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 unrestricted right (+5 points on Social scale)	Require offering emergency contraception for rape victims: Strongly Favors topic 1 Abortions should be legally available, and funded: 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 Keep federal funding for family planning clinics: Strongly Favors topic 1 Rated 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 YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale)	Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Let states recognize same sex marriage: Favors topic 3
Strongly Opposes topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (+5 points on Social scale)	Religious freedom means no religious registry: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-3 points on Economic scale)	Fill in existing Medicare gaps; Part D was deceptive: Strongly Favors topic 5 Religious exemption from ObamaCare individual mandate: Opposes topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Make sure everyone pays into the system equally: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Fight the phony philosophy of privatization: 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 Endorsed 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)	Reform NCLB: more funding and redefine "success": Opposes topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+5 points on Social scale)	Received perfect score from League of Conservation Voters: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Genetically modified foods aren't unhealthy: Opposes topic 8 Develop alternative energy to avoid melting polar ice caps: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Strike a balance between growth and land preservation: Opposes topic 8 Sponsored enforcing against illegal ocean fishing: Opposes topic 8 Require labeling genetically engineered food: Opposes topic 8 Endorsed Endorsed by LCV; supports conservation efforts: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Rated Deregulating banks encourages discriminatory practices: Opposes topic 8 Rated Keep restrictive rules for predator control in Alaska: Strongly Opposes topic 8 YES on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems: Opposes topic 8
No opinion on topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (0 points on Social scale)	End parole for repeat violent felons: Favors topic 9 First step: reduce recidivism & mass incarceration: Opposes topic 9 Rated 73% by the NAPO, indicating a moderate stance on police issues: Neutral on topic 9
No opinion on topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (0 points on Economic scale)	Ban assault weapons, for universal background checks: Strongly 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 YES on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+2 points on Economic scale)	No state flat tax; increase sin tax & decrease sales tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 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)	Take full advantage of new visas available to China: Favors topic 12 Terminate national emergency at the Southern border: 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)	Promote relations and tourism travel from Asia Pacific: Favors topic 13 Rated Voted FOR reauthorizing Ex-Im Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated Oppose USMCA until more environmental & job protections: Strongly Opposes topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (+5 points on Economic scale)	Reform FISA to protect our Fourth Amendment rights: Strongly Favors topic 14 Disallow Palestine from joining ICC to threaten Israel: Favors topic 14
Opposes topic 15: Expand the military (+2 points on Social scale)	Military only viable here if it has community support: Neutral on topic 15 Non-proliferation includes disposing of nuclear materials: Opposes topic 15 Rated Funding wars separately is gimmick against sequestration: Opposes 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)	Abolish the Electoral College: Strongly Favors topic 16 Partial state funding for state level political campaigns: Strongly Favors topic 16 Matching fund for small donors, with debate requirements: Favors topic 16 Statehood for the District of Columbia: Favors topic 16 Sponsored bill to abolish the electoral college: Strongly 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
Strongly Favors topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (+5 points on Social scale)	Bush had false pretenses & inadequate planning for Iraq war: Strongly Favors topic 17 Sponsored shutting down Iranian foreign reserves: 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)	Endorsed by LCV to tackle the climate crisis: Strongly Favors topic 18 Use every weapon at our disposal to fight climate change: Strongly Favors topic 18 Work towards passage of carbon fee legislation: Strongly Favors topic 18 OpEd: Schatz promotes wind turbines requiring huge subsidies: Strongly Favors topic 18 Focus on clean energy and fighting climate change: Strongly Favors topic 18 Clean energy with Taiwan; smart grid with Korea: Favors topic 18 Hawai'i is becoming an international leader in clean energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 50% clean and carbon free electricity by 2030: Strongly Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Hawaii not ready for legal pot; needs national conversation: Favors topic 19 Build prisons for methamphetamine users: Favors topic 19 Criminalize date-rape drugs as controlled substances: 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 Keep ObamaCare's prevention, treatment, & recovery services: Opposes topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	Address transportation and coastal infrastructure priorities: Strongly Favors topic 20 Established the Hawaii Fair Share Initiative: Favors topic 20 We need fiscal responsibility and social responsibility: Opposes topic 20 Use tax surplus to make long-term investments: Strongly Favors topic 20 Strengthen infrastructure, including rail, dams, & Internet: Strongly 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

Brian Schatz is a Libertarian-Leaning Progressive
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