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)	No restrictions on women’s right to choose, not on my watch: Strongly Favors topic 1 Strengthen the reproductive rights of California women: Strongly Favors topic 1 Abortion training for medical residents and pharmacists: Strongly Favors topic 1
Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Look for racial profiling data in traffic stops: Favors topic 2 Enforced job & housing rights for disabled & minorities: Favors topic 2 Support principles embodied in the Equal Rights Amendment: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	Register domestic partnerships and provide partner benefits: Strongly Favors topic 3 Allow adoptions by gay parents: Strongly Favors topic 3 Expanded definition of hate crimes to include gays: Strongly Favors topic 3 Supported legal benefits for gay & lesbian partnerships: Strongly Favors topic 3 Support flag burning amendment; oppose gay marriage: Opposes topic 3
No opinion on topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 8: Death Penalty (-5 points on Social scale)	Life imprisonment or death penalty for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 8 Supports capital punishment: Favors topic 8
No opinion on topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (0 points on Social scale)	Supports flexible federal block grants for crime programs: Neutral on topic 9 Zero tolerance for violence against government employees: Neutral on topic 9
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	Ban assault weapons & Saturday Night Specials: Strongly Opposes topic 10 One-gun-per-month limit; plus required safety test: Opposes topic 10
Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-3 points on Economic scale)	Keep medical decisions in hands of patients & their doctors: Neutral on topic 5 Patient rights including suing HMOs: Favors topic 5 More federal funding for rural health services: Favors topic 5 Protect state tobacco settlement funds from federal seizure: Neutral on topic 5
No opinion on topic 6: Privatize Social Security (0 points on Economic scale)	Maintain federal Social Services Block Grant funding: Favors topic 6 Maintain long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare: Opposes topic 6
Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-3 points on Economic scale)	Balanced education reform with teachers’ unions: Opposes topic 7 Supports EdFlex; more money for higher grades: Opposes topic 7 Improve and invest in public schools: Opposes topic 7
Opposes topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (+2 points on Economic scale)	Retail energy market was never deregulated: Neutral on topic 18 Addressing energy demand as well as supply: Opposes topic 18 Phase out environmental gasoline additives: Opposes topic 18 Voluntary partnerships reduce greenhouse gases economically: Neutral on topic 18 Kyoto Treaty must include reductions by all countries: Opposes topic 18 Create block grants for Agricultural Stewardship: Neutral on topic 18 Collaborative, incentive driven, locally-based solutions: Neutral on topic 18
Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-3 points on Social scale)	$70M to combat methamphetamine: Strongly Favors topic 19 More federal funding for all aspects of Drug War: Favors topic 19 States should make drug policy, not feds: Neutral on topic 19
Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+2 points on Economic scale)	Supports faith-based community organizations: Strongly Favors topic 20 Promote the next generation of welfare reform: Opposes topic 20 Maintain flexibility & funding levels for TANF block grants: Favors topic 20
No opinion on topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (0 points on Economic scale)	No national sales tax or VAT: Neutral on topic 11 Federal tax incentives for energy, with state decisions: Neutral on topic 11
Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+2 points on Social scale)	Diversity is our strength; welcome all good citizens: Strongly Favors topic 12 Share costs of legal immigration between states & federal: Neutral on topic 12 Federal government should deal with criminal repatriation: Neutral on topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	CA is world’s 5th largest economy; expand global marketplace: Favors topic 13 Made trade deals with Europe, Armenia, China, & others: Strongly Favors topic 13
No opinion on topic 15: Expand the armed forces (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (0 points on Social scale)	Include states in anti-terrorism planning: Neutral on topic 17