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)	Full access to contraception & reproductive health services: 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)	More funding & services for victims of domestic violence: Strongly Favors topic 2 Enforce against wage discrimination based on gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Recognize 1961 Freedom Riders against segregated buses: 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)	Full LGBT equality, including freedom to marry: Strongly Favors topic 3 Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Apply copyright inheritance to same-sex couples: 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
Strongly Opposes topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (+5 points on Social scale)	Religious freedom means no religious registry: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	We need a healthcare guarantee: if you're sick, you get seen: Strongly Favors topic 5 Guarantee: If you're sick, you see a doctor & not go broke: Strongly Favors topic 5 Support public option, but let people keep private care: Strongly Favors topic 5 Coverage for all, but don't eliminate private insurers: Favors topic 5 Invest in search for cures for Alzheimer's, cancer, ALS: Favors topic 5 Keep private insurance; allow public option: Favors topic 5 Yes to Medicare-for-All after time in the ICU with daughter: Strongly Favors topic 5 Work on preventative health care within ObamaCare: Strongly 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)	Wants more payroll tax to keep Social Security solvent: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Raise cap on payroll tax so wealthy pay more: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Ensure our successful government programs for long-term: 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)	World-class modern schoolhouses, regardless of ZIP Code: Opposes topic 7 Abolish NCLB and teaching to the test: Strongly 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
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+5 points on Social scale)	Opposes existing nuclear power plants; but research fusion: Opposes topic 8 Require reporting lead in drinking water to the public: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Voted YES to require GMO labeling: Opposes topic 8
Neutral on topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (0 points on Social scale)	Abolish capital punishment: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Give more resources to state and local law enforcement: Favors topic 9 Rated 85% by the NAPO, indicating a tough-on-crime stance: Favors topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Mandatory gun buy-back, but not pistols or rifles: Strongly Opposes topic 10 No problem with people owning handguns: Strongly Favors topic 10 Assault weapon buyback program, with criminal enforcement: Strongly Opposes topic 10 National ban and buyback of semiautomatic assault weapons: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Banning assault weapons does not mean broad gun ban: Strongly Favors topic 10 I want to lead on gun violence issues: Strongly Opposes topic 10 No firearms for people with history of domestic violence: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Ban assault weapons, buyback for those out there: Strongly Opposes topic 10 After mass shootings, time to make gun control an issue: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Ban assault weapons and buy back as many as possible: Strongly Favors topic 10
Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-3 points on Economic scale)	The wealthy should pay more taxes: Strongly Favors topic 11 Fairer tax system with tax increase on wealthiest Americans: 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)	Families always belong together; don't cage children: Strongly Favors topic 12 Visit Northern Triangle to gain compassion for those fleeing: Strongly Favors topic 12 Support DREAM Act; but deport convicted criminals: 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)	Demand changes to NAFTA; use tariffs to crack down: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Sponsored sugar quotas & import tariffs to stabilize prices: Strongly Opposes topic 13 $25B more loans from Export-Import Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13
Opposes topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (-3 points on Economic scale)	Break up with Russia and make up with NATO: Opposes topic 14 $500M and 3,000 troops to Africa to fight Ebola: Opposes topic 14
Opposes topic 15: Expand the military (+2 points on Social scale)	Slash the defense budget: Strongly Opposes topic 15 More benefits for veterans' valiant sacrifices: Favors topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Mandate paper ballots: Favors topic 16 Super PACS buy influence & game our political system: Strongly Favors topic 16 Full disclosure of campaign spending: Strongly Favors topic 16 Matching fund for small donors, with debate requirements: Favors topic 16 No photo IDs to vote; they suppress the vote: 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
Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-3 points on Social scale)	Keep the troops deployed abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Speedier withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan: Favors topic 17 Don't let Iran get one step closer to nukes: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Intervene in Iraq to protect persecuted Christians: Opposes topic 17 Work with Iraqi government to fight ISIL: Opposes topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Keep US in Paris Climate Agreement, with ambitious targets: Strongly Favors topic 18 Support for Green New Deal and Paris climate accord: Strongly Favors topic 18 Fight climate change, but protect jobs: Favors topic 18 R&D--but also manufacturing--for clean energy technology: 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
Strongly Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+5 points on Social scale)	Supports medical and recreational marijuana: Opposes topic 19 Exempt industrial hemp from marijuana laws: Opposes topic 19 Rated A by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Immunity for banks offering services to marijuana businesses: Strongly Opposes topic 19
Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-3 points on Economic scale)	Sponsored investing $1 billion in transportation projects: 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