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)	Endorsed Recommended by EMILY's List of pro-choice women: Favors topic 1 Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record: Strongly Favors topic 1 Emergency contraception for rape victims at all hospitals: Favors topic 1 Rated 0% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance: Strongly Favors topic 1 Provide emergency contraception at military facilities: Favors topic 1 Protect the reproductive rights of women: Strongly Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 Focus on preventing pregnancy, plus emergency contraception: Favors topic 1 Endorsed by EMILY's list for pro-choice Democratic women: Strongly Favors topic 1 Supported funding contraception and UN family planning: Favors topic 1 NO on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Favors topic 1 NO on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes: Favors topic 1 NO on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info: Favors topic 1 NO on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: Favors topic 1 NO on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on allowing human embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Shift from group preferences to economic empowerment of all: Neutral on topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for equal rights by gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Rated 92% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ratify CEDAW (Discrimination Against Women): Strongly Favors topic 2 Establish a Women's Bureau in Dept. of Veterans Affairs: Favors topic 2 Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination: Favors topic 2 Supported funding for women's and disadvantaged businesses: Favors topic 2 Supports ERA and comparable work pay rules for women: Favors topic 2 YES on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 Rated 100% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance: 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 Provide benefits to domestic partners of Federal employees: Strongly Favors topic 3 Give domestic partnership benefits to Federal employees: Strongly Favors topic 3 NO on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Favors topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+2 points on Social scale)	Supports anti-flag desecration amendment: Favors topic 4 Rated 16% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 4 Rated 100% by the AU, indicating support of church-state separation: Strongly Opposes topic 4 Sex Ed including both abstinence and contraception: Opposes topic 4 NO on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer: Strongly Opposes topic 4 NO on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror: Strongly Opposes topic 4 YES on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Favors topic 4 NO on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4 YES on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 8: Death Penalty (-5 points on Social scale)	NO on replacing death penalty with life imprisonment: Strongly Favors topic 8 YES on making federal death penalty appeals harder: Strongly Favors topic 8 NO on maintaining right of habeas corpus in Death Penalty Appeals: Favors topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (+2 points on Social scale)	YES on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society: Opposes topic 9
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology: Opposes topic 10 Rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Close the Gun Show Loophole; restrict show sales: Opposes topic 10 NO on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports More Federal Funding for Health Coverage: Strongly Favors topic 5 Better and immediate funding for Medicare & Medicaid: Favors topic 5 Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care: Favors topic 5 Rated 100% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record: Strongly Favors topic 5 Supported funding women's health needs: Neutral on topic 5 YES on giving mental health full equity with physical health: Favors topic 5 YES on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Favors topic 5 NO on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Favors topic 5 NO on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Favors topic 5 NO on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Favors topic 5 YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility: Favors topic 5 YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare: Favors topic 5 YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: Favors topic 5 YES on regulating tobacco as a drug: Favors topic 5
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)	Opposes privatizing Social Security: Opposes topic 6 Create Retirement Savings Accounts: Favors topic 6 Rated 100% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Supported pension reform and tax credits for long-term care: Neutral on topic 6 YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Favors topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-5 points on Economic scale)	Opposes parents choosing schools via vouchers: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice: Opposes topic 7 Rated 100% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly Opposes topic 7 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports spending resources to stop Global Warming: Strongly Favors topic 18 Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 Balance fossil fuels and viable renewable energy: Favors topic 18 Preserve Alaska's ANWR instead of drilling it: Favors topic 18 Rated 100% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes: Strongly Favors topic 18 Establish greenhouse gas tradeable allowances: Strongly Favors topic 18 Rated 83% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence: Favors topic 18 Let states define stricter-than-federal emission standards: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on investing in homegrown biofuel: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets: Favors topic 18 YES on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Favors topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated +10 by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Distribute sterile syringes to reduce AIDS and hepatitis: Opposes topic 19 NO on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Opposes topic 19 YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Favors topic 19
Opposes topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (-3 points on Economic scale)	Finish welfare reform by moving able recipients into jobs: Favors topic 20 NO on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Opposes topic 20 YES on instituting National Service as a new social invention: Opposes topic 20
Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-3 points on Economic scale)	Opposes making income tax flatter & lower: Favors topic 11 Rated 25% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes: Strongly Favors topic 11 Rated 100% by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation: Strongly Favors topic 11 Tax incentives for child care; eliminate marriage penalty: Neutral on topic 11 NO on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Favors topic 11 YES on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Opposes topic 11 NO on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income: Opposes topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+5 points on Social scale)	Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration: Strongly Favors topic 12 Comprehensive immigration reform without amnesty: Strongly Favors topic 12 Rated 17% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance: Strongly Favors topic 12 Let illegal alien children attend school: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12 NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Build a rule-based global trading system: Favors topic 13 Rated 50% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 YES on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Favors topic 13 NO on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Favors topic 13 NO on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Opposes topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13
Opposes topic 15: Expand the armed forces (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 78% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Recognize women veterans; assist military families: Neutral on topic 15 YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses: Favors topic 15 YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-3 points on Economic scale)	Supports Shays-Meehan Campaign Finance Reform: Favors topic 16 NO on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Opposes topic 16 YES on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Favors topic 16 NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Favors topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Favors topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+2 points on Social scale)	Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror: Favors topic 14 YES on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's roving wiretaps: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on making the PATRIOT Act permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on retroactive immunity for telecoms' warrantless surveillance: Opposes topic 14
Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (+2 points on Social scale)	Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence: Favors topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 YES on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Favors topic 17