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Full Name: Angie Normoyle
What office are you seeking? US Congress, IL-17
What offices, if any, have you previously held? Moline School Board: 2007-2011, Rock Island County Board: 2019-Present
City: Moline
Occupation: Communication Studies Professor at Augustana College
Education: Augustana: B.A. in Speech Communication & Business Administration Northwestern, Masters & PhD in Communications Masters Thesis: Conflict Resolution in Decision Making Groups
PhD Dissertation: Information Sharing in Small Decision Making Groups
Campaign Website: normoyleforcongress.com
What is your position re-establishing the Child Tax Credit at $3,500 per child as set in the American Rescue Plan?
I support re-establishing the Child Tax Credit. This initiative helps working families, promotes economic growth, and invests in the well-being of children across the country.
Do you believe that corporations pay enough in taxes?
No, I believe that some of our biggest corporations do not carry their fair share in taxes. Particularly, Fortune 500 companies or those that rank highly, do not pay enough in taxes and thus do not invest enough in our American economy.
Would you support increases or decreases in the amount of taxes corporations pay? Why?
I support a more progressive corporate tax, because top corporations should be held accountable and should have to pay their fair share. However, tax policies should never stifle our economy or reduce the number of fair paying jobs that are available for the American people.
Do the rich, defined as the wealthiest 1%, pay enough in taxes?
No, they do not pay enough in taxes. The weight of the income tax currently falls too heavily on lower and middle income families. This makes it harder for everyday American families to put food on the table, to save for retirement, or to afford their children’s education. An income tax that rebalances the burden from American families to the wealthiest 1% would promote domestic growth, reduce economic inequality, and preserve the American Dream for generations to come.
Would support changes in the tax code that would increase or decrease their tax burden? Why?
I support changes in the tax code that would increase the tax burden on the wealthiest 1%. The weight of the income tax should not fall on lower and middle income families. Instead, the top 1% should be held accountable to pay their fair share; I support a more progressive tax code that is fair and equitable for the American people.
Do you support raising taxes on capital gains and dividends? Why?
Taxing capital gains and dividends is a possible way to hold top investors accountable for paying their fair share in taxes. But to make sure that this kind of proposal is effective and equitable to all, measures should be taken to ensure that such a tax would not stifle or hurt lower and middle income families as they try to invest in their homes, retirement plans, or future savings. This initiative should be implemented with intent to build more access to the American Dream; it should not further limit it.
The COVID-19 pandemic saw a breakdown in this country’s supply chain. What would you propose to fix it?
First and foremost, we need to address our nation’s supply chain problems by lowering dependency on foreign products by providing incentives for domestic manufacturing and encouraging the development of high-paying union jobs. Additionally, we need to address climate change and ensure that product production is not stalled by natural disasters like floods, droughts, or shortages of natural resources.
How would you bring back manufacturing jobs?
Much of the population in the 17th district is employed in manufacturing jobs. Preserving their employment and expanding opportunities for good-paying, union jobs is one of my top priorities. To do this, we need to first modernize our educational programs by updating technology in schools and offering training in the skilled trades. Further, we need to prioritize U.S. manufacturing and prevent off-shoring by offering incentives for companies to keep production and business at home.
What plans do you have to help the lower and middle class?
I am running for Congress to directly help the lower and middle class Americans in my district. I will do so by prioritizing our economy, modernizing education, and improving infrastructure. In today’s economy, small businesses need access to physical capital through investment in infrastructure and broadband to modernize their business. Workers also need to be drawn to return to work, through safe working conditions, higher wages, paid sick leave, affordable and reliable childcare, and so much more.
Our education system needs to be revamped by offering universal Pre-K and high quality childcare. We also need educational programs that prepare our kids for jobs that are in demand now and in the future at a fair and affordable wage.
Finally, I will ensure that federal infrastructure plans include our community, creating good jobs by improving our bridges, fixing our streets, and repairing our aging public buildings. Infrastructure includes providing citizens the opportunity to live out the American Dream; all should have access to clean water, affordable and reliable utilities, and broadband access.
Do you support the idea that government can require immunizations against COVID-19 or other communicable diseases?
There are certain settings where requiring immunizations, with some exceptions, makes sense. We are already seeing vaccine requirements in some schools, hospitals, and other public spaces, particularly where the cost of not being vaccinated in such settings can be very high. Now that the COVID-19 vaccine has received full FDA approval I understand how the government may impose requirements for some professions. But the government should impose requirements with discretion and ensure that there are medical and religious exceptions available.
How do you feel about mask mandates?
I support responding to public health concerns in a thoughtful, even-minded manner. If mask mandates make sense due to rising cases and public health crises in certain settings, I am in support. The government should follow the advice of scientists and public health experts, but should also exercise discretion in implementing these kinds of policies.
Is America prepared for either another round of the current pandemic, or the next one?
Over the last two years, I think America has gained a wealth of information and collective knowledge to respond and handle the future of the COVID pandemic appropriately. However, I think it’s important to codify our knowledge and best practices by setting up plans for the future in case the next pandemic shocks our nation as immediately as COVID did.
Do you support new laws or regulations to safeguard people in the event of another pandemic?
Yes, COVID-19 has shaken our world in ways we could have never imagined, and we have come a long way since the beginning of 2020. With our cumulative knowledge and lived experience, implementing new laws to safeguard and prevent another pandemic from taking place is crucial.
Should Medicare be expanded to include dental coverage for older Americans?
I support President Biden’s 2022 fiscal year budget proposal to improve access to dental, hearing, and vision coverage in Medicare.
What are the top two threats to our national security?
The main threat to our national security are anti-democratic nations and institutions. This includes authoritarian leaders in countries like Iran, Russia, and China. The next biggest threat to our national security is climate change.
What should be done to eliminate them?
To mitigate or prevent national security crises, we should always prioritize diplomacy but should also lower dependence on goods and services provided by non-democratic agencies. Further, we should draw support for the Iran nuclear deal, work towards a two-state solution in Israel- Palestine, and strengthen relationships with our existing allies. Finally, we should continue to impose sanctions on Russia as a demonstration of our power to hurt anti-democratic agents economically.
Climate change is a crisis that we need to continue combatting. Our national security is at risk due to our reliance on depleting natural resources and our ability to effectively respond to the increasing rate of natural disasters and depleting ecosystems.
What is your position on climate change and what should be done about it?
If we don’t act quickly, our American way of life is at risk; mitigating the effects of climate change will drive innovation across industries and create high-paying jobs as we work to address pollution, preserve wildlife habitats, and protect our communities from floods. We need to shift to a 21st-century clean economy that will prepare for the realities of changing weather patterns, create a wide range of high-paying, union infrastructure jobs, hold big companies accountable for the pollution they generate, and remove loopholes that incentivize pay-outs instead of clean energy.
What is your position on nuclear energy expansion?
I support expanding nuclear energy options, particularly because of our need to mitigate climate change by investing in new forms of energy. Our district is already home to a nuclear plant, which offers a greener energy solution and fair wages.
Should America invest in other forms of renewable energy? Please explain.
Yes, part of modernizing our economy includes investing in forms of renewable energy that can sustain our country, provide good-paying union jobs, and preserve our way of life by mitigating the effects of climate change. This includes providing incentives for states, companies, and families to invest in solar, wind, geothermal, and hydroelectric power.
Should pregnant women have the right to get an abortion?
Yes. Roe v. Wade has guaranteed the right to safe, legal abortions, but that right is being threatened today. If elected, I promise to fight to protect women’s right to bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom.
Is the immigration system a problem in this country? If so, what is your plan to fix it?
I believe our immigration system needs to be reformed to offer a clear and humanitarian path to citizenship balanced with the safety and security of the American people. Immigrants are vital to the vibrancy and economic sustainability of our country, and I believe we can modernize our immigration process, thus lowering enforcement costs and increasing access to those who wish to become citizens.
Do American cities have a crime problem?
The crime problem in our nation is influenced by an array of factors, including mental health, access to education, and reliable jobs. Many of our communities are disproportionately incarcerated because of inequitable access to services and opportunities that many of us take for granted.
If so, what is your suggestion to solve it?
To solve this, we need to invest in our communities. We need to put equity measures in place to limit crime from the start by financing literacy in schools, investing in training for the skilled trades, and expanding support services in areas of well-being, mental health, and food access. When people are employed, have more access to education, and have support from their community, fewer crimes are committed. Further, our police need to be supported.
Should police officers have qualified immunity in cases involving alleged excessive force or other misconduct?
No, they should not have qualified immunity, but we need to provide more in-depth training resources to police officers so that they know how to effectively react in a diverse set of situations and settings. Further, they should have additional support from social service providers. Too often, we ask our public safety officers to act as social workers. Finally, police officers should be supported, not vilified. They are an important part of supporting our community.
Are there any limits to the Second Amendment?
I have a FOID card, as does my daughter and husband. My husband is a competitive sporting clays shooter, and owns several guns. Gun safety is particularly important to me, and I feel uniquely equipped to advocate on this legislative priority given the presence guns have had in my family’s life. I support responsible gun ownership - we need to keep our communities safe while also honoring responsible hunting and recreation.
Do you support any restrictions on gun purchases or other stricter gun control measures including citizens’ access to military style weaponry?
I believe we need to strengthen the reliability of background checks and make the process of getting a background check more efficient to ensure the preservation of the Second Amendment. We need to address loopholes in our policies and ensure that guns are not getting in the hands of our children, of those with a dangerous criminal history, or those with serious mental health issues. I also think stronger distinctions can be made between military-assault rifles and guns used for recreation or self-protection. These are measures we can all get behind to keep our communities safe while still supporting Second Amendment rights.
Illinois, along with many states across the country, have legalized marijuana making it legal for people to buy and use it. Marijuana, however, is still illegal at the federal level. Do you support legalizing marijuana nationally? Why or why not?
Yes, Marijuana should be legalized at the federal level. Legalizing this process could actually help keep communities safer through regulation, and would support local economies. Incarceration rates around marijuana possession also impact communities at an incredibly disproportionate rate.
Did Joe Biden win the 2020 election?
Yes.
Would you have voted to ratify his presidency?
Yes; our elections are fair, honest, and reliable. We must have faith and trust in our Democratic process, or the American ideals of freedom, accountability, transparency, and Democracy will collapse.
What is your position on the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol?
The riot on January 6 was shocking, devastating, and extremely concerning for our nation and our citizens. I remember watching the events unfold on national news with a sinking feeling in my heart. What happened at the Capitol was deeply troubling to me and Americans across the country. May we remember the events on January 6 forever, so that we may remind ourselves that it should never happen again.
Was it an insurrection?
Absolutely. I have never seen such blatant disrespect and disregard for our federal government in my entire life. January 6th was a devastating day for our country, our citizens, and our Democracy.
Should people convicted of a crime related to their participation in the riot ever be pardoned?
This is not an immediate concern in that we don’t currently have a sitting president who would pardon these individuals. This will be a much greater concern in two and a half years, and by then we will likely have more information to aid in this decision.
Should voters be required to show an ID to vote?
No, ID requirements are a constructive method for limiting access to voting polls. The need for IDs to vote is mitigated by affidavit ballots. Affidavit ballots are an effective method for ensuring our elections are honest and fair while expanding access to voting booths.
Would you, as a member of Congress, ever vote against certifying presidential electoral votes submitted by states’ official voting authorities?
No, States are autonomous under the federal government and I believe there is an importance in recognizing their sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment.