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)
Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 30% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Rated 20% by the NRLC, indicating a mixed record on abortion: Neutral on topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 NO on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: Favors topic 1 YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on allowing human embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Shift from group preferences to economic empowerment of all: Neutral on topic 2 Get minorities into home ownership & global marketplace: Favors topic 2 Ending racial profiling is part of fight for justice: Favors topic 2 Issue a commemorative postage stamp of Rosa Parks: Favors topic 2 Rated 92% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 Recognize Juneteenth as historical end of slavery: Strongly Favors topic 2 Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination: Favors topic 2 Honor the 100th anniversary of the NAACP: Favors topic 2 YES on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Favors topic 2
Opposes topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (-3 points on Social scale)	Increase funding for AIDS treatment & prevention: Favors topic 3 Rated 38% by the HRC, indicating a mixed record on gay rights: Neutral on topic 3 YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 YES on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman: Strongly Opposes topic 3 NO on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Opposes topic 3 NO on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Opposes topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 33% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-family voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 4 Rated 67% by the AU, a mixed record on church-state separation: Neutral on topic 4 NO on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Opposes topic 4 NO on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4 YES on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4
Neutral on topic 8: Death Penalty (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-3 points on Social scale)	Permanent crime database for volunteers with kids: Favors topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology: Opposes topic 10 Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care: Favors topic 5 More funding for Rx benefits, community health, CHIPs: Favors topic 5 Rated 78% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record: 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 YES on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Favors topic 5 NO on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Favors topic 5 NO on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Favors topic 5 NO on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay: Strongly 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
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)	Create Retirement Savings Accounts: Favors topic 6 Rated 100% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-5 points on Economic scale)	Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice: Opposes topic 7 Rated 100% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly Opposes topic 7 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-3 points on Economic scale)	Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 Rated 60% by the LCV, indicating a mixed record on environment: Neutral on topic 18 Rated 100% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore: Strongly Opposes 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 NO on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Opposes topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated -20 by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Favors topic 19
Neutral on topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (0 points on Economic scale)	Finish welfare reform by moving able recipients into jobs: Favors topic 20 YES on instituting National Service as a new social invention: Opposes topic 20
Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-3 points on Economic scale)	Rated 23% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes: Strongly Favors topic 11 Rated 75% by CTJ, indicating a mixed record on progressive taxation: Neutral on topic 11 YES on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Favors 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
Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration: Strongly Favors topic 12 Comprehensive immigration reform without amnesty: Strongly Favors topic 12 Cover child resident aliens under Medicaid and SCHIP: Favors topic 12 Rated 33% by USBC, indicating a mixed record on open borders: Neutral on topic 12 NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Build a rule-based global trading system: 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 implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Favors topic 13 YES on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly 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
Opposes topic 15: Expand the armed forces (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 78% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 15 YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses: Favors topic 15 YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-5 points on Economic scale)	Military spouses don't lose voting residency while abroad: Favors topic 16 NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Favors topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Opposes topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (-3 points on Social scale)	YES on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on making the PATRIOT Act permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on retroactive immunity for telecoms' warrantless surveillance: Opposes topic 14
Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq (+2 points on Social scale)	Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence: Favors topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 NO on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date: Strongly Favors 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