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 Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (-5 points on Social scale)	Deep respect for life, personally opposed to abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Rated 20% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Rated 100% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-life stance: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Opposes both federal abortion funding & judicial activism: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Supports prohibiting human embryonic stem cell research: Opposes topic 1 YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortions: Opposes topic 1 NO on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Favors topic 1 YES on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes: Opposes topic 1 YES on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info: Opposes topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: Opposes topic 1 YES on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP: Opposes topic 1 NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives: Opposes topic 1 YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions: Opposes topic 1 NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Opposes topic 1 YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions: Opposes topic 1 YES on restricting UN funding for population control policies: Opposes topic 1
Opposes topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (+2 points on Economic scale)	Issue a commemorative postage stamp of Rosa Parks: Favors topic 2 Rated 11% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Opposes topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated 0% by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Amend Constitution to define traditional marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 YES on banning gay adoptions in DC: Opposes topic 3 YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (-5 points on Social scale)	Stand up for traditional values: Strongly Favors topic 4 Let schools display the words "God Bless America": Strongly Favors topic 4 Supports anti-flag desecration amendment: Favors topic 4 Supports requiring schools to allow prayer: Favors topic 4 Rated 92% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Favors topic 4 Rated 0% by the AU, indicating opposition to church-state separation: Strongly Favors topic 4 Constitutionally prohibit flag desecration: Favors topic 4 YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror: Strongly Favors topic 4 YES on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Favors topic 4 YES on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4 YES on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration: Favors topic 4
Neutral on topic 8: Death Penalty (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated 20% by CURE, indicating anti-rehabilitation crime votes: Strongly Favors topic 9 Permanent crime database for volunteers with kids: Favors topic 9 YES on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime: Favors topic 9 NO on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.: Strongly Favors topic 9 NO on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program: Favors topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Strongly support the 2nd Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 10 We need criminal control not gun control: Strongly Favors topic 10 No lawsuits against gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10 Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record: Strongly Favors topic 10 No United Nations taxation on firearms: Strongly Favors topic 10 National cross-state standard for concealed carry: Strongly Favors topic 10 Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record: Strongly Favors topic 10 Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC: Strongly Favors topic 10 Allow firearms in National Parks: Strongly Favors topic 10 Apply concealed carry permit to all other states where legal: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership: Favors topic 10 YES on allowing firearms in checked baggage on Amtrak trains: Favors topic 10
Opposes topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (+2 points on Economic scale)	Limit anti-trust lawsuits on health plans and insurers: Opposes topic 5 Tax credits for those without employee health insurance: Strongly Favors topic 5 $350 billion for prescriptions for poor seniors: Favors topic 5 Rated 0% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Establish a National Diabetes Coordinator: Favors topic 5 Defund, repeal, & replace federal care with free market: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Establishment of Office of Health Care Fraud Prevention: Opposes topic 5 YES on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts: Opposes topic 5 YES on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage: Opposes topic 5 NO on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Opposes topic 5 YES on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Opposes topic 5 YES on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Opposes topic 5 YES on allowing tribal Indians to opt out of federal healthcare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 YES on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium: Opposes topic 5 YES on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Opposes topic 5 NO on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics: Opposes topic 5 NO on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug: Strongly Opposes topic 5 NO on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D: Opposes topic 5 YES on limiting medical liability lawsuits to $250,000: Favors topic 5 NO on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Opposes topic 5 NO on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility: Opposes topic 5 YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare: Favors topic 5 NO on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: Opposes topic 5 NO on regulating tobacco as a drug: Opposes topic 5
Strongly Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 0% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record: Strongly Favors topic 6 Supports individual savings accounts and work incentives: Favors topic 6 NO on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox: Favors topic 6 YES on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits: Favors topic 6 YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Favors topic 6 YES on establishing reserve funds & pre-funding for Social Security: Favors topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (+5 points on Economic scale)	Support Ed-Flex: more flexibility if more accountable: Favors topic 7 Rated 17% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes: Strongly Favors topic 7 Support the goals and ideals of Charter Schools: Favors topic 7 NO on $5B for grants to local educational agencies: Favors topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (+5 points on Economic scale)	Make EPA into a Cabinet department: Strongly Favors topic 18 Rated 5% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Rated 17% by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence: Opposes topic 18 Open the Outer Continental Shelf for oil & gas leasing: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Cap-and-trade has no impact on global temperatures: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Explore proven energy reserves & keep energy prices low: Opposes topic 18 Supports immediate reductions in greenhouse gases: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Opposes topic 18 NO on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%): Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Opposes topic 18 NO on factoring global warming into federal project planning: Opposes topic 18 NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on addressing CO2 emissions without considering India & China: Opposes topic 18 NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on requiring full Senate debate and vote on cap-and-trade: Opposes topic 18 YES on protecting middle-income taxpayers from a national energy tax: Opposes topic 18 NO on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Opposes topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-5 points on Social scale)	TV ads to prevent teenage meth use: Strongly Favors topic 19 Require chemical resellers to certify against meth use: Favors topic 19 YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Favors topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+5 points on Economic scale)	YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Favors topic 20 YES on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Favors topic 20
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (+5 points on Economic scale)	Move forward on meaningful reform in tax policy: Opposes topic 11 FairTax: repeal the current tax system: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Phaseout the death tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Abolish IRS--replace income tax with national sales tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 65% by NTU, indicating "Satisfactory" on tax votes: Neutral on topic 11 Rated 0% by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Replace income tax & employment tax with FairTax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Taxpayer Protection Pledge: no new taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Adopt a single-rate tax system: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Repeal tax hikes in capital gains and death taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Supports the Taxpayer Protection Pledge: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Keep reduction of capital gains tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Implement socially fair, broad-based tax cuts: Favors topic 11 YES on eliminating the "marriage penalty": Opposes topic 11 YES on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business: Opposes topic 11 YES on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Opposes topic 11 YES on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset: Opposes topic 11 YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut: Opposes topic 11 YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on permanently repealing the `death tax`: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Strongly Opposes topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (-5 points on Social scale)	English immersion over bilingual education: Opposes topic 12 Rated 100% by FAIR, indicating a voting record restricting immigration: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated 100% by USBC, indicating a sealed-border stance: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated A- by the ALI, indicating a strongly anti-amnesty stance: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Declared English the official language of the US: Opposes topic 12 YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12 YES on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities": Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on establishing a Guest Worker program: Opposes topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on eliminating the "Y" nonimmigrant guestworker program: Neutral topic 12 YES on declaring English as the official language of the US government: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on comprehensive immigration reform: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	Promote the Andean Free Trade Agreement: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 50% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 Insist on access to post-mad-cow Japanese beef markets: Favors topic 13 YES on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Opposes topic 13 YES on implementing CAFTA for Central America free-trade: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on free trade agreement with Oman: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13
Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-3 points on Social scale)	Ensure that military personnel have needed resources: Favors topic 15 Supports $48 billion in new spending for anti-terrorism: Favors topic 15 Rated 11% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record: Strongly Favors topic 15 Extend reserve retirement pay parity back to 9/11: Favors topic 15 Reduce federal government size & scope, including military: Opposes topic 15 YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Favors topic 15 YES on deploying SDI: Favors topic 15 YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 15 NO on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding: Favors topic 15 NO on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months: Favors topic 15
Opposes topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (+2 points on Economic scale)	Require Internet disclosure of all earmarks: Favors topic 16 Restrict campaign donations from foreigners or 3rd parties: Favors topic 16 Military spouses don't lose voting residency while abroad: Favors topic 16 NO on banning soft money and issue ads: Opposes topic 16 YES on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Favors topic 16 NO on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Opposes topic 16 NO on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity: Opposes topic 16 YES on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress: Strongly Opposes topic 16
Strongly Opposes topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (-5 points on Social scale)	NO on requiring FISA court warrant to monitor US-to-foreign calls: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's roving wiretaps: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act: Opposes topic 14 NO on preserving habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Strongly Opposes topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (-5 points on Social scale)	Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 YES on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq by March 2008: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying non-essential US troops out of Iraq in 9 months: Opposes topic 17