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)	Supports public abortion funding: Strongly Favors topic 1 Opposes banning embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Supports public funding for abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 Endorsed Endorsed by EMILY's list for pro-choice Democratic women: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Endorsed by The Feminist Majority indicating a pro-women's rights stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 Sponsored removing deadline for ratification of the ERA: 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 Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment: 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 Afghan laws violate women's human rights on sex & divorce: 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)	ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays: Favors topic 3 Opposes banning homosexuals in the military: Strongly Favors topic 3 Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays: Favors topic 3 Opposes defining traditional marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 Opposes banning military gay marriage: Favors topic 3 Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Supports sexual preference as a protected minority status: 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
Strongly Opposes topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (+5 points on Social scale)	Rated 10% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Negotiate prices for prescription drugs with manufacturers: Favors topic 5 Medicare for all: Strongly Favors topic 5 Opposes repealing ObamaCare: Strongly Favors topic 5 Sponsored merging Alzheimers diagnosis and care benefit: Favors topic 5 Opposes repealing mandated health insurance: Strongly Favors topic 5 Expand the National Health Service Corps: 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 YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: 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)	No severe changes; no privatization: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Reject privatization; don't raise the retirement age: Strongly 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)	Vouchers fool us into abandoning our public school system: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Sponsored extending subsidized federal student loan rates until 2015: Opposes topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+5 points on Social scale)	Promote conservation of rare felids & canids: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Grants for beach water pollution under Clean Water Act: Opposes topic 8 Sponsored tightening restrictions on hydrogen sulfide emissions: Favors topic 8 Require labeling genetically engineered food: Opposes topic 8 Extend to 2023 Superfund hazardous waste cleanup: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting: Strongly Opposes topic 8 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 8 YES on protecting free-roaming horses and burros: Opposes topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+2 points on Social scale)	Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 Rated 92% by the NAPO, indicating a tough-on-crime stance: Favors 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)	Rated 7% by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Ban "fire sale" of firearms after delicensing closure: Opposes topic 10 Ban large-capacity ammunition: Opposes topic 10 Supports restrictions on right to bear arms: Opposes topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-5 points on Economic scale)	GOP votes for the very wealthy top 1%: Strongly Favors topic 11 Supports increasing tax rates: Strongly Favors topic 11 Supports increasing income tax rates: 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: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	Allow administrative amnesty to some illegal aliens: Favors topic 12 Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration: Strongly Favors topic 12
Strongly Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-5 points on Economic scale)	Tariffs against countries undervaluing their currency: Opposes topic 13 Review free trade agreements biennially for rights violation: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Sponsored sugar quotas & import tariffs to stabilize prices: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Sponsored imposing import fee on countries with undervalued currency: 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
Opposes topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (-3 points on Economic scale)	Condemn China's organ harvesting from Falun Gong prisoners: Opposes topic 14 Supports standing with the nation of israel: Favors topic 14 Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror: Opposes topic 14 YES on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Opposes topic 14 YES on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Strongly Opposes topic 15: Expand the military (+5 points on Social scale)	YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Campaign finance reform is a cornerstone of campaign: Strongly Favors topic 16 Full disclosure of campaign spending: Strongly Favors topic 16 Matching fund for small donors, with debate requirements: Favors topic 16 No photo IDs to vote; they suppress the vote: Favors topic 16 Corporate political spending is not free speech: Favors topic 16 Establish "My Voice Voucher" small campaign contributions: Strongly Favors topic 16 Repeal automatic Congressional pay raises: Favors topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Strongly Favors topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (+5 points on Social scale)	Leave Iraq & abandon our “lone wolf” approach: 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
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Substantial tax credits for energy saving cars & homes: Strongly 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 YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on investing in homegrown biofuel: 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 YES on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Favors topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 75% by NORML, indicating a pro-legalization stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Favors topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016: Favors topic 20 NO on prioritizing spending in case debt limit is reached: Favors topic 20 YES on $60B stimulus package for jobs, infrastructure, & energy: Strongly Favors topic 20 YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending: Strongly Favors topic 20