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)	Legal abortions in all circumstances in first trimester: Strongly Favors topic 1 Supports churches providing birth control: Strongly Favors topic 1 Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Access safe, legal abortion without restrictions: Strongly Favors topic 1 Rated Funding abortion avoids discrimination against poor women: Strongly Favors topic 1 Rated Constitutional right to terminate pregnancy for health: Strongly Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Endorsed as "preferred" by The Feminist Majority indicating pro-women's rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Sponsored removing deadline for ratification of the ERA: Strongly Favors 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 Recruit women & minorities for STEM teaching: Strongly Favors topic 2 YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act: Favors topic 2
Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+2 points on Social scale)	Opposes defining traditional marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 Supports same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Don't elevate gender identity as a protected class: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Let states recognize same sex marriage: Favors topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (+2 points on Social scale)	2-year limit on welfare benefits: Favors topic 4 Comprehensive sex ed for sexually-active adolescents: Opposes topic 4 Religious freedom means no religious registry: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Don't allow roll back of ObamaCare: Strongly Favors topic 5 Opposes repealing ObamaCare: Strongly Favors topic 5 Opposes repealing ObamaCare: Favors topic 5 Rated GOP can't beat ObamaCare, so they pretend it's a "disaster": Strongly Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Fight to protect Social Security from privatizations plans: Strongly Opposes topic 6 by NCPSSM indicating a pro-Social Security stance: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Sponsored keeping CPI for benefits instead of lower "Chained CPI": Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 100% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	Worked on the front lines of public education: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Sponsored 10/10 Loan Forgiveness: cancel college loans after 10 years: Opposes topic 7 Rated No-strings-attached block grant will kill transparency: Opposes topic 7 Rated Oppose private and religious school voucher programs: Strongly Opposes topic 7
Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+2 points on Social scale)	Sponsored tightening restrictions on hydrogen sulfide emissions: Favors topic 8 Require labeling genetically engineered food: Opposes topic 8 Voted YES to require GMO labeling: Opposes topic 8
Strongly Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-5 points on Social scale)	Mandatory life sentences and truth-in-sentencing: Strongly Favors topic 9 Rated 85% by the NAPO, indicating a tough-on-crime stance: Favors topic 9
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	National ban on sale of assault weapons: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Supports restrictions on gun purchases: Opposes topic 10 Require background check for every firearm sale and transfer: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-3 points on Economic scale)	Supports increasing tax rates: Strongly Favors topic 11 Opposes eliminating the inheritance tax: Strongly Favors topic 11 Rated Raising estate tax to 1990s level means $448B in new revenue: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	Rated Voted to legalize DREAMer immigrants via military service: Strongly Favors topic 12 Provide lawyers and evidence for children being deported: Favors topic 12 Increase both high-skill and family-based visa caps: Favors topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	Raise tariffs on nations that discourage US imports: Favors topic 13 $25B more loans from Export-Import Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13
Neutral on topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale)	Support veterans' benefits & Tricare: Favors topic 15 Exempt Veterans Affairs from federal hiring freeze: Favors topic 15
Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+2 points on Social scale)	Unlimited PAC campaign contributions; with term limits: Opposes topic 16 No photo IDs to vote; they suppress the vote: Favors topic 16 Corporate political spending is not free speech: Favors topic 16 Establish "My Voice Voucher" small campaign contributions: Strongly Favors topic 16 Public financing of federal campaigns by voter vouchers: Favors topic 16 No separate contribution limits for party activities: Favors topic 16 Statehood for the District of Columbia: Favors topic 16 Automatic voter registration for all citizens: Strongly Favors topic 16 Holiday on election day; revamp for easier voting access: Favors topic 16
Strongly Favors topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (+5 points on Social scale)	Reducie the number of nuclear weapons worldwide: Favors topic 17 No military force against Iran without Congress approval: Strongly Favors topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Train students for renewable energy jobs: Strongly Favors topic 18 Voted YES on banning offshore oil drilling in Gulf of Mexico: Strongly Favors topic 18 50% clean and carbon free electricity by 2030: Strongly Favors topic 18 Green New Deal: 10-year national mobilization: Favors topic 18
Neutral on topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (0 points on Social scale)	Increase penalties for selling illegal drugs: Strongly Favors topic 19 Rated B by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19
Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-3 points on Economic scale)	Supports federal stimulus spending: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Sponsored funding re-development of abandoned & foreclosed properties: Favors topic 20 Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016: Favors topic 20 NO on prioritizing spending in case debt limit is reached: Favors topic 20

Mark Takano is a Populist-Leaning Liberal
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