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)	Trust women rather than regulating half the population: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on banning partial birth abortions: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Shift from group preferences to economic empowerment of all: Neutral on topic 2 NO on banning affirmative action hiring with federal funds: Strongly Favors topic 2 NO on ending special funding for minority & women-owned business: Strongly Favors topic 2 NO on prohibiting same-sex basic training: Favors topic 2 YES on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	NO on prohibiting same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation: Favors topic 3
Strongly Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+5 points on Social scale)	NO on requiring schools to allow voluntary prayer: Opposes topic 4 NO on $75M for abstinence education: Strongly Opposes topic 4 YES on killing restrictions on violent videos to minors: Opposes topic 4
Opposes topic 8: Death Penalty (+2 points on Social scale)	NO on rejecting racial statistics in death penalty appeals: Opposes topic 8 NO on limiting death penalty appeals: Opposes topic 8
No opinion on topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (0 points on Social scale)	YES on mandatory prison terms for crimes involving firearms: Strongly Favors topic 9 NO on more penalties for gun & drug violations: Opposes topic 9 YES on $1.15 billion per year to continue the COPS program: Opposes topic 9
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology: Opposes topic 10 NO on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on loosening license & background checks at gun shows: Opposes topic 10 YES on background checks at gun shows: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-3 points on Economic scale)	Maintain Medicare as defined: Strongly Favors topic 5 Supports ObamaCare even though he knows it's unpopular: Strongly Favors topic 5 Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care: Favors topic 5 YES on blocking medical savings acounts: Favors topic 5 YES on Medicare means-testing: Opposes topic 5 NO on limiting self-employment health deduction: Favors topic 5 YES on including prescription drugs under Medicare: Favors topic 5
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)	Raise retirement age & income cap: Opposes topic 6 Create Retirement Savings Accounts: Favors topic 6 NO on deducting Social Security payments on income taxes: Opposes topic 6 NO on allowing Roth IRAs for retirees: Opposes topic 6 NO on allowing personal retirement accounts: Opposes topic 6
Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-3 points on Economic scale)	Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice: Opposes topic 7 NO on school vouchers in DC: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on education savings accounts: Opposes topic 7 NO on allowing more flexibility in federal school rules: Strongly Opposes topic 7 YES on Educational Savings Accounts: Favors topic 7
Opposes topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (+2 points on Economic scale)	Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 YES on do not require ethanol in gasoline: Opposes topic 18 YES on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests: Favors topic 18 YES on defunding renewable and solar energy: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on ending discussion of CAFE fuel efficiency standards: Opposes topic 18 NO on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling: Favors topic 18
Strongly Opposes topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (+5 points on Social scale)	NO on spending international development funds on drug control: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on more penalties for gun & drug violations: Opposes topic 19 NO on increasing penalties for drug offenses: Opposes topic 19
Opposes topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (-3 points on Economic scale)	Finish welfare reform by moving able recipients into jobs: Favors topic 20 NO on welfare overhaul: Opposes topic 20 NO on allowing state welfare waivers: Opposes topic 20 YES on eliminating block grants for food stamps: Opposes topic 20 NO on welfare block grants: Opposes topic 20
Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-3 points on Economic scale)	Support the Buffett rule: lower tax on wages: Favors topic 11 NO on requiring super-majority for raising taxes: Favors topic 11 YES on eliminating the 'marriage penalty': Opposes topic 11 NO on prioritizing national debt reduction below tax cuts: Favors topic 11
No opinion on topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (0 points on Social scale)	YES on limit welfare for immigrants: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on visas for skilled workers: Favors topic 12 YES on allowing more foreign workers into the US for farm work: Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Build a rule-based global trading system: Favors topic 13 Quick vote on PNTR; China into WTO: Neutral on topic 13 YES on renewing 'fast track' presidential trade authority: Favors topic 13 YES on permanent normal trade relations with China: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on expanding trade to the third world: Favors topic 13
Opposes topic 15: Expand the armed forces (+2 points on Social scale)	NO on 1996 Defense Appropriations: Opposes topic 15 NO on considering deploying NMD, and amending ABM Treaty: Opposes topic 15 NO on favoring 36 vetoed military projects: Strongly Opposes topic 15 YES on allowing another round of military base closures: Opposes topic 15 YES on military pay raise of 4.8%: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on deploying National Missile Defense ASAP: Strongly Favors topic 15
Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-3 points on Economic scale)	YES on favoring 1997 McCain-Feingold overhaul of campaign finance: Favors topic 16
No opinion on topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (+2 points on Social scale)	We all get worked up about Iran, but there's a price: Favors topic 17 Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence: Favors topic 17 Multilateral coalition for Muslim youth outreach: Favors topic 17