Joe West
Republican | Illinois
Candidate Profile*
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Joe West
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 84
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
East Aurora High School, Aurora, 1973
WORK & MILITARY
United States Marine Corps, Lance Corporal, 2
AFFILIATIONS
Oswego Township, Supervisor, Village of Oswego
Trustee, Oswego American Legion Post 675, Commander, Vice-Commander
Fox Valley Marine Corps League, Commandant, Kendall County VAC
Board Member, Oswego Senior Center, Board Member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Oswego Township Supervisor, 2
Village of Oswego Trustee, 4
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
State Representative, 84th District, Current
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (2)
Troy Parlier, Village of Oswego Mayor
Dwight Baird, Kendall County Sheriff
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (2)
James T. Marter (2022)
Paul Schimpf (2021)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE*
*Additional information was received after the evaluation was assigned and was not considered in the Panel Evaluations, therefore it is for additional educational purposes only.
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Tragically, sometimes a pregnant woman gets a diagnosis of a serious health complication that threatens her life or health. Or, the pregnancy was a result of rape or incest. While I am pro-life, I believe that in those cases of rape, incest or to safeguard the life of the mother there should be exceptions. I also believe that when people are making difficult, complicated, personal medical decisions, one-size-fits-all laws don’t work. Abortion is a complex issue for the individuals involved.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Agree
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Neutral
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
I think we need to move to a flat tax so everyone pays their own share.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
Costs around pension related liabilities is one of the areas Illinois spends more than other states. I believe we should two-tiered pension plans for employees. We should start new employees by implementing a 401k plan instead of the traditional pension plan. This would begin to balance the budget by reducing the overall costs of pension liability.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Disagree
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Disagree
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
None. Separation of Church and State is part of our foundation. Government should never have control over Churches.
HEALTHCARE
What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D)Tax-payer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be de-funded.
C.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
In 1905, the governement first imposed vaccine mandates when the Supreme Court held that Cambridge, Massachusetts, could require all adults to be vaccinated against smallpox. Guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) indicates that a mandatory vaccination program is not prohibited under federal anti-discrimination laws but must account for potential accommodation obligations and other legal nuances. Most importantly, I think that any, "madating" body must understand and comply with their duty to accommodate a person's sincerely held religious belief or disability or safety concerns.
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
Most acts of Islamic terrorism are done by individuals, not groups.
I support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement to pressure Israel to withdraw from occupied territories, remove the separation barrier in the West Bank, allow full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees.
Disagree
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
I believe in warmly welcoming those immigrants who enter the country through legal methods.
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Agree
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Agree
I support adding gender identity as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
Disagree
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition
Neutral
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I was raised Baptist and baptized Catholic. I believe and have faith in God. I believe in family. I believe in the value of hard work. I believe in the value of serving your Country and community. I value honesty, loyalty, friendship and liberty.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Disagree
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
I think we need to ensure voter identification thorugh a driver's license or other type of photo identification. I also think we should limit the availability of mail-in ballots to those who truly have a need.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
No. There is a small population in the US that believes racism is an issue.
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Disagree
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Which comes closest to your view? A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost.
A
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Agree
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
I believe that the government’s role is to enable the people to secure the benefits of society for themselves, their families, and for those who are unable to do so for themselves.
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Conservative
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
Did not answer
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No
What else would you like voters to know about you, including your legislative priorities?
Did not answer
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Agree
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Disagree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Background checks
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Disagree
