Benjamin Gilman 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)	Supported funding contraception and UN family planning: Favors topic 1 NO on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on banning partial-birth abortions: Favors 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
Strongly Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Constitutional Amendment for equal rights by gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Stricter sentencing for hate crimes: 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
Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+2 points on Social scale)	Supports anti-flag desecration amendment: Favors topic 4 NO on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Favors topic 8: Death Penalty (-3 points on Social scale)	Require DNA testing for all federal executions: Opposes topic 8 More prisons, more enforcement, effective death penalty: Favors topic 8 NO on replacing death penalty with life imprisonment: Strongly Favors topic 8 YES on making federal death penalty appeals harder: Strongly Favors topic 8 NO on maintaining right of habeas corpus in Death Penalty Appeals: Favors topic 8
Strongly Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-5 points on Social scale)	YES on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime: Favors topic 9 NO on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.: Strongly Favors topic 9
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-3 points on Economic scale)	Tax credits for those without employee health insurance: Strongly Favors topic 5 $350 billion for prescriptions for poor seniors: Favors topic 5 NO on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts: Favors topic 5 YES on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage: Opposes topic 5
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Reduce taxes on Social Security earnings: Favors topic 6 Supports individual savings accounts and work incentives: Favors topic 6 NO on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox: Favors topic 6 YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Favors topic 6
Neutral on topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (0 points on Economic scale)	Support Ed-Flex: more flexibility if more accountable: Favors topic 7 NO on vouchers for private & parochial schools: Strongly Opposes topic 7 YES on allowing vouchers in DC schools: Favors topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	Make EPA into a Cabinet department: Strongly Favors topic 18 Supports immediate reductions in greenhouse gases: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR: Strongly Favors topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-5 points on Social scale)	YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Favors topic 19
Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+2 points on Economic scale)	Increase the earned income tax credit: Opposes topic 20 Limit welfare to 2 years & cut welfare spending: Favors topic 20 YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Favors topic 20 YES on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Favors topic 20
Opposes topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (+2 points on Economic scale)	Phaseout the death tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Repeal marriage tax; cut middle class taxes: Opposes topic 11 Implement socially fair, broad-based tax cuts: Favors topic 11 YES on eliminating the "marriage penalty": Opposes topic 11 YES on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business: Opposes topic 11 YES on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Opposes topic 11
Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+2 points on Social scale)	English immersion over bilingual education: Opposes topic 12 More visas for families of lawful immigrants: Favors topic 12 YES on more immigrant visas for skilled workers: Favors topic 12 YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12
Neutral on topic 13: Support & expand free trade (0 points on Economic scale)	Promote the Andean Free Trade Agreement: Strongly Favors 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
Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-3 points on Social scale)	Supports $48 billion in new spending for anti-terrorism: Favors topic 15 No US troops under UN command; more defense spending: Favors topic 15 Reduce federal government size & scope, including military: Opposes topic 15 YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Favors topic 15 YES on deploying SDI: Favors topic 15
Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-3 points on Economic scale)	Restrict campaign donations from foreigners or 3rd parties: Favors topic 16 YES on banning soft money and issue ads: Favors topic 16 YES on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Favors topic 16
Neutral on topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (+5 points on Social scale)	Multi-year commitment to Africa for food & medicine: Strongly Favors topic 17