Laura Richardson 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)	Let military perform abortions in cases of rape or incest: Favors topic 1 NO on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Get minorities into home ownership & global marketplace: Favors topic 2 Ending racial profiling is part of fight for justice: Favors topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for women's equal rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Increase funding for occupational & physical therapy: Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination: Favors topic 2 Honor the 100th anniversary of the NAACP: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	Co-wrote bill to legalize same-sex marriage in California: Strongly Favors topic 3 Increase funding for AIDS treatment & prevention: 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 YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Favors topic 3
Neutral on topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Neutral on topic 8: Death Penalty (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Neutral on topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (0 points on Social scale)	Supported 40,000 more prison at cost of $7.4 billion: Favors topic 9 YES on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society: Opposes 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
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	More funding for Rx benefits, community health, CHIPs: Favors topic 5 MEDS Plan: Cover senior Rx under Medicare: Favors topic 5 Establish a public insurance option via healthcare Exchanges: Strongly Favors topic 5 Expand the National Health Service Corps: Strongly Favors topic 5 Make health care a right, not a privilege: Strongly Favors 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 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 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
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	No severe changes; no privatization: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Reject privatization; don't raise the retirement age: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Exclude Medicare and Social Security from deficit reduction: Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-5 points on Economic scale)	$25B to renovate or repair elementary schools: Opposes topic 7 NO on reauthorizing the DC opportunity scholarship program: Strongly 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)	Declined to sign global warming legislation: Opposes topic 18 YES on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly 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 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
Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-3 points on Social scale)	Harsher sentencing for "pill mill" operators: Strongly Favors topic 19 Distribute sterile syringes to reduce AIDS and hepatitis: 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)	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)	American People's Dividend: Give $300 to every person: Favors topic 11 Reduce the concentration of wealth & wage inequality: 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)	No border fence; yes path to citizenship: Strongly Favors topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Tariffs against countries undervaluing their currency: Opposes topic 13 Review free trade agreements biennially for rights violation: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 No MFN for China; condition trade on human rights: Neutral on topic 13 YES on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Opposes topic 13 NO on promoting free trade with Peru: Opposes topic 13
Neutral on topic 15: Expand the armed forces (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
Strongly Favors topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+5 points on Social scale)	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 NO on extending the PATRIOT Act's roving wiretaps: 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)	City anti-war petition led to her support-troop resolution: Opposes topic 17 City anti-war petition led to her support-troop resolution: Strongly Favors topic 17 With Saddam gone, bring US troops home: Strongly Favors 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 Terminate funding for Iraq War on Dec. 31, 2011: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on removing US armed forces from Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval: Favors topic 17 YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Favors topic 17