John Edwards 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)
Strongly Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (+5 points on Social scale)	Gov’t should not decide for women on partial-birth abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 Right to abortion is constitutionally protected: Strongly Favors topic 1 Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record: Strongly Favors topic 1 Expand embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 NO on banning partial birth abortions: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions: Favors topic 1 NO on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Racial inequality is at heart & soul of my campaign: Strongly Favors topic 2 Equal opportunity needs to be active principle, not passive: Strongly Favors topic 2 I support affirmative action: Strongly Favors topic 2 Affirmative Action needed 40 years ago & still needed today: Strongly Favors topic 2 Shift from group preferences to economic empowerment of all: Neutral on topic 2 Increase subsidies for women-owned non-profit business: Strongly Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	Get rid of DOMA; get rid of don’t-ask-don’t-tell: Strongly Favors topic 3 On journey about same-sex marriage, but does not support it: Opposes topic 3 Exactly the same healthcare rights for same-sex couples: Favors topic 3 Opposes gay marriage due to his religion; but conflicted: Strongly Favors topic 3 Governments don’t belong in bedrooms, including gay bedrooms: Strongly Favors topic 3 More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation: Favors topic 3 YES on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3
Favors topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (-3 points on Social scale)	Ten Commandments in courthouses cause more trouble than good: Opposes topic 4 Supports individual school prayer, not teacher-led prayer: Strongly Favors topic 4 Rated 0% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-family voting record: Strongly Opposes 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
Favors topic 8: Death Penalty (-3 points on Social scale)	Death penalty OK despite flaws, on state-by-state decision: Favors topic 8 Capital punishment needed-some crimes deserve ultimate: Strongly Favors topic 8 Supports the death penalty: Strongly Favors topic 8 Require DNA testing for all federal executions: Opposes topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (+2 points on Social scale)	Eliminate mandatory minimums for non-violent crimes: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Rated 63% by CURE, indicating mixed votes on rehabilitation: Neutral on topic 9 NO on more penalties for gun & drug violations: Opposes topic 9 YES on $1.15 billion per year to continue the COPS program: Opposes topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	In rural America, hunting and gun ownership is a way of life: Opposes topic 10 Don’t need AK-47 to hunt; renew assault weapons ban: Opposes topic 10 Right to bear arms protected by Second Amendment, with rules: Favors topic 10 Hunting is fine, but criminals & kids should have limits: Opposes topic 10 Guns are about independence-don’t mess with that: Favors topic 10 Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology: Opposes topic 10 NO on loosening license & background checks at gun shows: Opposes topic 10 YES on background checks at gun shows: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-3 points on Economic scale)	Health care crisis requires fighting big corporations: Strongly Favors topic 5 It is morally wrong to leave so many Americans uninsured: Favors topic 5 Start providing health insurance for every child in America: Strongly Favors topic 5 Cover every child and vulnerable adults: Strongly Favors topic 5 Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care: Favors topic 5 Let states make bulk Rx purchases, and other innovations: Opposes topic 5 Rated 100% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on limiting self-employment health deduction: Favors topic 5 YES on including prescription drugs under Medicare: Favors topic 5 NO on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit: Favors topic 5 NO on $40 billion per year for limited Medicare prescription drug benefit: Opposes topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	We can’t grow our way out of Social Security crisis: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Social Security has lifted 13M seniors out of poverty: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Don’t divert payroll taxes to private accounts: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Keep stock market out of Social Security: 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 NO on using the Social Security Surplus to fund tax reductions: Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-5 points on Economic scale)	Private school vouchers drain resources from public schools: Opposes topic 7 Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice: Opposes topic 7 Rated 83% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on allowing more flexibility in federal school rules: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on Educational Savings Accounts: Opposes topic 7 YES on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors: Opposes topic 7 YES on funding student testing instead of private tutors: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	Need a moratorium on any more coal-fired power plants: Strongly Favors topic 18 No new nuclear power plants; no liquified coal either: Strongly Favors topic 18 80% greenhouse emissions reductions by the year 2050: Strongly Favors topic 18 Cap carbon emissions & invest in carbon sequestration: Strongly Favors topic 18 Protect ANWR, lead in global warming battle: Strongly Favors topic 18 Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 Keep climate change in EPA "State of the Environment" report: Favors topic 18 Rated 37% by the LCV, indicating a mixed record on environment: Neutral on topic 18 Keep efficient air conditioner rule to conserve energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on defunding renewable and solar energy: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on ending discussion of CAFE fuel efficiency standards: Opposes topic 18 NO on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling: Favors topic 18 NO on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on removing consideration of drilling ANWR from budget bill: Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (+2 points on Social scale)	Reduce sentencing disparity for crack cocaine retroactively: Favors topic 19 Oppose decriminalizing marijuana; it sends wrong signal: Strongly Favors topic 19 Supports drug courts and alternatives to incarceration: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Rated B- by VOTE-HEMP, indicating a pro-hemp voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on more penalties for gun & drug violations: Opposes topic 19 NO on increasing penalties for drug offenses: Opposes topic 19
Opposes topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (-3 points on Economic scale)	EITC is a well-run gov’t program that decreased poverty: Opposes topic 20 Increase the Earned Income Tax Credit: Opposes topic 20 Finish welfare reform by moving able recipients into jobs: Favors topic 20
Strongly Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-5 points on Economic scale)	Shift burden from taxing work to taxing wealth: Strongly Favors topic 11 Offer tax cuts that will help the middle class families: Favors topic 11 Repeal tax cuts for earners over $200,000: Strongly Favors topic 11 Shift tax burden from taxing work to taxing wealth: Strongly Favors topic 11 Revise the capital gains tax rate: Favors topic 11 Millionaires should not pay lower taxes than nurses: Strongly Favors topic 11 Roll back the Bush tax cuts and address real priorities: Favors topic 11 Rated 22% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on phasing out the estate tax ("death tax"): Favors topic 11 NO on eliminating the 'marriage penalty': Favors topic 11 NO on prioritizing national debt reduction below tax cuts: Favors topic 11 YES on reducing marriage penalty instead of cutting top tax rates: Favors topic 11 YES on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction: Favors topic 11 NO on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years: Strongly Favors topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+5 points on Social scale)	Create a path to citizenship for the undocumented immigrants: Strongly Favors topic 12 Oppose granting driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants: Opposes topic 12 More technology at the border, but address underlying causes: Favors topic 12 Undocumented workers deserve same rights as American workers: Strongly Favors topic 12 Roadmap to citizenship for undocumented immigrants: Favors topic 12 Welcome immigrants with earned legalization program: Strongly Favors topic 12 Hard working immigrants earn right to citizenship: Favors topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Opposes trade with Colombia, South Korea, and Peru: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Against NAFTA, against Chile trade, against Singapore trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Level the playing field for American workers: Opposes topic 13 Against Fast Track--not enough for US workers: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Build a rule-based global trading system: Favors topic 13 Rated 17% by CATO, indicating a pro-fair trade voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on permanent normal trade relations with China: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on expanding trade to the third world: Opposes topic 13 YES on removing common goods from national security export rules: Favors topic 13 YES on granting normal trade relations status to Vietnam: Favors topic 13 YES on extending free trade to Andean nations: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on establishing free trade between US & Singapore: Opposes topic 13 NO on establishing free trade between the US and Chile: Opposes topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated 40% by SANE, indicating a mixed record on military issues: Neutral on topic 15 NO on allowing another round of military base closures: Favors 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
Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-3 points on Economic scale)	Let’s all pledge not another dime from Washington lobbyists: Favors topic 16 YES on banning campaign donations from unions & corporations: Favors topic 16 YES on banning "soft money" contributions and restricting issue ads: Favors topic 16
Strongly Favors topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+5 points on Social scale)	End Bush’s illegal spying on American citizens: Strongly Favors topic 14 President is not above law; no spying on Americans: Strongly Favors topic 14 Cannot sacrifice rights & freedoms that define America: Favors topic 14
Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq (+2 points on Social scale)	Cosponsored 2002 Iraq War Resolution: Strongly Opposes topic 17 America should lead by extending a hand, not a fist: Strongly Favors topic 17 Reorient US aid to support open societies: Strongly Favors topic 17 Bring UN, allies and friends to Iraq: Favors topic 17 Work with other nations in war on terror: Favors topic 17 Have all combat troops out in 2009: Strongly Favors topic 17 Apologized for Iraq war vote; others must search conscience: Strongly Favors topic 17 On voting for Iraq War: “I was wrong”: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence: Favors topic 17