Charlie Melancon 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)
Neutral on topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (5 points on Social scale)	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 companies to hire more women & minorities (0 points on Economic scale)	YES on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Favors topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3: Sexual orientation protected by civil rights laws (0 points on Social scale)	YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Favors topic 4: Teach family values in public schools (2 points on Social scale)	NO on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (0 points on Economic scale)	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
Neutral on topic 6: Privatize Social Security (5 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Neutral on topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (5 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Neutral on topic 8: Death Penalty (5 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Neutral on topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (5 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (10 points on Social scale)	YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10
Neutral on topic 11: Decrease overall taxation of the wealthy (5 points on Economic scale)	Immediate tax relief for middle-class families: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Strongly Opposes topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (0 points on Economic scale)	YES on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Strongly Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (0 points on Economic scale)	Fight against harmful trade policies like CAFTA: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13
Strongly Opposes topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (10 points on Social scale)	YES on making the PATRIOT Act permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Opposes topic 15: More spending on armed forces (7 points on Economic scale)	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 (0 points on Economic scale)	NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Favors topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Opposes topic 17: Replace US troops with UN in Iraq (7 points on Economic scale)	NO on reforming the UN by restricting US funding: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days: Strongly Opposes topic 17
Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (2 points on Economic scale)	NO on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Opposes 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 criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC: Favors topic 18
Neutral on topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (5 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Neutral on topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (5 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)