Tony Knowles 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 right (+5 points on Social scale)	Support woman’s decision in cases of rape: Strongly Favors topic 1 Abortion is “absolutely” a privacy issue: Strongly Favors topic 1 Pro-Choice and Pro-Family: Strongly Favors topic 1 Supports stem cell research: Favors topic 1 Right to choose & other freedoms are under attack: Strongly Favors topic 1
Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Support principles embodied in the Equal Rights Amendment: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	No special legislative session on same-sex health benefits: Favors topic 3 Don’t deny healthcare benefits to homosexual couples: Strongly Favors topic 3 Marriage definition should be by states, not US Constitution: Favors topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+2 points on Social scale)	No politics in science; no creationism in schools: Opposes topic 4
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Death Penalty (+5 points on Social scale)	Thanks anti-death penalty group for their work: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Abolish death penalty across the US: Strongly Opposes topic 8
No opinion on topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (0 points on Social scale)	Supports flexible federal block grants for crime programs: Neutral on topic 9 Zero tolerance for violence against government employees: Neutral on topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Oppose reauthorizing the federal assault weapons ban: Strongly Favors topic 10 Support the right to bear arms: Strongly Favors topic 10
Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-3 points on Economic scale)	Seniors deserve access to affordable medicine: Favors topic 5 Extend health care coverage for families: Favors topic 5 More federal funding for rural health services: Favors topic 5 Protect state tobacco settlement funds from federal seizure: Neutral on topic 5
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)	Against Social Security and Medicare privatization: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Maintain federal Social Services Block Grant funding: Favors topic 6 Maintain long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare: Opposes topic 6
Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-3 points on Economic scale)	Improve and invest in public schools: Opposes topic 7
Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-3 points on Economic scale)	Support drilling the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Seek ANWR through a bill that sets tougher mileage standards: Favors topic 18 Pro-Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Favors topic 18 Habitat protection along with sustained yield: Favors topic 18 Establish wolf and bear protection areas: Favors topic 18 Voluntary partnerships reduce greenhouse gases economically: Neutral on topic 18 Kyoto Treaty must include reductions by all countries: Opposes topic 18 Create block grants for Agricultural Stewardship: Neutral on topic 18 Collaborative, incentive driven, locally-based solutions: Neutral on topic 18
Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-3 points on Social scale)	Right to privacy protects marijuana protection: Strongly Favors topic 19 More federal funding for all aspects of Drug War: Favors topic 19 States should make drug policy, not feds: Neutral on topic 19
No opinion on topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (0 points on Economic scale)	Promote the next generation of welfare reform: Opposes topic 20 Maintain flexibility & funding levels for TANF block grants: Favors topic 20
Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-3 points on Economic scale)	Support permanent tax cuts for most wage earners: Favors topic 11 Support tax cuts for lower and middle-class: Favors topic 11 No national sales tax or VAT: Neutral on topic 11 Federal tax incentives for energy, with state decisions: Neutral on topic 11
No opinion on topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (0 points on Social scale)	Share costs of legal immigration between states & federal: Neutral on topic 12 Federal government should deal with criminal repatriation: Neutral on topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Stop shipping jobs overseas: Opposes topic 13
Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-3 points on Social scale)	Supports Powell Doctrine & pre-emptive military action: Favors topic 15
No opinion on topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (+5 points on Social scale)	We need a different strategy for this war: Strongly Favors topic 17 Reasons given for going to war were not justified: Strongly Favors topic 17 Include states in anti-terrorism planning: Neutral on topic 17