Dick Gephardt on VoteMatch

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VoteMatch Question & Answer (Click on question for explanation and background)	Based on these stances: (Click on topic for excerpt & citation)
Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (+2 points on Social scale)	Overturn the ban on new stem cell research: Strongly Favors topic 1 Voted 7 times against partial birth abortion: Opposes topic 1 Rated 30% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 1 NO on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortions: Opposes topic 1 NO on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Favors topic 1 NO on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes: Favors topic 1 NO on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info: Favors topic 1 NO on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: Favors topic 1
Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Democrats need to earn the vote of African-Americans: Favors topic 2 Shift from group preferences to economic empowerment of all: Neutral on topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for equal rights by gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 NO on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 NO on banning gay adoptions in DC.: Favors topic 3 NO on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+2 points on Social scale)	Keep “under God” in Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4 Address school violence via character ed & counselors: Favors topic 4 Christian Coalition’s intolerance has no place in politics: Opposes topic 4 Rated 0% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-family voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 4 NO on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer: Strongly Opposes topic 4 YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror: Strongly Favors topic 4 NO on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4
Opposes topic 8: Death Penalty (+2 points on Social scale)	Require DNA testing for all federal executions: Opposes topic 8 NO on replacing death penalty with life imprisonment: Strongly Favors topic 8 NO on making federal death penalty appeals harder: Strongly Opposes topic 8 YES on maintaining right of habeas corpus in Death Penalty Appeals: Opposes topic 8
Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 56% by CURE, indicating mixed votes on rehabilitation: Neutral on topic 9 NO on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime: Opposes topic 9 NO on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.: Strongly Favors topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Against protectionism and for trade treaties: Favors topic 10 Sensible gun safety legislation & right to possess firearms: Opposes topic 10 No additional authority for federal gun agency: Favors topic 10 NRA opposes gun rules that vast majority support: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology: Opposes topic 10 Rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	Lay aside Bush tax cut to fund healthcare package: Strongly Favors topic 5 Push a bold plan for health care and jobs creation: Favors topic 5 Subsidize 60% of health costs for all employees: Strongly Favors topic 5 Sharing health costs reduces overall costs & reduces worries: Favors topic 5 Get everybody covered with health insurance: Strongly Favors topic 5 $172B over 3 years for state employee health care: Strongly Favors topic 5 Help corporations give people needed health insurance: Opposes topic 5 Ensure that all seniors get the care they deserve: Strongly Favors topic 5 More funding for Meaningful Prescription Drug Coverage: Favors topic 5 Focus on seniors; no blank checks to insurance companies: Neutral on topic 5 Federal tax breaks for small business health coverage: Favors topic 5 Supports R&D funding for medical and health research: Favors topic 5 Health care reform: no selective insurance: Favors topic 5 Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care: Favors topic 5 Rated 100% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts: Favors topic 5 NO on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage: 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
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)	Treat Social Security like insurance; no stock market: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Social Security is most successful peacetime program: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Create Retirement Savings Accounts: Favors topic 6 Rated 100% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 6 YES on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox: Opposes topic 6 NO on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits: Opposes topic 6 YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Favors topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-5 points on Economic scale)	Vouchers take needed funds away from public schools: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Education agenda to improve public schools for 21st century: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice: Opposes topic 7 Rated 67% by the NEA, indicating a mixed record on public education: Neutral on topic 7 NO on vouchers for private & parochial schools: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on allowing vouchers in DC schools: Opposes topic 7
Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-3 points on Economic scale)	End dangerous addiction to foreign oil: Strongly Favors topic 18 10-year plan to develop hybrid cars then hydrogen fuel cells: Strongly Favors topic 18 Use gas tax for highway infrastructure: Favors topic 18 Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 Preserve Alaska's ANWR instead of drilling it: Favors topic 18 Rated 5% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR: Strongly Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (+2 points on Social scale)	NO on subjecting federal employees to random drug tests: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Opposes topic 19 YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly 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 responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Favors topic 20 NO on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Opposes topic 20
Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-3 points on Economic scale)	Repeal the Bush tax cuts and invest in people: Strongly Favors topic 11 1993 tax increase & sound economics caused budget surplus: Strongly Favors topic 11 Bush tax cuts hurt economy; same $ for health helps economy: Strongly Favors topic 11 No Bush Lite: get rid of tax cut and get health care done: Strongly Favors topic 11 $900B tax cut protects other important interests: Opposes topic 11 Targeted tax cuts for middle-class families: Favors topic 11 $36B in tax relief for small businesses: Opposes topic 11 Require national referendum to raise federal income tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 10% Tax Plan: end loopholes, lower rates: Opposes topic 11 Remove special interests from tax code: Opposes topic 11 NO on eliminating the "marriage penalty": Favors topic 11 NO on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business: Favors topic 11 NO on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Favors topic 11 NO on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Favors topic 11 NO on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Favors topic 11 NO on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+2 points on Social scale)	Celebrate diversity and welcome hard-working immigrants: Favors topic 12 Nothing wrong with immigrants, but Americans in jobs better: Opposes topic 12 YES on more immigrant visas for skilled workers: Favors topic 12 YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12 NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Favors topic 12
Strongly Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-5 points on Economic scale)	Enact international minimum wage through WTO: Opposes topic 13 Trade agreements must protect labor & environment: Opposes topic 13 Fair trade saves jobs-globalization with fairness: Opposes topic 13 NAFTA and China PNTR cause a race to the bottom in wages: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Rejected NAFTA: needed more for labor & environment: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Fair trade on an equal playing field: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Build a rule-based global trading system: Favors topic 13 Rated 22% by CATO, indicating a pro-fair trade voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on 'Fast Track' authority for trade agreements: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Favors topic 13
Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-3 points on Social scale)	Yes on $87B for Iraq, but also for homeland security: Strongly Favors topic 15 Rated 11% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Favors topic 15 NO on deploying SDI: Opposes topic 15
Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-3 points on Economic scale)	YES on banning soft money and issue ads: Favors topic 16 NO on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Opposes topic 16 YES on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Favors topic 16
Strongly Favors topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+5 points on Social scale)	It is not unpatriotic to criticize the president: Strongly Favors topic 14
Neutral on topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (0 points on Social scale)	We need allies and the UN to rebuild Iraq: Favors topic 17 Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence: Favors topic 17 YES on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17