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 unrestricted right (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 82% by the NRLC, indicating a mixed record on abortion: Neutral on topic 1 Supports prohibiting human embryonic stem cell research: Opposes topic 1 Opposes federal abortion funding: Opposes topic 1 YES on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions: Strongly Opposes topic 1 NO on allowing human embryonic stem cell research: Opposes topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1
Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Rated 50% by NAACP, indicating a mixed record on affirmative-action: Neutral on topic 2 YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act: Favors topic 2 YES on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Favors topic 2
Opposes topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (-3 points on Social scale)	Endorsed Endorsed by Log Cabin Republicans; supports gay rights: Favors topic 3 Rated 25% by the HRC, indicating a mixed record on gay rights: Neutral on topic 3 Supports Amendment to prevent same sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Supports banning homosexuals in the military: Strongly Opposes topic 3 YES on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman: Strongly Opposes topic 3 YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Favors topic 3
Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-3 points on Social scale)	NO on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4
Opposes topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (+2 points on Economic scale)	Rid frivolous malpractice lawsuits for affordable healthcare: Opposes topic 5 Opposes government-run healthcare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Repeal ObamaCare reporting requirements for small business: Opposes topic 5 NO on giving mental health full equity with physical health: Opposes topic 5 YES on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay: Strongly Opposes topic 5 NO on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Opposes 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
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Rated 21% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record: Strongly Favors topic 6 Rated 22% by ARA, indicating a mixed record on senior issues: Neutral on topic 6
Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+2 points on Economic scale)	YES on reauthorizing the DC opportunity scholarship program: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Society bears cost of pollution (+5 points on Social scale)	Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs: Opposes topic 8 Prohibit invasive research on great apes: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Establish an International Conservation Strategy: Strongly Opposes topic 8 No EPA permits required for forest road runoff: Strongly Favors topic 8 Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting: Strongly Opposes topic 8 NO on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species: Strongly Opposes topic 8 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 8 YES on protecting free-roaming horses and burros: Opposes topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+2 points on Social scale)	Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 Rated 85% by the NAPO, indicating a tough-on-crime stance: Favors topic 9 YES on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society: Opposes topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Teach kids Eddie Eagle GunSafe's lifesaving message: Favors topic 10 Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Make Bush’s tax cuts permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 0% by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Repeal the Death Tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Taxpayer Protection Pledge: no new taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 No European-style VAT (value-added tax): Opposes topic 11 Supports the Taxpayer Protection Pledge: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income: Favors topic 11
Opposes topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 67% by USBC, indicating a mixed record on open borders: Neutral on topic 12 Rated C+ by the ALI, indicating an acceptably anti-amnesty stance: Opposes topic 12 NO on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 75% by the USAE, indicating support for trade engagement: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Favors topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13
Favors topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (+2 points on Economic scale)	Condemn China's organ harvesting from Falun Gong prisoners: Opposes topic 14 NO on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Favors topic 14 NO on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on reforming the UN by restricting US funding: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Favors topic 14 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14
Opposes topic 15: Expand the military (+2 points on Social scale)	YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses: Favors topic 15 YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+2 points on Social scale)	Require Internet disclosure of all earmarks: Favors topic 16 Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge: Strongly Favors topic 16 No photo IDs to vote; they suppress the vote: Favors topic 16 Military spouses don't lose voting residency while abroad: Favors topic 16 YES on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Opposes topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-3 points on Social scale)	Strengthen sanctions on Syria & assist democratic transition: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Boycott & sanctions against Iran for terrorism & nukes: Opposes topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 NO on removing US armed forces from Afghanistan: Strongly Opposes topic 17 YES on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval: Favors topic 17 NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days: Strongly Opposes topic 17 YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Favors topic 17
Opposes topic 18: Prioritize green energy (+2 points on Economic scale)	Rated 0% by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence: Opposes topic 18 Sponsored extending through 2016 the renewable energy tax credit: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Opposes topic 18 YES on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Opposes 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 investing in homegrown biofuel: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC: Favors topic 18 NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets: Opposes topic 18 YES on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Favors topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated -10 by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 Rated 25% by NORML, indicating an anti-legalization stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 Rated D by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Favors topic 19
Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-3 points on Economic scale)	Apply all remaining stimulus funds to budget deficit: Strongly Opposes topic 20 YES on prioritizing spending in case debt limit is reached: Opposes topic 20 YES on $60B stimulus package for jobs, infrastructure, & energy: Strongly Favors topic 20 YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending: Strongly Favors topic 20