OnTheIssuesLogo Bill Frist

Bill Frist on VoteMatch

Republican Senate Majority Leader (TN, retiring 2006)



VoteMatch Responses
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VoteMatch Question & Answer
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Based on these stances:
(Click on topic for excerpt & citation)
Strongly Opposes topic 1:
Abortion is a woman's right
(-5 points on Social scale)
Supports stem-cell research after initially opposing it: Favors topic 1
We're doing embryonic research, but with ethical standards: Opposes topic 1
Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 1
YES on banning partial birth abortions: Strongly Opposes topic 1
YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions: Opposes topic 1
YES on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life: Strongly Opposes topic 1
YES on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime: Opposes topic 1
NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives: Opposes topic 1
YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions: Opposes topic 1
Strongly Opposes topic 2:
Require hiring more women & minorities
(+5 points on Economic scale)
YES on banning affirmative action hiring with federal funds: Strongly Opposes topic 2
YES on ending special funding for minority & women-owned business: Strongly Opposes topic 2
YES on prohibiting same-sex basic training: Opposes topic 2
NO on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women: Opposes topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3:
Same-sex domestic partnership benefits
(-5 points on Social scale)
YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3
NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation: Strongly Opposes topic 3
NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation: Opposes topic 3
NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes: Strongly Opposes topic 3
YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4:
Teacher-led prayer in public schools
(-5 points on Social scale)
Separate church & state doesn't mean separate God & state: Strongly Favors topic 4
Damaged reputation by misdiagnosing Terri Schiavo by video: Favors topic 4
Supports anti-flag desecration amendment: Favors topic 4
Rated 100% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-family voting record: Strongly Favors topic 4
YES on $75M for abstinence education: Strongly Favors topic 4
YES on killing restrictions on violent videos to minors: Opposes topic 4
YES on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration: Favors topic 4
Favors topic 8:
Death Penalty
(-3 points on Social scale)
YES on limiting death penalty appeals: Favors topic 8
Strongly Favors topic 9:
Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws
(-5 points on Social scale)
Rated 13% by CURE, indicating anti-rehabilitation crime votes: Strongly Favors topic 9
YES on more penalties for gun & drug violations: Favors topic 9
NO on $1.15 billion per year to continue the COPS program: Favors topic 9
Favors topic 10:
Absolute right to gun ownership
(+2 points on Economic scale)
YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks: Strongly Favors topic 10
YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows: Favors topic 10
NO on background checks at gun shows: Strongly Favors topic 10
NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence: Strongly Opposes topic 10
YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10
Opposes topic 5:
More federal funding for health coverage
(+2 points on Economic scale)
Health Savings Accounts empower responsibility: Opposes topic 5
Rated 0% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 5
NO on blocking medical savings acounts: Opposes topic 5
YES on Medicare means-testing: Opposes topic 5
YES on limiting self-employment health deduction: Opposes topic 5
NO on including prescription drugs under Medicare: Opposes topic 5
YES on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit: Opposes topic 5
YES on $40 billion per year for limited Medicare prescription drug benefit: Favors topic 5
NO on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics: Opposes topic 5
NO on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug: Strongly Opposes topic 5
NO on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D: Opposes topic 5
YES on limiting medical liability lawsuits to $250,000: Favors topic 5
Strongly Favors topic 6:
Privatize Social Security
(+5 points on Economic scale)
Rated 0% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record: Strongly Favors topic 6
YES on deducting Social Security payments on income taxes: Favors topic 6
YES on allowing Roth IRAs for retirees: Favors topic 6
YES on allowing personal retirement accounts: Favors topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7:
Parents choose schools via vouchers
(+5 points on Economic scale)
Rated 27% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes: Strongly Favors topic 7
YES on school vouchers in DC: Strongly Favors topic 7
YES on education savings accounts: Favors topic 7
YES on allowing more flexibility in federal school rules: Strongly Favors topic 7
YES on Educational Savings Accounts: Favors topic 7
NO on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors: Favors topic 7
NO on funding student testing instead of private tutors: Favors topic 7
NO on $5B for grants to local educational agencies: Favors topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 18:
Replace coal & oil with alternatives
(+5 points on Economic scale)
Rated 11% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 18
YES on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests: Favors topic 18
YES on defunding renewable and solar energy: Strongly Opposes topic 18
NO on ending discussion of CAFE fuel efficiency standards: Favors topic 18
YES on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling: Opposes topic 18
YES on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months: Strongly Opposes topic 18
NO on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010: Strongly Opposes topic 18
NO on removing consideration of drilling ANWR from budget bill: Opposes topic 18
NO on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%): Strongly Opposes topic 18
NO on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR: Strongly Opposes topic 18
NO on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Opposes topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19:
Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it
(-5 points on Social scale)
YES on spending international development funds on drug control: Strongly Favors topic 19
YES on more penalties for gun & drug violations: Favors topic 19
YES on increasing penalties for drug offenses: Favors topic 19
Favors topic 20:
Allow churches to provide welfare services
(+2 points on Economic scale)
YES on welfare overhaul: Favors topic 20
YES on allowing state welfare waivers: Favors topic 20
NO on eliminating block grants for food stamps: Favors topic 20
YES on welfare block grants: Favors topic 20
Strongly Opposes topic 11:
Make taxes more progressive
(+5 points on Economic scale)
Pushed compromise: reduce Estate Tax & raise minimum wage: Opposes topic 11
Rated 72% by NTU, indicating "Satisfactory" on tax votes: Neutral on topic 11
Member of the Congressional Flat Tax Caucus: Strongly Opposes topic 11
YES on Internet sales tax moratorium: Opposes topic 11
YES on requiring super-majority for raising taxes: Opposes topic 11
YES on eliminating the 'marriage penalty': Opposes topic 11
YES on prioritizing national debt reduction below tax cuts: Opposes topic 11
NO on reducing marriage penalty instead of cutting top tax rates: Opposes topic 11
NO on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction: Opposes topic 11
YES on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years: Strongly Opposes topic 11
YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11
NO on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut: Opposes topic 11
YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11
YES on permanently repealing the `death tax`: Strongly Opposes topic 11
NO on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts: Strongly Favors topic 11
Opposes topic 12:
Illegal immigrants earn citizenship
(-3 points on Social scale)
YES on limit welfare for immigrants: Strongly Opposes topic 12
YES on visas for skilled workers: Favors topic 12
YES on allowing more foreign workers into the US for farm work: Favors topic 12
NO on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security: Strongly Opposes topic 12
NO on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship: Strongly Opposes topic 12
YES on establishing a Guest Worker program: Favors topic 12
YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13:
Support & expand free trade
(+5 points on Economic scale)
Rated 82% by CATO, indicating a pro-free trade voting record: Strongly Favors topic 13
YES on renewing 'fast track' presidential trade authority: Favors topic 13
YES on permanent normal trade relations with China: Strongly Favors topic 13
YES on expanding trade to the third world: Favors topic 13
YES on removing common goods from national security export rules: Favors topic 13
YES on granting normal trade relations status to Vietnam: Favors topic 13
YES on extending free trade to Andean nations: Strongly Favors topic 13
YES on establishing free trade between US & Singapore: Favors topic 13
YES on establishing free trade between the US and Chile: Favors topic 13
YES on implementing CAFTA for Central America free-trade: Strongly Favors topic 13
YES on free trade agreement with Oman: Strongly Favors topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 15:
Expand the armed forces
(-5 points on Social scale)
Rated 0% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record: Strongly Favors topic 15
YES on 1996 Defense Appropriations: Favors topic 15
YES on favoring 36 vetoed military projects: Strongly Favors topic 15
NO on allowing another round of military base closures: Favors topic 15
YES on military pay raise of 4.8%: Strongly Favors topic 15
YES on deploying National Missile Defense ASAP: Strongly Favors topic 15
NO on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding: Favors topic 15
Strongly Opposes topic 16:
Stricter limits on political campaign funds
(+5 points on Economic scale)
NO on favoring 1997 McCain-Feingold overhaul of campaign finance: Opposes topic 16
NO on banning campaign donations from unions & corporations: Opposes topic 16
NO on banning "soft money" contributions and restricting issue ads: Opposes topic 16
NO on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity: Opposes topic 16
YES on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress: Strongly Opposes topic 16
Opposes topic 14:
The Patriot Act harms civil liberties
(-3 points on Social scale)
NO on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision: Strongly Favors topic 14
YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act: Opposes topic 14
NO on preserving habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees: Strongly Opposes topic 14
NO on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Strongly Opposes topic 17:
US out of Iraq
(-5 points on Social scale)
Voted for Iraq war in 2002, and still defends his vote: Strongly Opposes topic 17
NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007: Strongly Opposes topic 17

Other candidates' VoteMatch: Bill Frist on the issues:
Republican Possibilities:
Chmn.John Cox
Mayor Rudy Giuliani
Gov.Mike Huckabee
Amb.Alan Keyes
Sen.John McCain
Rep.Ron Paul
Gov.Mitt Romney
Sen.Fred Thompson

Democratic Possibilities:
Sen.Hillary Clinton
Sen.John Edwards
Sen.Mike Gravel
Rep.Dennis Kucinich
Sen.Barack Obama

Third Party Possibilities:
Independent: Mayor Mike Bloomberg
Liberation: Gloria La Riva
Green: Rep.Cynthia McKinney
Socialist: Brian Moore
Green: Ralph Nader
Abortion
Budget/Economy
Civil Rights
Corporations
Crime
Drugs
Education
Energy/Oil
Environment
Families/Children
Foreign Policy
Free Trade
Govt. Reform
Gun Control
Health Care
Homeland Security
Immigration
Infrastructure/Technology
Jobs
Principles/Values
Social Security
Tax Reform
War/Iraq/Mideast
Welfare/Poverty