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)
Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (+2 points on Social scale)	Litmus test on Roe, but as part of a culture of life: Favors topic 1 Women’s right-to-choose is essential to gender equality: Strongly Favors topic 1 Abortions should always be legal: Strongly Favors topic 1 All men & women have right to make difficult moral decisions: Favors topic 1 Supreme Court nominees must agree to uphold Roe v. Wade: Strongly Favors topic 1 Women can’t be free unless they have the right to choose: Strongly Favors topic 1 Prevention, education, & health care, to minimize abortions: Opposes topic 1 Life begins at conception: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Journey in 2002 from pro-life to pro-choice: Favors topic 1 Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record: Strongly Favors topic 1 Emergency contraception for rape victims at all hospitals: Favors topic 1 Rated 0% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance: Strongly Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 Focus on preventing pregnancy, plus emergency contraception: Favors topic 1 Teach teens about both abstinence & contraception: Favors topic 1 NO on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortions: Opposes topic 1 YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Opposes topic 1 YES on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes: Opposes topic 1 NO on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on allowing human embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports reparations for slavery, to “repair the breach”: Strongly Favors topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for equal rights by gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Rated 94% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 Recognize Juneteenth as historical end of slavery: Strongly Favors topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for women's equal rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Increase funding for occupational & physical therapy: Favors topic 2 Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 2 Reinforce anti-discrimination and equal-pay requirements: Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination: Favors topic 2 Honor the 100th anniversary of the NAACP: Favors topic 2 NO on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions: Favors topic 2 YES on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	Not any issue on which he disagrees with GLBT community: Strongly Favors topic 3 Real GLBT equality includes the right to marry: Strongly Favors topic 3 Gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender right to marry: Strongly Favors topic 3 Allow gays and lesbians to marry: Strongly Favors topic 3 Same sex couples deserve equal domestic benefits: Strongly Favors topic 3 Affirmative action is necessary & right & must be preserved: Strongly Favors topic 3 End the ban on gays in military: Strongly Favors topic 3 Focus on jobs instead of pitting people against each other: Favors topic 3 More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 Rated 100% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance: Strongly Favors topic 3 ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays: 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 Provide benefits to domestic partners of Federal employees: Strongly Favors topic 3 Give domestic partnership benefits to Federal employees: Strongly Favors topic 3 NO on banning gay adoptions in DC: Favors topic 3 NO on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 NO on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Favors topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+2 points on Social scale)	Opposes requiring schools to allow school prayer: Opposes topic 4 Rated 25% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 4 Rated 92% by the AU, indicating support of church-state separation: Strongly Opposes topic 4 Sex Ed including both abstinence and contraception: Opposes topic 4 NO on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror: Strongly Opposes topic 4 YES on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Favors topic 4 NO on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4 NO on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Death Penalty (+5 points on Social scale)	Ban the death penalty-98% of those convicted are poor: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Terminate the federal death penalty, even if unpopular: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Moratorium on death penalty; more DNA testing: Opposes topic 8 Require DNA testing for all federal executions: Opposes topic 8 Sponsored abolishing the federal death penalty: Opposes topic 8
Strongly Opposes topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (+5 points on Social scale)	End mandatory minimums: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Focus on prevention, not punishment: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Rated 80% by CURE, indicating pro-rehabilitation crime votes: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Reduce recidivism by giving offenders a Second Chance: Strongly Opposes topic 9 NO on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime: Opposes topic 9 YES on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.: Strongly Opposes topic 9 YES on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society: Opposes topic 9
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	We have babies dying in the streets; ban handguns: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Require background checks, licensing, and fingerprinting: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	Medicare For All: all long-term care totally covered: Strongly Favors topic 5 Universal not-for-profit health care: Strongly Favors topic 5 Streamlined national health insurance as Enhanced Medicare: Strongly Favors topic 5 I’m not selling insurance-switch to not-for-profit system: Strongly Favors topic 5 Regulate prescription drug prices like utility rates: Strongly Favors topic 5 Medicare for All: universal single-payer national system: Strongly Favors topic 5 Private companies charge 18% admin & Medicare charges 3%: Favors topic 5 Raise taxes for guaranteed, single payer, universal care: Strongly Favors topic 5 MEDS Plan: Cover senior Rx under Medicare: Favors topic 5 Rated 100% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record: Strongly Favors topic 5 Make health care a right, not a privilege: Strongly Favors 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 NO on repealing the "Prevention and Public Health" slush fund: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Favors topic 5 NO on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts: Favors topic 5 NO on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage: Favors topic 5 YES on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Favors topic 5 NO on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Favors topic 5 NO on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Favors topic 5 NO on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Favors 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
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Restore retirement age to 65: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Stop privatization and return retirement age to 65: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Changing Social Security disproportionately affects women: Opposes topic 6 Reject proposals for private saving accounts: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 100% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Reject privatization; don't raise the retirement age: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Exclude Medicare and Social Security from deficit reduction: Opposes topic 6 YES on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox: Opposes topic 6 YES on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits: Favors topic 6 NO on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-5 points on Economic scale)	Quality education is a core American right: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Vouchers divert public money away from public schools: Opposes topic 7 Keep public education separate from private education: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Reduce class size to 18 children in grades 1 to 3: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Teacher development grants to improve math & science classes: Opposes topic 7 Rated 90% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly Opposes topic 7 $25B to renovate or repair elementary schools: Opposes topic 7 NO on reauthorizing the DC opportunity scholarship program: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on vouchers for private & parochial schools: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on allowing vouchers in DC schools: Opposes topic 7 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	Double our energy from renewable sources by 2010: Strongly Favors topic 18 Global Green Deal for renewable energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 Journey to planet Earth: renewable energy by 2010: Strongly Favors topic 18 Would sign Kyoto climate change treaty: Strongly Favors topic 18 Preserve Alaska's ANWR instead of drilling it: Favors topic 18 Rated 85% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes: Strongly Favors topic 18 Establish greenhouse gas tradeable allowances: Strongly Favors topic 18 Rated 100% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence: Favors topic 18 Let states define stricter-than-federal emission standards: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 NO on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: Strongly Favors 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 NO on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Favors 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 Opposes topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (+5 points on Social scale)	Reduce sentencing disparity for crack cocaine retroactively: Favors topic 19 Medical marijuana should be decided by doctors & patients: Opposes topic 19 Hasn’t smoked marijuana, but would decriminalize it: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Emphasizes rehabilitation over incarceration: Strongly Opposes topic 19 War on Drugs benefits only the prison-industrial complex: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Racial bias in drug enforcement is pervasive: Opposes topic 19 Addiction is a medical and moral problem: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Rated A+ by VOTE-HEMP, indicating a pro-hemp voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Rated +10 by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Allow rehabilitated drug convicts get student loans: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Distribute sterile syringes to reduce AIDS and hepatitis: Opposes topic 19 NO on subjecting federal employees to random drug tests: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Opposes topic 19
Opposes topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (-3 points on Economic scale)	Funding faith-based initiatives with taxes is problematic: Strongly Opposes topic 20 YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Favors topic 20 NO on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Opposes topic 20 YES on instituting National Service as a new social invention: Opposes topic 20
Strongly Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-5 points on Economic scale)	Cancel tax cuts for the rich: Strongly Favors topic 11 Repeal tax cuts for wealthy to fund public higher ed: Strongly Favors topic 11 Top 272,000 taxpayers got as much benefit as bottom 129M: Strongly Favors topic 11 American People's Dividend: Give $300 to every person: Favors topic 11 Rated 29% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes: Strongly Favors topic 11 Rated 100% by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation: Strongly Favors topic 11 Reduce the concentration of wealth & wage inequality: Favors topic 11 NO on eliminating the "marriage penalty": Favors topic 11 NO on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business: Favors topic 11 NO on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Favors topic 11 NO on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Favors topic 11 NO on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Favors topic 11 NO on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income: Opposes topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+5 points on Social scale)	There aren’t any illegal human beings: Strongly Favors topic 12 Build relationships between nations, not walls: Strongly Favors topic 12 Sanctuary cities follow moral law if not federal law: Strongly Favors topic 12 Stop blaming immigrants for our system of slave labor: Strongly Favors topic 12 Roadmap to citizenship for immigrants: Favors topic 12 Extend our arms to world-immigrant amnesty and more: Strongly Favors topic 12 Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration: Strongly Favors topic 12 Rated 0% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on more immigrant visas for skilled workers: Opposes topic 12 YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12 NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Favors topic 12
Strongly Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-5 points on Economic scale)	Base trade on worker rights, human rights & environment: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Withdraw from NAFTA and WTO: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Free trade encourages privatization, so avoid it: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Bilateral trade structure to support American manufacturing: Opposes topic 13 President has authority to cancel NAFTA and WTO-I will: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Push trade deals based on power of US market leverage: Opposes topic 13 No NAFTA, No WTO, No Fast Track: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Cancel NAFTA and the WTO: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Don’t sacrifice our rights to global corporate ethic: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Retaliatory tariffs yes; GATT no: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Maintain anti-dumping restrictions against foreign importers: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Rated 39% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 Review free trade agreements biennially for rights violation: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 Require open markets for US goods in all trade agreements: Opposes topic 13 No MFN for China; condition trade on human rights: Neutral on 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 YES on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Opposes topic 13 NO on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Favors 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 NO on promoting free trade with Peru: Opposes topic 13
Strongly Opposes topic 15: Expand the armed forces (+5 points on Social scale)	Stop funding war, start funding education; 15% DoD reduction: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Must cut Pentagon spending: Strongly Opposes topic 15 $550B defense budget implies more taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Cut defense budget by 15%, even if unpopular: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Confront the bloat and waste in Pentagon budget: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Cut the runaway Pentagon budget to save the economy: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Take US nuclear missiles off high alert: Opposes topic 15 Rated 100% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Establish a Department of Peace and Nonviolence: Strongly Opposes topic 15 NO on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Opposes topic 15 NO on deploying SDI: Opposes topic 15 NO on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Opposes topic 15 NO on continuing military recruitment on college campuses: Opposes topic 15 YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-5 points on Economic scale)	Public financing for elections: Strongly Favors topic 16 Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge: Strongly Favors topic 16 YES on banning soft money and issue ads: Favors topic 16 NO on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Opposes topic 16 YES on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Favors topic 16 NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Favors topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Favors topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+2 points on Social scale)	Repeal the Patriot Act: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on extending the PATRIOT Act's roving wiretaps: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on making the PATRIOT Act permanent: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on retroactive immunity for telecoms' warrantless surveillance: Favors topic 14
Strongly Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (+5 points on Social scale)	Promote international treaties but reject global corporatism: Favors topic 17 Foreign aid for peace incentives, not conflict: Favors topic 17 International Cooperation: US out of Iraq, UN in: Strongly Favors topic 17 Let the UN rebuild Iraq and develop its governance: Strongly Favors topic 17 Impeach VP Cheney for taking US into Iraq War based on lies: Strongly Favors topic 17 One cannot be against Iraq war yet still fund it: Strongly Favors topic 17 Member of the Out-of-Iraq Congressional Caucus: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on removing US armed forces from Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval: Favors topic 17 NO on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 NO on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Favors topic 17