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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 unrestricted right (+5 points on Social scale)	Classify contraception as preventive care & no moral issue: Strongly Favors topic 1 Proud that Colorado codified right to choose: Strongly Favors topic 1 Supports both federal abortion funding & judicial activism: Strongly Favors topic 1 Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Access safe, legal abortion without restrictions: Strongly Favors topic 1 Supports public funding for abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Keep federal funding for family planning clinics: Strongly Favors topic 1 Born-Alive Survivors bill tries to illegalize abortion: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	More funding & services for victims of domestic violence: Strongly Favors topic 2 Enforce against wage discrimination based on gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Honor the 100th anniversary of the NAACP: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Support transgender and LGBTQ+ rights (+5 points on Social scale)	Opposition to homosexuality is an outdated views of society: Strongly Favors topic 3 ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays: Favors topic 3 Opposes banning homosexuals in the military: Strongly Favors topic 3 Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays: Favors topic 3 Prohibit sexual-identity discrimination at schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Let states recognize same sex marriage: Favors topic 3
No opinion on topic 4: America was founded on Christian values (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	$500B savings in Medicare is heart of health care reform: Favors topic 5 Help seniors on Medicare; speed up drug approval: Favors topic 5 Single payer would lead to massive tax increase: Opposes topic 5 Make public plan optional; others can keep private insurance: Strongly Favors topic 5 Public option rather than Medicare-for-All: Strongly Favors topic 5 Prefers public option to Medicare for All: Strongly Favors topic 5 Public option better than Medicare for All: Strongly Favors topic 5 Medicare for 35M; private insurance for the other 295M: Favors topic 5 Against higher taxes & banning employer-based insurance: Favors topic 5 He will fight to protect Colorado's Medicaid funding: Strongly Favors topic 5 Supports government-run healthcare: Strongly Favors topic 5 Religious exemption from ObamaCare individual mandate: Opposes topic 5 Opposes repealing mandated health insurance: Strongly Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Preserve the integrity of entitlement programs: Opposes topic 6 Strongly opposes privatizing or reducing benefits: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Eliminate income cap for payroll taxes: Favors topic 6 Optional personal retirement accounts ARE privatization: Opposes topic 6 Opposes private retirement accounts: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 90% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Endorsed by NCPSSM for protecting Social Security and Medicare: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-3 points on Economic scale)	Opposes less federal or more local control of education: Opposes topic 7 Professional development grants for elementary principals: Opposes topic 7
Opposes topic 8: Businesses have a right to pollute (+2 points on Social scale)	We passed Montreal Protocol and reversed ozone loss: Opposes topic 8 Will work to cut red tape affecting small businesses: Favors topic 8 Make tax deduction permanent for conservation easements: Opposes topic 8 Endorsed Endorsed by LCV; supports conservation efforts: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs: Opposes topic 8 Regulatory relief for smaller banks stimulates growth: Favors topic 8 Keep restrictive rules for predator control in Alaska: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+2 points on Social scale)	Sponsor of bipartisan First Step reform bill: Opposes topic 9 Community policing frees police to focus on violent crimes: Opposes topic 9 First step: reduce recidivism & mass incarceration: Opposes topic 9 Rated 64% by the NAPO, indicating a moderate stance on police issues: Neutral on topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Support a ban on assault weapons: Favors topic 10 People support background checks, GOP Senate won't allow it: Opposes topic 10 Colorado experience shows gun control can work: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Background checks work in Colorado, should work nationally: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Close the Gun Show Loophole; restrict show sales: Opposes topic 10 Opposes restrictions on the right to bear arms: Strongly Favors topic 10 Rated C+ by the NRA, indicating a mixed voting record on gun rights: Opposes topic 10 Supports restrictions on right to bear arms: Opposes topic 10 Co-sponsored background check for every firearm sale: Strongly Favors topic 10 Sponsored bill for background checks for private transfers: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Transparency on paying for tax cuts and spending programs: Favors topic 11 Target tax cuts to struggling middle class families: Strongly Favors topic 11 Tax cuts for families; sponsored American Family Act: Favors topic 11 Obama-Biden sequester made Bush tax cuts permanent: Favors topic 11 Reverse Trump tax cuts; restore expanded child tax credit: Strongly Favors topic 11 Supports more federal taxes & keeping marriage penalty: Strongly Favors topic 11 Supports increasing income tax rates: Strongly Favors topic 11 Reducing tax rates balloons federal deficit & cuts programs: Favors topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	Kids belong in classrooms not cages: Strongly Favors topic 12 Our borders not secure; create a path to citizenship: Favors topic 12 Path to citizenship for millions living in the shadows: Strongly Favors topic 12 Trump is anti-immigrant; immigrants are a positive force: Favors topic 12 Path to citizenship for DREAMers; oppose family separation: Favors topic 12 Family separation more like Holocaust than Statue of Liberty: Favors topic 12 Don't decriminalize border; it's Trump's nativist hostility: Opposes topic 12 Shield children under 16 from ICE detainment: Strongly Favors topic 12 Supports continued funding of sanctuary cities: Strongly Favors topic 12 Supports granting amnesty to illegal immigrants: Strongly Favors topic 12 Opposes full implementation of current border security laws: Strongly Favors topic 12 Terminate national emergency at the Southern border: Favors topic 12 Increase both high-skill and family-based visa caps: Favors topic 12 Sponsored bill to disallow religion-based immigration ban: Strongly Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Trump's tariffs have harmed farmers: Favors topic 13 Chinese trade practices unfair, but tariffs not the answer: Favors topic 13 Insist on access to post-mad-cow Japanese beef markets: Favors topic 13 Declare Turkish rebar subject to anti-dumping duties: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Voted FOR reauthorizing Ex-Im Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 Implement USMCA for improved North American trade: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 63% by the USAE, indicating a mixed record on trade: Neutral on topic 13
Opposes topic 14: Stay away from the UN & Globalism (-3 points on Economic scale)	Diplomatic tools to invest in stability before crisis: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Change corruption in DC; restore relationships with allies: Strongly Opposes topic 14 America is a unique place for refugees to succeed: No opin. on topic 14 Most Democrats are not socialists and should say so: Favors topic 14 Two-state solution despite Israeli settlements on West Bank: Favors topic 14
Favors topic 15: Peace through Strength (-3 points on Social scale)	Increase military size & strength for new types of conflict: Strongly Favors topic 15 Boost the defense budget: Strongly Favors topic 15 $5T spent in Mideast could've fixed all our infrastructure: Strongly Opposes topic 15 $515B for military plus $89B off sequester for wars: Favors topic 15 Exempt Veterans Affairs from federal hiring freeze: Favors topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Constitutional amendment tooverturn Citizens United: Strongly Favors topic 16 Federal review voting of discriminatory state voting changes: Favors topic 16 Overcome structural corruption in voting rights: Strongly Favors topic 16 Mandate paper ballots: Favors topic 16 Citizens United has taken America down a dangerous road: Strongly Favors topic 16 Endorsed as "leader in battle against Big Money in politics": Strongly Favors topic 16 Require Internet disclosure of all earmarks: Favors topic 16 Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures: Strongly Favors topic 16 Sponsored bill for election holiday & easier voting access: Strongly Favors topic 16 Repeal automatic Congressional pay raises: Favors topic 16 Sponsored bill to expand voter registration and voter access: Strongly Favors topic 16
Opposes topic 17: Stay out of foreign wars (-3 points on Social scale)	Good test for threat to Taiwan is how we respond to Putin: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Afghan exit after al-Qaida groups destroyed in Pakistan: Opposes topic 17 Commit to bring home troops from Afghanistan in July 2011: Strongly Favors topic 17 Keep the troops deployed abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Opposes timetable for troop withdrawal from Afghanistan: Opposes topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Iran must accept long-term intrusive nuke inspection: Opposes topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 No military force against Iran without Congress approval: Strongly Favors topic 17 Sponsored resolution to repeal 2002 AUMF against Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Permanent tax incentives to spur renewable energy growth: Strongly Favors topic 18 Climate change is major issue; but not Green New Deal: Favors topic 18 Transition to renewable energy in a ways that create jobs: Favors topic 18 Build Keystone pipeline, or oil will be transported by rail: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Endorsed by LCV to tackle the climate crisis: Strongly Favors topic 18 Build on our responsible approach to energy transition: Strongly Favors topic 18 Supports renewable energy tax credits: Strongly Favors topic 18
Strongly Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+5 points on Social scale)	Let states experiment with marijuana; address racial issues: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Marijuana Justice Act: decriminalize pot & expunge records: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Sponsored bill to end Federal ban on marijuana: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Supports medical and recreational marijuana: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Sponsored bill for TV ads to prevent teenage meth use: Strongly Favors topic 19 Rated B+ by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Immunity for banks offering services to marijuana businesses: Strongly Opposes topic 19
Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-3 points on Economic scale)	Stimulus bill limited because recession worse than expected: Opposes topic 20 Stimulus bill avoided Depression; now we need infrastructure: Strongly Favors topic 20 Real problems if we don't address income inequality: Strongly Favors topic 20 Stopped 30,000 evictions & cut childhood poverty in half: Strongly Favors topic 20 Forest Service cuts place an immense burden on Colorado: Strongly Favors topic 20 $300B lending fund for small business; plus $12B tax cut: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Fought for drought funding in Inflation Reduction Act: Strongly Favors topic 20 Open to compromise on temporarily extending Bush tax cuts: Opposes topic 20 Everybody should have a share in our prosperity: Favors topic 20 Rated 71% by UFCW, indicating a mixed management/labor voting record: Neutral on topic 20 Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016: Favors topic 20 Voted YES on $900 billion COVID relief package: Favors topic 20 $1.9 trillion ARPA bill for COVID relief: Favors topic 20

Michael Bennet is a Hard-Core Liberal
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