rule. By reaching out with “an outstretched hand rather than a clenched fist”, America can prove that it genuinely wishes for peace and for more productive relations and to assist Middle Eastern societies on the way to freedom, with or without their government’s support.
The US has to be willing to stand up to allied autocrats and throw its support behind pro-democracy protestors so as to secure long –term friendship. Now, it must try to re-orient aid to countries like Egypt and Tunisia away from military to military aid towards aid for humanitarian and economic development. The spread of opportunities for the under-employed Arab youth and the promise of a better life would inevitably ensure a pro-American population and the sustained growth and maturity of thriving and constitutional and democratic societies.
However, reality is far more problematic. Decades of supporting autocrats in exchange for crushing Islamists of various sorts [as well as Communists during the Cold War] can’t disappear overnight, leaving much of the Arab and wider Muslim world distrusting and resentful of the United States.
Two examples are the situations in Syria and Bahrain. In both cases, the Iran and the oil issue complicated matters. America is reluctant to stop the atrocities perpetrated by Assad’s government with military action because it fears that Assad is stronger than he appears because of Iranian and Russian support and he will survive, or drag America into another quagmire. Should Iran step up its support of Assad from covert to overt, then a military clash involving the whole region could become inevitable, as does its quest to build a bomb. Similarly, the US couldn’t overtly back the pro-reform faction of the [Sunni] Bahraini royal family and the pro-democracy demonstrators [majority Shiite] against the authoritarian faction and the Saudi monarchy, for fear of possibly damaging its strategic position [Navy Sixth Fleet in Bahrain] against Iran in the Persian Gulf. A war with Iran or a rift with the Saudis [who are anti-liberal, anti-pluralist themselves and are tolerant of fundamentalists of the most extreme variety, hence damaging America’s credibility] would send oil prices soaring.The real and perceived failures of the wars in Iraq and, to some extent, Afghanistan have damaged key Middle Eastern allies’, such as that of Turkey’s, confidence in the durability of American power and its ability to guarantee against wider chaos. The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, as well as with Lebanon and others, is a continuing thorn in America’s side as it tries to rebuild broken bridges. Moreover, it serves as an anti-American propaganda recruiting tool for a range of US opponents.
Many Republicans say that the US should fully back Israel, no matter the cost. Furthermore, they say that the Administration has badly handled the Arab Spring and that it either has been too easy on Islamists, however moderate, too hard on allies like Mubarak, and too unwilling to use force for the sake of “an apology tour”. They feel the US could achieve greater respect from the Middle East and greater freedom and national security through a more muscular and hawkish posture. Democrats counter a more hawkish posture would just aggravate the problems. Republicans like Trump believe that we should either be isolationist or display extreme hostility to Muslims.</Description>
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</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>SMARTGOVERNMENT</Tag>
<Display>Smarter Government</Display>
<Image>Generic</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Generic_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>In the endless bad tempered arguments about government's size and role, both parties are neglecting to talk about creating a more intelligent, competent government, staffed by some of the best and brightest, so that whatever tasks government chooses to do, it will do them well. Democrats fear this would harm the interests of unions while Republicans are reluctant to aknowledge that government can play a role.</Description>
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</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>THE NEW START</Tag>
<Display>The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty</Display>
<Image>War</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_War_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The Obama Administration came to power promising a reset in relations with Russia under Dmitry Medvedev. It has achieved a landmark treaty reducing nuclear weapons stockpiles in those countries, following established precedent. However hawks are justifiably doubtful that the treaty is worth it, given that Putin overturned the ‘reset’ upon returning to the Kremlin. Democrats, while agreeing that Putin is untrustworthy and that it is time to be tougher in dealing with Russia, argue that ditching the treaty will only lead to more nuclear weapons and a global nuclear arms race-something which could be very dangerous. </Description>
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</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>AFFIRMATIVEACTION</Tag>
<Display>Affirmative Action</Display>
<Image>generic</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Generic_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Since the 1960’s laws were passed enabling the Federal Government to intervene to correct inequalities between whites, particularly white men, and minorities such as African-Americans and Hispanics. The Federal Government hopes to use affirmative action to create opportunities for women of all colors and for the emergence of a Latino-Black middle class, though, among other measures, preferences given to university applications, minority firms making less than a certain amount given contracts, preferential hiring, etc.
People are divided. Conservatives, including some minority members themselves, such as Justice Clarence Thomas, say it is demeaning to think that they didn’t achieve their success based on their own efforts and that they needed the federal government to give them a push through charity and pity. Others say it breeds complacency and dependency among minority communities- even to the point they still claim affirmative action when they don’t need it.
Even some liberals say it could have unintended consequences, for example, a Latina who, although she may be incredibly intelligent, may come from a background that leaves her psychologically unprepared for admission to an elite university on affirmative action, and that she should be encouraged to take a smaller, less risky step.Liberals and centrists won’t get rid of the system because they believe that ultimately, it will build a fairer and more dynamic society. However, centrist Democrats are exploring the idea of broadening and narrowing affirmative action, in which minorities above a certain income group would receive less assistance while people from poor, working class white backgrounds who weren’t typical applicants would be included in future reforms.</Description>
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</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>Corporation TaxCuts</Tag>
<Display>Corporation Tax Cuts</Display>
<Image>Jobs</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Economy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Some Believe Cutting Corporation Taxes help buisness, and therefore help the economy. Others believe that cutting these taxes are a bad thing.</Description>
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</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>PRIVATE EQUITY CAPITALISM</Tag>
<Display>Private Equity</Display>
<Image>Economy</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Economy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Democrats tend to praise venture capitalism and hold it as a contrast to private equity, its close relation. Private Equity works by having private investors take over struggling listed or non-listed corporations through buyouts and restructuring them so that they can return to profitability. Although the US economy gains in competitiveness, there are some problems in this model. Jobs are often destroyed in the process, especially if they are shipped overseas. Another issue is that private equity firms like Romney’s Bain Capital sometimes exit the firm too quickly, leaving them heavily indebted, resulting in future bankruptcy. Democrats want to increase regulation while Republicans say let the market work.</Description>
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</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>WARONPOVERTY</Tag>
<Display>The War on Poverty</Display>
<Image>Family</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Family_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The War on Poverty: From the presidency of Teddy Roosevelt onwards, progressives and liberals from both parties proposed a variety of measures meant to tackle the prevalence of poverty in America, with Lyndon Baines Johnson explicitly calling for a war on poverty. Aside from opposition to the Vietnam War, it was the cause of Bobby Kennedy in his fated 1968 campaign. However, it could be argued that the various New Deal, Square Deal, New Frontier and Great Society programs of liberalism have failed, in that they contributed to the development of an “entitlement society”, “welfare fraud”, and a “dependency culture,” according to many classically liberal Conservatives. While some admit these programs are well-meaning, they claim that it undermines the individualist work ethic and racks up American deficits and debt .
Some conservatives go so far as to say that hard-working middle and upper class Americans shouldn’t have to pay taxes for scroungers and that, by involving the Federal Government involved in the affairs of the states and people’s lives, liberty is undermined.
Some neo-liberals in the Bill Clinton mould admit that there should be more assertive efforts to move poor people, particularly single mothers, into the workforce so as to break the poverty trap.
However, progressives and liberals say the War on Poverty has failed because it needed broader and more in depth coordination and more funds. Moreover, the welfare reform of the 90’s could be seen as contributing to the problem experienced by low income families in that it pushes them into work that is unsatisfying and low paid. The termination or drastic reduction of benefits could also hurt families. For a war on poverty to be successful, a massive new effort is needed focusing on job creation, effective law enforcement, family counselling, early childhood development , access to high quality and nutritious food and investments in education and healthcare.
Other ideas that have attracted the support across the political spectrum have been education reform, housing vouchers and Special Enterprise Zones, in which businesses are encouraged to invest in deprived areas. The latter idea was championed by RFK before his death, and was later adopted by conservative icon Jack Kemp.
Moreover, the focused and strong attention paid to tackling extreme poverty amongst all groups, regardless of race, benefits the economy as a whole, because increased incomes for the poor lead to higher growth and opportunities to expand the middle class. Other benefits include reduced crime.</Description>
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</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>AMERICAEXCEP</Tag>
<Display>American Execeptionalism</Display>
<Image>generic</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Generic_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>American Exceptionalism.It is argued that America is a truly unique nation destined to be a model of freedom to the rest of the world and that its contribution to human history was for the greater good.
While Democrats don’t dispute the notion of American sacrifice during WWII and its effort to win the Cold War, as well as the unique status as one of the founders of modern constitutional democracy and of a free market society, they argue that too much proclaiming of American exceptionalism is grating on America’s allies and foes alike. The US has the issues of slavery and the treatment of Native Americans in its history and wasn’t above imperial expansion in the Americas and the Pacific. Also, there are ways that America’s uniqueness isn’t something to be widely admired, such as its higher than average social-economic inequality for a developed country, the corrupting influence of money on politics and so on and so forth. They also take note of failing to acknowledge the histories of other countries ranging from Britain to China .</Description>
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</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>BRITAIN</Tag>
<Display>The Special Relationship</Display>
<Image>War</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_War_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The Special Relationship.Since WWII, Britain has been America’s strongest and most reliable of allies. The two countries share the historical heritage of economic and constitutional liberalism as well as cultural and genealogical ties.
After Britain’s decline, the US took on the role of the British Empire as the Great Power responsible for upholding the economically and institutionally liberal world order. The ideal is that the United States would safeguard the sea lanes, defend human rights and be willing to maintain the balance of power in favor of the rule of law and the free market by standing up against autocratic regimes, be they peaceful or aggressive.
The vast majority of American politicians and presidents claim to value the Relationship as much as for the symbolism as for the strategic value it offers. However, some Republicans have taken advantage of the relationship. Democrats on the other hand, want to enhance it through trade and by encouraging Britain to remain within the EU. </Description>
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</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>USEDUCATION</Tag>
<Display>Transforming America's Schools</Display>
<Image>School</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_School_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Reviving US Education.The US has struggled in recent years to maintain a leadership role in the opportunities available to its children and teenagers through educational achievement. Consistent international standardized test scores show that the mathematical, scientific, literacy and literary skills amongst American youngsters are slipping relative to their peers in other countries. College and university attendance is also slipping as a result. Aside from the fact that this prolongs the existence of poverty, it makes the American workforce uncompetitive in the long run, especially given the fact that other countries, particularly China are making major investments. That means that America will slip behind in the jobs and the innovation race.
There are obvious reforms that could fix the problem. First, a renewed focus on early childhood intervention, parental counselling, healthcare and education, coupled with sustained funding could better prepare children for elementary and, eventually secondary school in that it would boost cognitive development. Second, there has to be recognition in both parties that the inequitable funding system is a problem. Schools in prosperous, upper middle to high income neighbourhoods [largely white] are bound to have an advantage in that they have more resources than schools located in places of high poverty, because of property tax revenue. Schools that have been in bad situations like this for decades are harder to rescue due to an atmosphere of hopelessness and neglect. Therefore more funding would help. Thirdly, teachers’ unions pose a problem in that their tenure system and their collective bargaining mean that new teachers, with new ideas that can actually help students, backed by new leaders, are often stymied. Reforms would have to address the inability to remove ineffective or bad teachers and to reward exceptionally gifted teachers leading to greater prestige for the profession and the attraction of university graduates of the highest calibre to the profession. Fourth, the voluntary and private sector could play a role, in that failing schools could be taken over or replaced with charter schools operated by charities and social enterprises. Even universities, both private and public, like Stanford and Berkeley, as well as established private and public schools like Boston Latin and Bronx Science could play positive roles in guidance. Corporations that have an interest in sustaining and advancing an innovative and entrepreneurial society could be encouraged. Fifth, parents and students should have greater choice, whether through limited use of vouchers or through the ability of students to attend schools away from their deprived areas. Finally, the right balance between integrating technology, paediatric neuroscience and psychology, new methods of teaching and learning and evaluating students’ needs to be found, with the understanding that experimentation could lead to results.
The problems are many: Conservatives and states’ rights advocates say that it is entrusting too much power to the federal government. Many Republicans also want to concentrate on vouchers. Teachers and their unions often feel vilified unfairly and underappreciated by reformers from both parties and could wreak havoc with Democratic Party politics. New and eager teachers could easily get demoralized by the conflicts. For all of the talk of experimentation, there is always the risk that experiments fail, wasting valuable time and money, whilst the answer-more government guidance- could limit flexibility and end up penalizing schools that don’t make up ground quickly..</Description>
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</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>STARTUPTAXCUTS</Tag>
<Display>Start up Tax Cuts</Display>
<Image>Economy</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Economy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>America has long been the country of innovators and entrepreneurs,with the likes of Google and Apple emerging out of small ecentric projects.Tax cuts for innovators can create the jobs and technology needed to compete in a globalized economy.</Description>
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</issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>VETERANS</Tag>
<Display>Supporting Veterans</Display>
<Image>generic</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Generic_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Many veterans from the Iraq and Afghan Wars are experiencing increasing symptoms of mental illness and trauma, leading to family breakdowns, domestic violence, decrease in military and civilian work performance, drug and alcohol dependency and suicides.
Given that America invests a lot in its soldiers, it is a national security, economic and humanitarian imperative to assist veterans as they recover from tours of duty. Returning soldiers, who are unable to function in the military, or, in society as a whole, drag everything else down by contributing to spiraling health care costs and productivity losses. This is especially true of a soldier who’s academic and workforce training was funded by the Armed Forces, and is even more so the case regarding a soldier who possess the highest intellectual and leadership potential. If the Army spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on a soldier so that he can be a leader in both a civilian or military setting, and the soldier can’t function due to traumatic brain injury and a lack of support, then the investment turns bad. Furthermore, the impression that the Armed Forces can’t protect their own members’ and the concerned military families acts as a disincentive to the general population to join, posing problems for recruitment. It also leads to problems within the ranks in that serving officers may fear that disclosure of mental health related war wounds would only generate contempt in a tough institution at best, discharge at worst.</Description>
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<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">3</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">8</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">3</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>AMERICANJOBS ACT</Tag>
<Display>The American Jobs Act</Display>
<Image>JOBS</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Jobs_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The American Jobs Act was a $447 billion supplemental stimulus to the American Recovery and Re-investment Act that was proposed by Obama in fall 2011, but never made it to a vote. Instead various bits and pieces of it were voted on and were either passed or rejected. It contained $253 billion in tax credits (56.6%) and $194 billion in spending and extension of unemployment benefits (43.4%). By providing tax cuts for the middle class and small businesses, aid for the states to retain teachers, cops and firefighters, financing to refurbish foreclosed homes, as well as enhanced training and adjustment assistance for unemployed workers and infrastructure investment, it aimed to inject greater demand in the economy and make it more flexible. However, whilst many Democrats were reluctant because of the tax cut, Republicans tended to reject the whole idea on claims that it would explode the deficit, despite evidence, that, by growing the economy in the medium and long term, it would help pay down the debt. The longer the economic crisis goes on, the higher deficits will climb because tax revenues will underperform.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">5</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>CAMPDAVID</Tag>
<Display>Camp David Push</Display>
<Image>War</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_War_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Camp David Push/Palestinian State/J-Street
It is time to resolve the Middle East Peace issue and prevent future conflicts between Israel and the Palestinians and spillover into the rest of the region. Most Democrats and traditional Republican foreign policy heavyweights such as Henry Kissinger [himself a Jew] and Bush Senior allies James Baker and Brent Scowcroft believe that a deal exists, just not the political will to push it through and implement it. However, despite the fact younger, liberal Jewish Americans are beginning to coalesce around a peace lobby called J-Street, the sense around Jewish Americans and Americans at large that the Palestinians aren’t credible partners remains, as does the power of AIPAC and Jewish Republican donors such as Sheldon Adelson. Furthermore, no one wants to be blamed for the failure of talks or for the violence from extremists that may follow. Also, pressuring Israel on settlements, Jerusalem, security and the right of return isn’t popular. At the same time, it is widely admitted that the situation isn’t demographically sustainable and that the Jewish State may be overwhelmed by Palestinians it directly and indirectly controls, putting its survival at risk. Also, the Palestinians have been making reforms to their law enforcement, service provision, administration, humanitarian development and economy in the last few years despite the divisions between Fatah-controlled West Bank and the Hamas governed Gaza Strip, so if now is not the time to empower the Palestinian pragmatists, then when?
Hawkish Republicans say not to recognize Palestine until Hamas reforms or disbands as they are terrorists.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">3</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">1</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>SOCIALVENTURE</Tag>
<Display>Social Venture Capitalism</Display>
<Image>Economy</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Economy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Social entrepreneurs are people who seek to harness the powers of the market to solve social problems such as poverty and lack of opportunity. Advocates, such as Britain’s David Cameron and America’s Wendy Kopp believe that government could devolve authority and funds to social entrepreneurs. The freedom to operate will lead to community building and would lead to growth in bottom up and innovative solutions. However, taxpayers are reluctant to shell out money for it, while Democratic constituencies such as public sector workers see it as a threat.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">8</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">2</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">3</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>OCCUPYWAL</Tag>
<Display>Occupy Wall Street</Display>
<Image>Economy</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Economy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Income equality is a serious issue in the United States. Liberals tend to see the Occupy movement as a positive force for change. Many conservatives view the protesters as self-entitled, and often the instigators of criminal behavior.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">2</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">3</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-3</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">3</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">0</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>UNIONs</Tag>
<Display>Private Sector Unions</Display>
<Image>Jobs</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Jobs_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Conservatives see oversized influence of trade unions in the manufacturing and retail sectors as one-way ticket to bankruptcy. Liberals view efforts to limit the role of unions as an assault on the livelihoods of the working class.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">3</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">7</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-7</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">0</Default_Party_Position>

</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>FUELEFFICI</Tag>
<Display>Fuel Efficiency Standards</Display>
<Image>energy</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Energy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>With the cost of fuel going up, dependence on foreign oil growing, and the impact on the environment by fossil fuels a rising concern, many environmentalists argue that the best way to solve all three is to raise the fuel efficiency standards.||Opponents argue that doing so limits consumer choice and costs American jobs.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">8</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">3</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-2</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">3</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="21">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="21">-2</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="21">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="21">-8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="21">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="21">-5</Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>FIXINGMORT</Tag>
<Display>Fixing Mortgage disaster</Display>
<Image>Economy</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Economy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>A few years ago, housing prices were skyrocketing. This led many lenders to offer adjustable rate mortgages to families who had relatively poor credit ratings and wanted to purchase a home that was beyond their means.||When interest rates increased while home values decreased, some of these families found themselves unable to make their monthly mortgage payment thus creating a credit disaster.||Many advocates argue that the government should step in and bail people out of the credit crunch. Opponents argue that this punishes those who borrow responsibly and that the market should be left alone.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">3</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">8</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">3</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-8</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">3</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>ARMINGSYRI</Tag>
<Display>Arming Syrian Rebels</Display>
<Image>War</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_War_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Beginning with public demonstrations as part of the wider Arab Spring movement, Syria has devolved into a bloody civil war. President Bashar al-Assad has employed brutal military action against civilian dissidents and armed revolutionaries alike in an attempt to maintain his hold on power. While opinions are mixed on both sides of the aisle, recently prominent Republicans have called for providing weapons to the Syrian rebels. Democrats have spoken out in favor of the Syrian rebels, but not provided direct military aid.||The situation is further complicated by hostility and instability towards the United States in other Arab Spring Nations.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">5</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-1</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">6</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">1</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">5</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">0</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>SCHOOLVOUCHERS</Tag>
<Display>School Vouchers</Display>
<Image>School</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_School_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The concept of school vouchers is provide a "voucher" that could be used to allow parents to change the school a child goes to. Thus, if a public school is "failing", the parent can move their child to a private school or better public school.||Opponents of school vouchers argue that such a system would be damaging to public schools. If a school is failing, then more funding could be used to aid that school. ||Supporters argue that parents should have a choice where to send their child and that poor and inner city children should not be trapped in failing schools.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-5</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">5</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">3</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>FEDERALLANDS/ANWR</Tag>
<Display>Opening Federal Lands</Display>
<Image>Energy</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Energy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Exploring Federal Lands/Protected Areas: The Federal Government owns land throughout the United States, especially in the West. A lot of these lands are designated as National Parks, in that they are to be treated as unique parts of America’s natural heritage from a time when it was an environmental paradise, with forests, untouched mountains, rivers and lakes covering most of the continent. The Artic National Wildlife Refuge is one example.
The American wilderness has been a part of America’s cultural tradition from its founding. Thomas Jefferson sponsored the Lewis and Clark expedition to explore and map the entire area covered by the Louisiana Purchase. Teddy Roosevelt was seen as the first environmentalist president and the driving force behind legislation to protect and conserve natural habitats on the grounds of not just their beauty, but to benefit future generations. Therefore, sustainable management of natural resources could be seen as a value that goes deep into American political ideals.
While the vast majority of Democrats, many independents and some liberal, moderate and centrist Republicans endorse this idea, others are doubtful whether the federal government should have the authority to overrule the states when it comes to the lands within their state borders-and the minerals and potential energy reserves under the soil. They believe that state and local governments can better decide how to sustainably manage the land, so that the economic benefits regarding ranching, mining and energy exploration could be maximized, therefore creating jobs.
The local people themselves are a better judge of what should be preserved, and how to manage it, according to this view.
Conservative Republicans and some independents say it goes against America’s frontier experience, in which the hardscrabble and enterprising pioneers moving out West can claim the land they find so that they can achieve prosperity for themselves and their families.
Moreover, in an age where America’s global economic position is being undermined, , it is seen as an imperative by Republicans to open up some federal lands, such as the Arctic National Wild-Life Refuge, to oil and gas drilling.
However, most Democrats are opposed to handing over control over federal lands to the states and limiting the powers of the EPA to block mining, drilling or ranching rights. They fear that without the enforcement of the Federal Government, and the implementation of universal and tight standards, local and national special interests may find it easier to undertake regulatory capture in the states themselves, leading to increasing amounts of what is left of America’s natural heritage to be drilled, mined, or concreted up, further harming the planet and exposing America to condemnation for failure to exercise environmental leadership.They also want to prevent accidents.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">5</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-7</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">8</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">5</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">5</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>NUCLEARENERGY</Tag>
<Display>Nuclear Energy</Display>
<Image>energy</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Energy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Nuclear Energy: Many physicists believe that nuclear energy should play a prominent role in the energy policy mix so as to limit climate change. A nuclear power plant emits basically zero emissions after it comes online, and a strong investment into nuclear energy could shift America into a clean energy economy: whole cities could eventually be powered by it, as well as transport systems such as high speed trains and all electric plug-in cars. It could also act as a bridging fuel until renewable sources of energy are upgraded to a level that would power the whole economy.
National Security Hawks and Doves alike also see nuclear energy as a way of reducing American reliance on oil from unstable or unsavoury regimes. Combined with sustained investments in energy efficiency, renewables, the new found abundance of natural gas, access to oil from allies such as Canada and Mexico, and the possibilities of clean coal technology, nuclear energy could be the make or break factor as to America becoming an energy independent superpower-economy. America would be in a stronger position in dealing with authoritarian states like Russia as a result.
Republicans wholeheartedly endorse the idea for energy security purposes, whilst Democrats, Independents and the environmental community are divided. They point to accidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima, and the risks of terrorism and weapons grade proliferation.
Technology optimists believe such problems could be worked out.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">10</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-3</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">8</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">5</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">8</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Position>
</issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>INTERNATIONALISM</Tag>
<Display>Internationalism vs Isolationism</Display>
<Image>WAR</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_War_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The debate about the proper role America should exercise in the world has been taking place for most of its history. Those who believe that the US is the indispensable nation, and must take a leading role to resolve global problems, are internationalists. They include advocates of liberal-humanitarian interventionism, realists and neoconservatives, with each side giving different emphasis to the uses of soft and hard power. Isolationists are those who believe that America should radically disengage from the world militarily and economically and deal with its own problems. The long and inconclusive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, coupled with economic anxiety, have revived this old demon. </Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">8</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">7</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">8</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">6</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">-1</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>

<Tag>OUTSOURCINGJOBS</Tag>
<Display>Outsourcing of Jobs</Display>
<Image>Jobs</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Jobs_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The United States has entered into a number of trade agreements with countries around the world, one effect of which has been that it is now cheaper to manufacture items abroad than it is to manufacture them here. This outsourcing of labor has removed a significant number of jobs from the United States' economy, to the detriment of the American middle class. Some people want trade restrictions reintroduced, or other government action taken to keep jobs in the country. Opponents worry about the effects such regulation will have on the economy.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">2</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">-2</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="4">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="4">2</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="4">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="36">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="36">2</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="36">5</Party_Importance>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>NETNEUTRAL</Tag>
<Display>Protecting Net Neutrality</Display>
<Image>Economy</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Economy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The current Internet infrastructure does not pay attention to the content of the data it carries, allowing the potential for important, time critical data (like video) to be delayed in favor of less time-sensitive data (like email.) A new infrastructure would make possible this "packet prioritization" and potentially lead to performance improvements for all users.||But some fear that Internet service providers would preferentially carry the data of large businesses, reducing Internet quality for regular users. Supporters of Net Neutrality want all data to be treated equally. Opponents feel the benefits of packet prioritization outweigh any potential risks.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>JOBS</Tag>
<Display>Reducing Unemployment</Display>
<Image>Jobs</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Jobs_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The credit crunch of 2008-2009 and resulting recession led to significant job losses which still have not been fully replaced. Although economic output has increased relatively steadily since 2009, the number of jobs has recovered far more slowly. Possible steps the government could take to alleviate the situation include targeted tax breaks or increased deficit spending.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">6</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="31">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="31">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="31">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="31">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="31">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="31">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="32">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="32">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="32">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="32">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="32">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="32">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="48">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="48">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="48">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="49">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="49">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="49">6</Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>CHRISTIANNATION</Tag>
<Display>Religious Freedom</Display>
<Image>Family</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Family_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The Constitution protects the right of Americans to practice their religion as they see fit. But when someone's religious beliefs and practices conflict with another person's rights, supporters of Religious Freedom want their rights defended first.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-2</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="0">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="0">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="0">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="1">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="1">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="1">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="2">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="2">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="2">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="2">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="2">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="2">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="16">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="16">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="16">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="16">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="16">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="16">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="17">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="17">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="17">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="17">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="17">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="17">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="21">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="21">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="21">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="21">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="21">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="21">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="39">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="39">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="39">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="39">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="39">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="39">4</Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>UNIVERSALHEALTHCARE</Tag>
<Display>Repealing ObamaCare</Display>
<Image>Health</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Health_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The passage of the Affordable Care Act, colloquially known as Obamacare, made relatively low cost health insurance available to many American citizens. The law also mandates that citizens buy this insurance, promising a variety of penalties for non-compliance. Supporters of Obamacare value the increased access to healthcare the law provides. Opponents feel the previous system provided acceptable results, and dislike the requirement that all citizens must buy insurance, regardless of their needs or preferences.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-8</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>EUREFUGEEC</Tag>
<Display>Resettlement of Refugees</Display>
<Image>War</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_War_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Unrest in Syria, Afghanistan, and other areas in the Middle East has led to wave of refugees fleeing the area, overwhelming countries in Eastern and Central Europe. Other Western nations, including the United States, can help alleviate this crisis by accepting refugees into their own countries, though this will involve costs and security risks.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">8</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-8</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="21">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="21">6</Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>SAVINGTHEB</Tag>
<Display>Saving The Bees</Display>
<Image>Energy</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Energy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Bees do more than provide delicious honey, although they do that very well. They also are an irreplaceable part of the plant pollination process, upon which significant portions of our food supply rests. The growing decline in bee populations and increasing spate of colony collapses has become a key issue for some voters.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">1</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">1</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>ILLEGALIMMIGRATION</Tag>
<Display>Securing the Borders</Display>
<Image>Generic</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Generic_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The borders of the United States have long been lightly secured, allowing people to enter with minimal obstruction. Some voters want our borders to be better secured, believing these uncodcumented visitors pose an economic burden to the country, and increase the threat of terrorism. Opponents view these immigrants sympathetically, believe they provide a net-benefit to the country, and wish for legal immigration be made more widely available.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">7</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-2</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">7</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">7</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">3</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="3">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="3">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="3">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="3">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="3">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="3">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="4">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="4">-8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="4">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="4">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="4">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="4">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="10">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="10">-8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="10">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="10">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="10">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="10">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="20">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="20">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="20">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="20">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="20">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="20">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="24">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="24">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="24">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="24">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="24">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="24">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="31">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="31">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="31">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="31">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="31">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="31">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="33">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="33">-8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="33">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="33">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="33">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="33">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="42">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="42">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="42">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="42">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="42">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="48">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="48">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="48">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="48">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="48">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="48">5</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="49">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="49">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="49">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="49">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="49">9</Party_Importance>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>SOCIALSECU</Tag>
<Display>Social Security</Display>
<Image>Family</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Family_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Shifting demographics are beginning to impact the long term health of the Social Security system, and will eventually prevent the government from making all of its obliged payments. Solutions include increasing payroll deductions, reducing benefits, means testing, or some combination of the above. Alternative solutions, including the privatization of the whole system, may also be possible, but present even greater logistical challenges.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">6</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="8">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="8">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="8">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="8">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="8">8</Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>STATEUNION</Tag>
<Display>State Unions</Display>
<Image>Jobs</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Jobs_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Some conservative governors have promised to deal harshly with government unions, demanding wage, benefit, and other concessions from them. Some support these actions, disliking the generous benefits that taxpayers pay to unionized employees. Others disapprove of their government attacking contracts which were fairly negotiated.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="0">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="0">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="0">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="0">-5</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="0">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="0">2</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="1">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="1">3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="1">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="1">-9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="1">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="1">0</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="10">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="10">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="10">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="10">-5</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="10">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="10">2</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="23">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="23">3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="23">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="23">-9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="23">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="23">0</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="26">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="26">3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="26">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="26">-9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="26">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="26">0</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="33">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="33">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="33">3</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="33">-5</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="33">1</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="33">2</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="39">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="39">3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="39">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="39">-9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="39">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="39">0</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="42">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="42">3</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="42">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="42">-9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="42">6</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="42">0</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="47">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="47">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="47">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="47">-5</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="47">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="47">2</Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>STUDENTLOA</Tag>
<Display>Student Loan Reform</Display>
<Image>Economy</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Economy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The cost of obtaining a university degree has increased dramatically over the past few decades, and an increasing number of students are graduating with unmanageably large amounts of debt. Supporters of Student Loan Reform want our current regulations to be rewritten to allow debt relief for more students. Opponents feel this isn't fair, and don't want taxpayers providing someone an education for free.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>ISRAEL</Tag>
<Display>Support for Israel</Display>
<Image>War</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_War_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Israel has long been a close ally of the United States, which has provided it with significant military and economic support over the years. Some Americans approve of this and note that Israel shares many of our values and remains a useful ally in a region where we don't have many. Others are upset with Israel's military and security actions against the Palestinians, as well as its inability to take genuine steps towards making peace, and wish that United States support be withheld.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">6</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="8">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="8">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="8">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="8">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="8">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="33">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="33">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="33">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="33">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="33">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="33">6</Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>GAYMARRIAG</Tag>
<Display>Supporting Gay Marriage</Display>
<Image>Generic</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Generic_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>In 2015 the Supreme Court ruled that the same-sex marriage bans that some states had implemented were unconstitutional, effectively making same-sex marriage legal across the United States. Supporters of Gay Marriage applaud this, and want state governments to remove all remaining barriers preventing same-sex marriages. Opponents continue to disapprove of these marriages, and advocate for civil disobedience to protest this decision.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">6</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="4">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="4">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="4">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="4">-6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="4">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="4">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="16">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="16">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="16">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="16">-8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="16">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="16">-6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="18">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="18">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="18">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="18">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="18">6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="23">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="23">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="23">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="23">-8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="23">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="23">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="24">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="24">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="24">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="24">-8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="24">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="24">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="29">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="29">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="29">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="29">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="29">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="38">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="38">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="38">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="38">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="38">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="41">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="41">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="41">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="41">-8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="41">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="41">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="42">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="42">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="42">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="42">-8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="42">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="42">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="43">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="43">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="43">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="43">-8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="43">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="43">-6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="44">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="44">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="44">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="44">-6</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="44">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="44">6</Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>GMOS</Tag>
<Display>Supporting GMO trade</Display>
<Image>Family</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Family_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Genetically Modified Organisms refer to agricultural products which have been genetically modified to improve agricultural yield, quality, or disease resistance. Supporters of GMOs appreciate the increased yield these products have, and the resulting decrease in price. Opponents worry that the health effects of these products are not fully understood, and wish for GMOs to be properly labeled, or removed from store shelves entirely.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">1</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">0</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>GREENJOBS</Tag>
<Display>Supporting Green Jobs</Display>
<Image>Jobs</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Jobs_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Green Jobs refer to work in fields that preserve or restore environmental quality, often in the alternative energy sector. Supporters wish for government resources, including subsidies and tax breaks, be spent to boost this sector of the economy. Opponents don't want the government to interfere with the natural actions of the market.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="4">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="4">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="4">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="36">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="36">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="36">9</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="42">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="42">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="42">7</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="46">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="46">5</Party_Importance>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="46">9</Party_Importance>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>TAXCUTS</Tag>
<Display>Tax Cuts</Display>
<Image>Economy</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Economy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Taxes take money away from businesses and individuals to be used by the government. Supporters of tax cuts want to give more money to businesses for them to grow, or to individuals to save or spend as they see fit. Opponents of tax cuts prefer the benefits of either reducing the budget deficit or keeping government spending at current levels.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-2</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>ENVIRONMENT</Tag>
<Display>The Environment</Display>
<Image>Energy</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Energy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>A number of environmental issues can flare up during any election, ranging from air, water, and ground pollution, to the introduction of new energy efficiency standards, to the protection (or over-protection) of endangered species.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-2</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="4">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="4">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="4">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="4">4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="4">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="4">9</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="36">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="36">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="36">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="36">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="36">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="36">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Left" StateID="46">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Left" StateID="46">8</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Right" StateID="46">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Right" StateID="46">-4</Party_Position>
<Party_Importance PartyID="Indy" StateID="46">8</Party_Importance>
<Party_Position PartyID="Indy" StateID="46">8</Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>WARONTERROR</Tag>
<Display>The War on Terror</Display>
<Image>War</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_War_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Recent attacks in Paris have dramatically illustrated the threat terrorists are still capable of dealing. Combating such attacks could require military action, or significant intrusions into the privacy of American citizens. Some support these measures, feeling that the benefit of preventing such terror attacks are worth the cost. Others disagree.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">6</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>TRADITIONALVALUES</Tag>
<Display>Traditional Values</Display>
<Image>Family</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Family_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Many in the United States feel that their way of life is under attack. They want the government to take action on a number of issues, including limiting publicly funded birth control, access to abortion, and gay marriage. Opponents support those issues, and feel that limiting them would unfairly penalize women, gay people, or other groups.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>VIDEOGAMEV</Tag>
<Display>Video Game Violence</Display>
<Image>gun</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Gun_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Video games, like this one, make people, like you, mindlessly kill each other all the time. Or perhaps they don't. The research is sparse and incomplete, and public debate rests heavily on unsubstantiated claims. Some people want access to video games to be restricted, especially amongst young children. Opponents WILL FLIP OUT AND KILL YOU RIGHT NOW FOR SAYING THAT!!!111!11!, and feel that such heavy handed regulation is inappropriate.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-1</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-1</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">-1</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>WALLSTREET</Tag>
<Display>Wall Street Regulation</Display>
<Image>Economy</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Economy_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>The variety and complexity of financial securities has increased dramatically in the past couple decades, which has introduced unknown risks into the world's economic system. Notably, these complicated securities were one of the factors that led to the housing bubble of the mid 2000's and the resulting credit crunch of 2008-2009. Supporters of increased Wall Street Regulation want these new securities to be more tightly regulated by the government to reduce systemic risk. Opponents feel that the market is capable of regulating these risks themselves.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>EXPANDING WORK AND FAMILY OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN</Tag>
<Display>Expanding Work and Family Opportunities for Women</Display>
<Image>Family</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Family_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description> Women continue to be discriminated against in the workplace when it comes to salaries and promotions. Meanwhile, it is hard to juggle family life and careers. This puts roadblocks to economic opportunity and creates greater stress within the home, especially during critical times such as pregnancy or the illness of a family member. Democrats believe the government should expand its role by mandating paid family leave, fair pay, accessible child care, etc. While some Republicans are sympathetic, they generally say that the extra spending this involves is too high and that it places more burdensome regulations on business.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">10</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">10</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">3</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>UNIVERSAL PRE-KINDERGARTEN</Tag>
<Display>Universal Pre-Kindergarten</Display>
<Image>School</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_School_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Progressives and liberals cite studies by neurologists, educators and children’s health advocates that enrolling children, especially those from poor families, in quality pre-K programs boosts their academic and social abilities, increasing the chances they will do well in later years. It can be provided either by the government/states or through the public funding of private initiatives. While Republicans point to the disappointing results from the older Head Start program, Democrats say that the gains disappear because of the lack of funding for primary and secondary education. They also point to successful pre-K programs in ‘red’ states like Georgia and how the private sector can play a role, and how it frees up mothers to work, making some Republicans open to the idea.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">10</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">10</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">3</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">0</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>DÉTENTE WITH CUBA</Tag>
<Display>Détente with Cuba</Display>
<Image>War</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_War_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description> Democrats and some Republicans generally agree that the Cuban Embargo is a Cold War relic that needlessly complicates relations with our European and Latin American partners. They believe that the restoration of trade and diplomatic ties will do more to improve Cuba’s political life than isolating the Castro regime has done. Besides, Cuba is no longer an exporter of revolution and has made positive contributions towards resolving the Colombian Civil War and to fighting Ebola. The real problem is Venezuela’s Bolivarian Government. Republicans say that the embargo should remain. Even the Cuban-American community in Florida is divided over the issue. </Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">5</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">5</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">3</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">4</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>MISSILEDEF</Tag>
<Display>Missile Defense Shield</Display>
<Image>War</Image>
<Icon>gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_War_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>With the increasing possibility of rogue nations acquiring intercontinental nuclear missiles, there has been support from Republicans for constructing a series of anti-missile defenses to destroy incoming missiles.||Opponents see this as a waste of time and money as well as inciting a new arms race.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">3</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-5</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">3</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">5</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">2</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
<Issue>
<Tag>WARONDRUGS</Tag>
<Display>War On Drugs</Display>
<Image>WarOnDrugs</Image>
<Icon>Gfx\Issue_Images\Issue_Gun_Pos.png</Icon>
<Description>Supporters of the War on Drugs worry about the health and social impacts that drugs have and feel that penalties for drug offenses are appropriate or should be stricter. Opponents observe that the War on Drugs have had a limited impact on drug use, is racially biased, and should be replaced with less harsh penalties, or even steps towards decriminalization and legalization.</Description>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Left">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Left">-4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Right">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Right">4</Default_Party_Position>
<Default_Party_Importance PartyID="Indy">1</Default_Party_Importance>
<Default_Party_Position PartyID="Indy">-1</Default_Party_Position>
</Issue>
</XMLBody>