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)	Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Rated 100% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-life stance: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Prohibit transporting minors across state lines for abortion: Opposes topic 1 Bar funding for abortion under federal Obamacare plans: Opposes topic 1 Prohibit federal funding for abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Prohibit federal funding to groups like Planned Parenthood: Strongly Opposes topic 1 No family planning assistance that includes abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Grant the pre-born equal protection under 14th Amendment: Opposes topic 1 YES on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: 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 NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Opposes topic 1
Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Issue a commemorative postage stamp of Rosa Parks: Favors topic 2 Rated 36% by NAACP, indicating a mixed record on affirmative-action: Neutral on topic 2 Increase funding for occupational & physical therapy: Favors topic 2 Honor the 100th anniversary of the NAACP: Favors topic 2 YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act: Favors topic 2 NO on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Opposes topic 2
Opposes topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 0% by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance: Strongly Opposes topic 3 YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: 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 NO on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated 90% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Favors topic 4 Constitutionally prohibit flag desecration: Favors topic 4 YES on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Favors topic 4 YES on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4 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)	Rated 22% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Repeal any federal health care takeover: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Repeal the Job-Killing Health Care Law: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Repeal ObamaCare reporting requirements for small business: Opposes topic 5 YES on giving mental health full equity with physical health: Favors topic 5 YES on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on repealing the "Prevention and Public Health" slush fund: Strongly Opposes topic 5 YES on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Opposes topic 5 YES on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Favors topic 5 YES on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Opposes topic 5 YES on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Opposes 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 10% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record: Strongly Favors topic 6 Rated 17% 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)	Rated 17% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on reauthorizing the DC opportunity scholarship program: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Opposes topic 8: Society bears cost of pollution (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 5% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes: Strongly Favors topic 8 Make tax deduction permanent for conservation easements: Opposes topic 8 Stop considering manure as pollutant or hazardous: Favors topic 8 No EPA expansion of regulated waters: Favors topic 8 Create database on algal blooms in the Great Lakes: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting: Strongly Opposes topic 8 YES on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species: Strongly Favors topic 8 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 8 YES on protecting free-roaming horses and burros: Opposes topic 8
Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 62% by the NAPO, indicating a moderate stance on police issues: Neutral on topic 9 NO on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society: Favors topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record: Strongly Favors topic 10 National cross-state standard for concealed carry: Strongly Favors topic 10 Loosen restrictions on interstate gun purchases: Strongly Favors topic 10 Allow veterans to register unlicensed guns acquired abroad: Favors topic 10 Recognize heritage of hunting & shooting on federal lands: Favors topic 10 Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC: Strongly Favors topic 10 Apply concealed carry permit to all other states where legal: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: 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)	Abolish IRS--replace income tax with national sales tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 57% by NTU, indicating "Satisfactory" on tax votes: Neutral on 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 Permanently repeal the estate tax: Opposes topic 11 Supports the Taxpayer Protection Pledge: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on providing tax relief and simplification: 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 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration: Strongly Favors topic 12 Rated 100% by USBC, indicating a sealed-border stance: Strongly Opposes topic 12 End Birthright Citizenship; no more anchor babies: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Declare English as the official language of the US: Opposes topic 12 NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Tariffs against countries undervaluing their currency: Opposes topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 Rated 75% by the USAE, indicating support for trade engagement: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Favors topic 13 YES on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Opposes topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (+5 points on Economic scale)	Withhold UN funding until voluntary and program-specific: Strongly Favors topic 14 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 YES on reforming the UN by restricting US funding: Strongly Favors 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
Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 11% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record: Strongly Favors topic 15 Free postage for soldiers serving abroad: Favors topic 15 Homeland Security authority over cyber-security: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 15 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)	Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge: Strongly 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
Strongly Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-5 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 Intervene in Iraq to protect persecuted Christians: Opposes topic 17 Work with Iraqi government to fight ISIL: 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 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 NO on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Opposes 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 Bar greenhouse gases from Clean Air Act rules: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Drill the Outer Continental Shelf; & license new nuke plants: Strongly Opposes 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 NO on investing in homegrown biofuel: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets: Favors topic 18 NO on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Opposes 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 -20 by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 Rated 0% 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)	Ban roadway signs indicating Recovery Act funding: Opposes topic 20 Disapprove of increasing the debt limit: Opposes topic 20 Expand lending caps for credit unions to small business: Favors topic 20 Audit the Federal Reserve & its actions on mortgage loans: 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