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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)	Abortions should always be legally available: Strongly Favors topic 1 100 percent ratings from NARAL and Planned Parenthood: Strongly Favors topic 1 Led the fight to pass the Access to Birth Control Act: Favors topic 1 Public funding for stem cell research: Favors topic 1 Let military perform abortions in cases of rape or incest: Favors topic 1 Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Access safe, legal abortion without restrictions: 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 Judicially liberal, according to CC survey: Favors topic 1 Pro-Planned Parenthood, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 1 Anti-parental notification, according to CC survey: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Apply affirmative action to state hiring: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ensure that women earn equal pay for equal work: Strongly Favors topic 2 More funding & services for victims of domestic violence: Strongly Favors topic 2 Enforce against wage discrimination based on gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination: Favors topic 2
Favors topic 3: Support transgender and LGBTQ+ rights (+2 points on Social scale)	Ok to define marriage against polygamy or same-sex: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Ok to define marriage against polygamy or same-sex: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Co-sponsored Equality & Family Fairness Act for gay equality: Strongly Favors topic 3 Oregon Equality Act: sexual orientation is a civil right: Strongly Favors topic 3 Sponsored the Employment Non-Discrimination Act: 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 Pro-transgender bathrooms, according to CC survey: Favors topic 3
Opposes topic 4: America was founded on Christian values (+2 points on Social scale)	Supports workfare and 2-year welfare limits: Favors topic 4 Religious freedom means no religious registry: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Health care for all Americans: Strongly Favors topic 5 Support Healthy Americans Act: universal comprehensive care: Strongly Favors topic 5 Merge Alzheimers diagnosis and care benefit: Favors topic 5 Expand the National Health Service Corps: Strongly Favors topic 5 Expand health services for women veterans: Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Privatization would melt away retirement in stock crash: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Fight efforts to privatize; honor promises to seniors: Opposes topic 6 Sponsored keeping CPI for benefits instead of lower "Chained CPI": Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 100% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	History making efforts that improved education in Oregon: Opposes topic 7 Fully fund public schools: Strongly Opposes topic 7 $25B to renovate or repair elementary schools: Opposes topic 7 Sponsored extending subsidized federal student loan rates until 2015: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Businesses have a right to pollute (+5 points on Social scale)	Sustainable forest harvest important for economy: Opposes topic 8 Sustainable harvests on public lands: Opposes topic 8 Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs: Opposes topic 8 Sponsored enforcing against illegal ocean fishing: Opposes topic 8 Require labeling genetically engineered food: Opposes topic 8 Deregulating banks encourages discriminatory practices: Opposes topic 8 Keep restrictive rules for predator control in Alaska: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-3 points on Social scale)	Opposes the death penalty: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Increase rehabilitation & alternatives to incarceration: Opposes topic 9 Mandatory minimum sentence for some 1st-degree sex offenders: Strongly Favors topic 9 More state troopers; more crime labs; more funding: Favors topic 9 Worked hard to get better laws to deal with criminals: Favors topic 9 First step: reduce recidivism & mass incarceration: Opposes topic 9 Rated 55% by the NAPO, indicating a moderate stance on police issues: Neutral on topic 9 Let ex-cons apply freely, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 9
No opinion on topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (0 points on Economic scale)	Maintain restrictions on purchase & possession of firearms: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Co-sponsored background check for every firearm sale: Strongly Favors topic 10 Pro-gun rights, according to CC survey: Strongly Opposes 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)	Tax credits to families to make child care affordable: Favors topic 11 No state sales tax: Opposes topic 11 Repeal $18 billion in tax breaks given to big oil companies: Favors topic 11 Supports raising taxes on earnings over $250,000 per year: Strongly Favors topic 11 Minimum tax rate of 30% for those earning over $1 million: Strongly Favors topic 11 Reducing tax rates balloons federal deficit & cuts programs: Favors topic 11 Undo tax cuts, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 11 Keep inheritance tax, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 11
Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 90% by Oregonians for Immigration Reform: Opposes topic 12 State of the Union: protest child separation at border: Strongly Favors topic 12 Provide lawyers and evidence for children being deported: 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 Anti-border security, according to CC survey: Favors topic 12 Sponsored bill to disallow religion-based immigration ban: Strongly Favors topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Include real & enforceable labor & environmental standards: Opposes topic 13 Cancel or fix unfair trade deals: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Strengthen the Buy American Act: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Support free-trade, but wait on Trans-Pacific Partnership: Favors topic 13 Review free trade agreements biennially for rights violation: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Declare Turkish rebar subject to anti-dumping duties: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Voted FOR reauthorizing Ex-Im Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 $25B more loans from Export-Import Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 Implement USMCA for improved North American trade: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 50% by the USAE, indicating a mixed record on trade: Neutral on topic 13 Ban imports from Xinjiang made by Uyghur forced labor: Opposes topic 13
Opposes topic 14: Stay away from the UN & Globalism (-3 points on Economic scale)	In a dangerous world, we need to work with other nations: Opposes topic 14 Investigate Saudi interference in US criminal cases: Opposes topic 14 Invest in working with our allies, not power of military: Opposes topic 14 Enforce humanitarian aid access to South Sudan: Opposes topic 14 Sponsored bill to monitor forced Uyghur labor in Xinjiang: Strongly Favors topic 14 Sponsored bill to oppose Israeli annexation of West Bank: Strongly Opposes topic 14
No opinion on topic 15: Peace through Strength (0 points on Social scale)	Honor America's veterans and take good care of them: Favors topic 15 Persuasive evidence & clear objectives before military force: Opposes topic 15 Led effort to address disposing of nuclear materials: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Funding wars separately is gimmick against sequestration: Opposes topic 15 Exempt Veterans Affairs from federal hiring freeze: Favors topic 15 Secure the grid, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Spending limits on campaigns, plus full disclosure: Strongly Favors topic 16 We the People democracy: extend vote to DC & territories: Strongly Favors topic 16 Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures: Strongly Favors topic 16 Matching fund for small donors, with debate requirements: Favors topic 16 Corporate political spending is not free speech: Favors topic 16 Statehood for the District of Columbia: Favors topic 16 Public financing of federal campaigns by voter vouchers: Favors topic 16 Sponsored bill for election holiday & easier voting access: Strongly Favors topic 16 Sponsored bill to expand voter registration and voter access: Strongly Favors topic 16
Favors topic 17: Stay out of foreign wars (+2 points on Social scale)	9/11 justified eliminating Taliban, but not nation-building: Favors topic 17 Redeploy American combat troops out of Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Signed onto "A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq": Strongly Favors topic 17 Opposed the war from the start: Strongly Favors topic 17 Staying in Afghanistan will not make America safer: Strongly Favors topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Sponsored shutting down Iranian foreign reserves: Opposes topic 17 Iran must accept long-term intrusive nuke inspection: Opposes topic 17 Hold Assad accountable for slaughter of civilians: Opposes topic 17 Stay out of Israeli wars, according to CC survey: Favors 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)	Sustainable, renewable energy to combat global warming: Strongly Favors topic 18 Set a 25 percent renewable energy national standard by 2025: Strongly Favors topic 18 Cap greenhouse gases with international collaboration: Strongly Favors topic 18 Climate change is real, and it's bad for our economy: Strongly Favors topic 18 Supports 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050: Strongly Favors topic 18 Incentives to cities for the reduction of emissions: Favors topic 18 $5 billion in tax credits for alternative energy projects: Favors topic 18 50% clean and carbon free electricity by 2030: Strongly Favors topic 18 Green New Deal: 10-year national mobilization: Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Toughen laws against meth traffickers: Favors topic 19 Step up enforcement to combat meth: Strongly Favors topic 19 Positives of pot legalization outweigh the negatives: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Exclude industrial hemp from definition of marijuana: Opposes topic 19 Exempt industrial hemp from marijuana laws: Opposes topic 19 Rated A by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Sponsored bank immunity for services to marijuana businesses: No opin. on topic 19
Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-3 points on Economic scale)	Bailout bill is a $700-million blank check: Opposes topic 20 Strengthen the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Favors topic 20 Minimum wage should be left to the states: Opposes topic 20 Supports raising taxes on earnings over $250,000 per year: Favors topic 20 Rated 86% by UFCW, indicating an anti-management/pro-labor record: Favors 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

Jeff Merkley is a Hard-Core Liberal
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