Karen Thurman 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)	Recommended by EMILY's List of pro-choice women: Favors topic 1 Protect the reproductive rights of women: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on banning partial-birth abortions: 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
Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Establish a Women's Bureau in Dept. of Veterans Affairs: Favors topic 2 Supported funding for women's and disadvantaged businesses: Favors topic 2 NO on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions: 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 NO on banning gay adoptions in DC.: 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 NO on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Opposes topic 8: Death Penalty (+2 points on Social scale)	Require DNA testing for all federal executions: Opposes topic 8 NO on replacing death penalty with life imprisonment: Strongly Favors topic 8 NO on making federal death penalty appeals harder: Strongly Opposes topic 8 YES on maintaining right of habeas corpus in Death Penalty Appeals: Opposes topic 8
Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-3 points on Social scale)	More prison cells; more truth in sentencing: Strongly Favors topic 9 Life imprisonment for repeat sexual predators: Strongly Favors topic 9 NO on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime: Opposes topic 9 YES on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.: Strongly Opposes topic 9
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-3 points on Economic scale)	Supported funding women's health needs: Neutral on topic 5 NO on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts: Favors topic 5 NO on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage: Favors topic 5
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)	Changing Social Security disproportionately affects women: Opposes topic 6 Reject proposals for private saving accounts: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Supported pension reform and tax credits for long-term care: Neutral on topic 6 YES on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox: Opposes topic 6 NO on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits: Opposes 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)	Reduce class size to 18 children in grades 1 to 3: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on vouchers for private & parochial schools: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on allowing vouchers in DC schools: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	Preserve Alaska's ANWR instead of drilling it: Favors topic 18 YES on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: 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
Neutral on topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (0 points on Social scale)	NO on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Opposes topic 19 YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Favors topic 19
Opposes topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (-3 points on Economic scale)	YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Favors topic 20 NO on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Opposes topic 20
Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-3 points on Economic scale)	Tax incentives for child care; eliminate marriage penalty: Neutral on topic 11 NO on eliminating the "marriage penalty": Favors topic 11 NO on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business: Favors topic 11 NO on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Favors topic 11 NO on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Favors topic 11 NO on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Favors topic 11
Neutral on topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (0 points on Social scale)	NO on more immigrant visas for skilled workers: Opposes topic 12 YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	NO on 'Fast Track' authority for trade agreements: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Favors topic 13
Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-3 points on Social scale)	Recognize women veterans; assist military families: Neutral on topic 15 YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Favors topic 15 YES on deploying SDI: Favors topic 15
Neutral on topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (0 points on Economic scale)	YES on banning soft money and issue ads: Favors topic 16 NO on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Opposes topic 16
Neutral on topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Neutral on topic 17: US out of Iraq (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)