John Garamendi on VoteMatch

VoteMatch Responses (Click here for VoteMatch quiz)
VoteMatch Question & Answer (Click on question for explanation and background)	Based on these stances: (Click on topic for excerpt & citation)
Strongly Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (+5 points on Social scale)	I am a strong pro-choice feminist: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Constitutional Amendment for women's equal rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Endorsed : No opin. on topic 2 More funding & services for victims of domestic violence: Strongly Favors topic 2 Enforce against wage discrimination based on gender: Strongly Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale)	GLBT marriage equality for all Californians: Strongly Favors topic 3 ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays: Favors topic 3 Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays: Favors topic 3 Prohibit sexual-identity discrimination at schools: Strongly Favors topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (+2 points on Social scale)	Broaden the availability of food stamps: Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Fight for robust public option; advocate for single-payer: Strongly Favors topic 5 1970s: Pushed reimbursements for psychiatric health: Favors topic 5 Require insurers to cover breast cancer treatment: Strongly Favors topic 5 Establish a public insurance option via healthcare Exchanges: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on repealing the "Prevention and Public Health" slush fund: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Never allow Wall Street to touch Social Security: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Reject privatization; don't raise the retirement age: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-3 points on Economic scale)	Ensure that teachers have the resources they need: Opposes topic 7 No greater responsibility than educating our children: Opposes topic 7 Budget cuts directly lower school quality: Opposes topic 7 $25B to renovate or repair elementary schools: Opposes topic 7
Favors topic 8: Human needs over animal rights (-3 points on Social scale)	Safeguard our environment for future generations: Strongly Favors topic 8 Garamendi Process: balanced water needs with protection: Favors topic 8 Make tax deduction permanent for conservation easements: Opposes topic 8
Strongly Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-5 points on Social scale)	Facilitate recovering crime victim restitution fees: Strongly Favors topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Close the Gun Show Loophole; restrict show sales: Opposes topic 10
Neutral on topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Neutral on topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-5 points on Economic scale)	Review free trade agreements biennially for rights violation: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 Require open markets for US goods in all trade agreements: Opposes topic 13
Neutral on topic 14: Maintain US sovereignty from UN (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Neutral on topic 15: Expand the military (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-5 points on Economic scale)	Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge: Strongly Favors topic 16 Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures: Strongly Favors topic 16 Establish 15 days of early voting in all states: Favors topic 16
Neutral on topic 17: Stay out of Iran (0 points on Social scale)	Diplomacy should always be our first mission abroad: Favors topic 17 Iraq War was an unnecessary war of choice sold on mistruths: Strongly Favors topic 17 Embargo refined oil products into Iran if they keep nukes: Opposes topic 17 No contact & enforce sanctions on Iran until threat is gone: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Boycott & sanctions against Iran for terrorism & nukes: Opposes topic 17 YES on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval: Favors topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Authored solar, wind and energy conservation tax credit law: Strongly Favors topic 18 Principle negotiator for the Kyoto Protocol: Strongly Favors topic 18 Extend through 2016 the renewable energy tax credit: Strongly Favors topic 18 $5 billion in tax credits for alternative energy projects: Favors topic 18 NO on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 NO on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling: Strongly Favors topic 18
Neutral on topic 19: Never legalize marijuana (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (+2 points on Economic scale)	Increase debt limit from $14.3 trillion to $16.7 trillion: Favors topic 20