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 Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (-5 points on Social scale)	Opposes Roe v Wade, but accepts it as settled law: Opposes topic 1 Restricting abortion has been a hallmark of his career: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Life begins at conception: Opposes topic 1 Opposes all abortion, even for rape and incest: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions: Opposes topic 1
Strongly Opposes topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (+5 points on Economic scale)	No American should suffer based on skin color: Opposes topic 2 Opposed Ronnie White on qualifications, not on skin color: Neutral on topic 2 Against affirmative action: Strongly Opposes topic 2 YES on ending special funding for minority & women-owned business: Strongly Opposes topic 2 YES on prohibiting same-sex basic training: Opposes topic 2 NO on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women: Opposes topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (-5 points on Social scale)	YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation: Strongly Opposes topic 3 NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation: Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-5 points on Social scale)	It's against my religion to impose my religion on others: Opposes topic 4 Allow states to contract with charitable organizations: Strongly Favors topic 4 Fight the assault on the American family: Strongly Favors topic 4 Charitable Choice helps break cycle of poverty: Strongly Favors topic 4 YES on $75M for abstinence education: Strongly Favors topic 4 NO on killing restrictions on violent videos to minors: Favors topic 4 YES on declaring memorial prayers and religious symbols OK at schools: Favors topic 4
Opposes topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (+2 points on Economic scale)	Voted against penalties on tobacco companies: Opposes topic 5 Medicare lockbox; more funding too: Favors topic 5 $150M for basic health care for uninsured: Favors topic 5 NO on blocking medical savings acounts: Opposes topic 5 YES on Medicare means-testing: Opposes topic 5 YES on limiting self-employment health deduction: Opposes topic 5 NO on including prescription drugs under Medicare: Opposes topic 5
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Repeal the Social Security Earnings Test: Favors topic 6 Architect of the Social Security lockbox: Favors topic 6 YES on deducting Social Security payments on income taxes: Favors topic 6 YES on allowing Roth IRAs for retirees: Favors topic 6 YES on allowing personal retirement accounts: Favors topic 6 YES on using the Social Security Surplus to fund tax reductions: Favors topic 6
Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+2 points on Economic scale)	For Ed-Flex; against national testing: Opposes topic 7 Send “direct checks” to local school districts: Favors topic 7 YES on school vouchers in DC: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on education savings accounts: Favors topic 7 YES on allowing more flexibility in federal school rules: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on Educational Savings Accounts: Favors topic 7
Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+2 points on Social scale)	NO on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests: Opposes topic 8
Strongly Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-5 points on Social scale)	No racial bias in Garza execution nor in federal system: Favors topic 9 Opposes any further delays in McVeigh’s execution: Favors topic 9 Oversaw 7 executions as Governor of Missouri: Strongly Favors topic 9 Tougher school rules keep schools safe: Favors topic 9 Death penalty reinforces consequences for our actions: Strongly Favors topic 9 Finding Christ on death row is no reason for pardon: Strongly Favors topic 9 YES on limiting death penalty appeals: Favors topic 9 YES on more penalties for gun & drug violations: Favors topic 9 NO on $1.15 billion per year to continue the COPS program: Favors topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Unequivocal individual gun rights, but restrictions ok: Favors topic 10 Cut record-keeping to one day for background checks: Strongly Favors topic 10 Tough penalties for gun crimes, but allow concealed carry: Favors topic 10 YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows: Favors topic 10 NO on background checks at gun shows: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Cut tax rates to 10% for middle class & 25% maximum: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on Internet sales tax moratorium: Opposes topic 11 YES on requiring super-majority for raising taxes: Opposes topic 11 YES on phasing out the estate tax ("death tax"): Opposes topic 11 YES on eliminating the 'marriage penalty': Opposes topic 11 YES on prioritizing national debt reduction below tax cuts: Opposes topic 11
No opinion on topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (0 points on Social scale)	YES on limit welfare for immigrants: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on visas for skilled workers: Favors topic 12 YES on allowing more foreign workers into the US for farm work: Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Fair trade: partner with friends, challenge rivals: Neutral on topic 13 YES on renewing 'fast track' presidential trade authority: Favors topic 13 YES on permanent normal trade relations with China: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on expanding trade to the third world: Favors topic 13
Favors topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (+2 points on Economic scale)	Reverse Justice Department ruling on legality of torture: Opposes topic 14 UN has no say in deployment of US forces: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on $17.9 billion to IMF: Favors topic 14 YES on capping foreign aid at only $12.7 billion: Strongly Favors topic 14
Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale)	YES on 1996 Defense Appropriations: Favors topic 15 YES on considering deploying NMD, and amending ABM Treaty: Favors topic 15 NO on favoring 36 vetoed military projects: Strongly Opposes topic 15 YES on allowing another round of military base closures: Opposes topic 15 YES on military pay raise of 4.8%: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on deploying National Missile Defense ASAP: Strongly Favors topic 15
Opposes topic 16: Make voter registration easier (-3 points on Social scale)	NO on favoring 1997 McCain-Feingold overhaul of campaign finance: Opposes topic 16
No opinion on topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Opposes topic 18: Prioritize green energy (+2 points on Economic scale)	YES on defunding renewable and solar energy: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on ending discussion of CAFE fuel efficiency standards: Favors topic 18 YES on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling: Opposes topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (-5 points on Social scale)	Zealous proponent of the war on drugs: Strongly Favors topic 19 Tougher anti-meth laws: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on spending international development funds on drug control: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on more penalties for gun & drug violations: Favors topic 19 YES on increasing penalties for drug offenses: Favors topic 19
Strongly Opposes topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (+5 points on Economic scale)	Helped balance budget; now pay down national debt: Opposes topic 20 Make government smaller; cut corporate welfare: Opposes topic 20 Abolish the death tax & other taxes as part of $1.7T tax cut: Strongly Opposes topic 20

John Ashcroft is a Hard-Core Conservative
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