Outlining Your Policy Positions (worksheet)
This worksheet asks you to outline your principles and policy positions on a number of important political and ethical controversies. There are no right or wrong answers to any of these questions. Knowing where you stand on ‘big picture’ issues relating to morals and principles can be very helpful in providing effective responses to debate and audience questions. Likewise, having taken the time to think through and write out your stances on political questions will make it easier for you to communicate your vision and strategy for achieving that vision to your audience. Some of these issues may not be of particular relevance to the office for which you are running, but we assure you that you will be asked about them.
General Values:
- What are the three issues that are of greatest importance to you?
- What are the three issues that are of greatest importance to your constituents?
- What ethical principles most guide your decision making?
- How would you describe your leadership style?
- Which public figures have most influenced your political thinking?
Problem-solving Orientation:
Given a choice in solving a problem, do you generally prefer…
- Individual choice or government intervention?
- Local or state control?
- State or federal control?
- Government or market-based approaches?
- Ensuring equal opportunities, or equal outcomes?
- Traditional or innovative approaches?
General Issues: What are your feelings about the following?
You can answer any question you are asked by knowing your values and you can use every issue to reflect those values.
- Affirmative Action
- Agriculture Policy
- Childcare
- Civil Liberties &. Homeland Security
- Corporate Accountability
- Crime Control
- Policing
- Sentencing/Tough Crime Measures
- Death Penalty
- Defense Spending
- Domestic & Sexual Violence
- Drug War
- Economy
- Education Policy
- Evolution v. Creationism
- Funding
- Sex Education
- Tenure
- Testing
- Vouchers
- Energy Policy
- Environmental Protection
- Euthanasia (Right to Die)
- Foreign Aid Spending
- Foreign Policy
- Free Speech
- Free Trade Agreements
- Gay Rights
- Gun Control
- Immigration
- Iraq Policy
- Poverty & Public Assistance (Welfare)
- Public Subsidies (Like Stadiums)
- Reproductive Rights
- Race Relations
- Separation of Church and State
- Social Security & Medicare
- Stem Cell Research
- Taxation levels
- War on Terrorism