Ed Perlmutter 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)	Women’s right to reproductive freedom is in jeopardy: Strongly Favors topic 1 Provide emergency contraception at military facilities: 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 Constitutional right to terminate pregnancy for health: Strongly Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 NO on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Equal pay for equal work: close the gender gap: Strongly Favors topic 2 Affirnative action needed at colleges but not state agencies: Favors topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for women's equal rights: 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 Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 2 YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale)	Recognize same-sex marriage and equal benefits: Strongly Favors topic 3 Endorses Domestic Partnerships and full equal GLBT benefits: Strongly Favors topic 3 No same-sex marriage, but allow equal benedifts: 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 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 YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Favors topic 3
Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-3 points on Social scale)	Stress abstinence in sex education programs: Favors topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	ObamaCare enhances health of America's families and workers: Strongly Favors topic 5 Broken healthcare system needs a major overhaul: Favors topic 5 Sponsored merging Alzheimers diagnosis and care benefit: Favors topic 5 Rated GOP can't beat ObamaCare, so they pretend it's a "disaster": Strongly Favors topic 5 Expand the National Health Service Corps: 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 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
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Opposes private accounts for Social Security: Strongly Opposes topic 6 No private accounts: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 97% 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)	Invest in our public education system: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Increase teacher funding & school construction: 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 NO on reauthorizing the DC opportunity scholarship program: Strongly Opposes topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+2 points on Social scale)	Make tax deduction permanent for conservation easements: Opposes topic 8 Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs: Opposes topic 8 Rated Voted NO on requiring limited GMO labeling: Favors topic 8 Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting: Strongly Opposes topic 8 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 8 YES on protecting free-roaming horses and burros: Opposes topic 8
Neutral on topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (0 points on Social scale)	Support the use of the death penalty: Strongly Favors topic 9 Alternative sentencing for non-violent offenders: Opposes topic 9 Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 Rated 77% by the NAPO, indicating a tough-on-crime stance: Favors topic 9 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)	Ban semi- automatics; require child-safety locks: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Ban large-capacity ammunition: Opposes topic 10
Neutral on topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (0 points on Economic scale)	Supports progressive state income tax: Favors topic 11 Rated Raising estate tax to 1990s level means $448B in new revenue: Strongly Opposes 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: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	Pass comprehensive immigration reform: Strongly Favors topic 12 Allow more visas for STEM college graduates: Favors topic 12 Rated Voted to legalize DREAMer immigrants via military service: Strongly Favors topic 12 Provide lawyers and evidence for children being deported: Favors topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Opposed Free-Trade Agreements with Korea, Panama & Colombia: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 $25B more loans from Export-Import Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 38% by the USAE, indicating support for trade sanctions: 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
Strongly Opposes topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (-5 points on Economic scale)	Normalize relations with Cuba; lift the embargo: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Opposes topic 14 YES on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Opposes topic 15: Expand the military (+2 points on Social scale)	Improve mental health care benefits for returning veterans: Favors topic 15 YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Citizens United is worst decision in recent history: Strongly Favors topic 16 Supports public funding for political campaigns: Opposes topic 16 Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge: Strongly Favors topic 16 Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures: Strongly Favors topic 16 Full disclosure of campaign spending: Strongly Favors 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 Automatic voter registration for all citizens: Strongly Favors topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-3 points on Social scale)	Supports the Iran Nuclear Nonproliferation Agreement: Opposes topic 17 Airstrikes and more, to degrade & destroy ISIS capabilities: Favors topic 17 We rushed into Iraq war: Strongly Favors topic 17 Boycott & sanctions against Iran for terrorism & nukes: Opposes topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 NO on removing US armed forces from Afghanistan: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval: Opposes 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
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Responsibly develop fossil fuels plus all-of-the-above: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Our energy policy keeps us addicted to oil regimes: Strongly Favors topic 18 Extend through 2016 the renewable energy tax credit: Strongly Favors topic 18 Voted YES on banning offshore oil drilling in Gulf of Mexico: Strongly Favors topic 18 Federal collaboration for advanced nuclear technologies: Opposes topic 18 50% clean and carbon free electricity by 2030: Strongly Favors topic 18 Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025: Strongly Favors 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 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: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	Increase debt limit from $14.3 trillion to $16.7 trillion: Favors topic 20 Expand lending caps for credit unions to small business: 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 YES on $60B stimulus package for jobs, infrastructure, & energy: Strongly Favors topic 20 YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending: Strongly Favors topic 20