Mark Kirk on SenateMatch

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)	Fund Planned Parenthood for non-abortion health services: Favors topic 1 Support woman’s right to choose; along with family planning: 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 9% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance: Strongly Favors topic 1 Opposes prohibiting human embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 Opposes federal abortion funding: Opposes topic 1 NO on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Favors topic 1 NO on Unknown roll call for 2001-89: Favors topic 1 NO on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info: Favors topic 1 NO on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: 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
Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Issue a commemorative postage stamp of Rosa Parks: Favors topic 2 Rated 53% by NAACP, indicating a mixed record on affirmative-action: Neutral on topic 2 More funding & services for victims of domestic violence: Strongly Favors topic 2 Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 2 Afghan laws violate women's human rights on sex & divorce: Favors topic 2 NO on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Opposes 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)	Government has no place in defining who you should love: Strongly Favors topic 3 More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 Rated 75% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance: Strongly Favors topic 3 ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays: Favors topic 3 Supports banning homosexuals in the military: Strongly Opposes 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
Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-3 points on Social scale)	Supports anti-flag desecration amendment: Favors topic 4 Rated 69% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Favors topic 4 YES on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Favors 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 YES on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4 NO on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4
Opposes topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (+2 points on Economic scale)	For 2013 shutdown over ObamaCare, but then for compromise: Opposes topic 5 Repeal Obamacare, then offer a better alternative: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Cut waste & fraud; don't raise taxes; don't cut Medicare: Opposes topic 5 Effective affordable senior prescription plans: Favors topic 5 Tax credits for those without employee health insurance: Strongly Favors topic 5 $350 billion for prescriptions for poor seniors: Favors topic 5 Rated 12% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Repeal any federal health care takeover: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Repeal any federal health care takeover: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Religious exemption from ObamaCare individual mandate: Strongly Opposes 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 allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Opposes topic 5 YES on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Opposes topic 5 YES on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Opposes topic 5 YES on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay: Strongly Opposes 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 YES on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Opposes topic 5
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Honor our commitment to America’s seniors: Opposes topic 6 Rated 0% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record: Strongly Favors topic 6 Rated 5% by ARA, indicating a pro-privatization stance: Strongly Favors topic 6 Supports individual savings accounts and work incentives: Favors topic 6 YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Favors topic 6
Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+2 points on Economic scale)	Improve public education with local Education Advisory Board: Opposes topic 7 Encourage flexible federal funding & local control: Favors topic 7 Support Ed-Flex: more flexibility if more accountable: Favors topic 7 Rated 27% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes: Strongly Favors 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)	Supports grants for brownfields remediation: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Rated 80% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Promote conservation of rare felids & canids: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Grants for beach water pollution under Clean Water Act: Opposes topic 8 Make tax deduction permanent for conservation easements: Opposes topic 8 Add polar bear & bluefin tuna to endangered species list: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs: Opposes topic 8 Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting: Strongly Opposes topic 8 NO on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species: 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 YES on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems: Opposes topic 8
Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-3 points on Social scale)	Deportation to fight rising street gang population: Strongly Favors topic 9 Provide after-school basketball to reduce youth violence: Opposes topic 9 Mandatory sentences for gun crimes: Strongly Favors topic 9 Supports more severe penalties for Hate Crimes: Favors topic 9 Rated 45% by the NAPO, indicating a police-the-police stance: 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)	Both major-party Senate candidates support gun restrictions: Opposes topic 10 Require trigger locks; enforce Brady Bill: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Rated D by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Close the Gun Show Loophole; restrict show sales: Opposes topic 10 Rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 10 YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Favors topic 10 NO on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Opposes topic 10 YES on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Ending Bush tax cuts may cause double-dip recession: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Tax increase is surest way to turn recession into depression: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Pay down the national debt; reduce wasteful spending: Opposes topic 11 End marriage penalty & death tax; simplify tax code: Opposes topic 11 Phaseout the death tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 58% by NTU, indicating "Satisfactory" on tax votes: Neutral on topic 11 Rated 17% by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Taxpayer Protection Pledge: no new taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Opposes both marriage penalty & federal tax increases: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Supports the Taxpayer Protection Pledge: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Implement socially fair, broad-based tax cuts: Favors topic 11 YES on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Opposes topic 11 YES on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income: Opposes topic 11
Neutral on topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (0 points on Social scale)	First secure the border; then path to citizenship: Opposes topic 12 Upgrade our nation's border security: Favors topic 12 English immersion over bilingual education: Opposes topic 12 Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration: Strongly Favors topic 12 Rated 67% by USBC, indicating a mixed record on open borders: Neutral on topic 12 YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12 NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Upgrade river & rail systems to expand agricultural exports: Favors topic 13 Develop ability to export goods to foreign markets: Strongly Favors topic 13 Promote the Andean Free Trade Agreement: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 50% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 Sponsored sugar quotas & import tariffs to stabilize prices: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Rated Voted FOR reauthorizing Ex-Im Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 50% by the USAE, indicating a mixed record on trade: Neutral on topic 13 YES on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Favors topic 13 NO on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Favors topic 13 YES on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Favors topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (+5 points on Economic scale)	Disallow Palestine from joining ICC to threaten Israel: Favors topic 14 Move US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem; recognize as cap: Favors topic 14 No transfers of Gitmo prisoners to US or abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Favors topic 14 NO on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on withholding $244M in UN Back Payments until US seat restored: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on reforming the UN by restricting US funding: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Favors topic 14 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14
Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale)	No F-25 engine; no joint forces command: Opposes topic 15 Increase military pay; improve equipment: Strongly Favors topic 15 New menace: weapons of mass destruction by rogue states: Favors topic 15 Supports $48 billion in new spending for anti-terrorism: Favors topic 15 Rated 33% by SANE, indicating a mixed record on military issues: Neutral on topic 15 Reduce federal government size & scope, including military: Opposes topic 15 YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses: Favors topic 15 YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Apply campaign finance reform to corporations: Favors topic 16 End pay-to-play: no contributions from earmark recipients: Strongly Favors topic 16 Ban soft money; increase campaign donation accountablity: Favors topic 16 Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge: Strongly Favors topic 16 YES on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Favors topic 16 YES on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Favors topic 16 YES on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Opposes topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-3 points on Social scale)	Ground troops against ISIS only with long-term exit strategy: Opposes topic 17 Win the Global War on Terror: Opposes topic 17 Stop Iran's nuclear & ballistic missile programs: Opposes topic 17 Foreign policy matters, like for gas prices: Favors topic 17 More aid for Israel to foster Palestinian peace: Favors topic 17 Maintain sanctions against Iran & other rogue states: Favors topic 17 US aid for Arabs who are peace partners with Israel: Strongly Favors topic 17 Strengthen sanctions on Syria & assist democratic transition: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Sponsored funding and supplying the Syrian rebels: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Shut down Iranian foreign reserves, to tighten sanctions: Opposes topic 17 Iran must accept long-term intrusive nuke inspection: Opposes topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 YES on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 YES on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Opposes topic 17
Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-3 points on Economic scale)	Climate change is real, but no carbon tax: Favors topic 18 Supports nuclear energy, Yucca Mountain, and new refineries: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Clean up PCBs & nuclear waste: Favors topic 18 Improve open space; improve mass transit & roads: Strongly Favors topic 18 Make EPA into a Cabinet department: Strongly Favors topic 18 Rated 67% by CAF, indicating a mixed record on energy independence: Neutral on topic 18 Sign on to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change: Strongly Favors topic 18 Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025: Strongly Favors topic 18 Supports immediate reductions in greenhouse gases: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for renewable energy: 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 YES on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Opposes 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 investing in homegrown biofuel: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Opposes 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 YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Opposes topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (-5 points on Social scale)	Decriminalize and/or legalize marijuana: Strongly Opposes topic 19 No need to increase veterans' access to medical marijuana: Strongly Favors topic 19 Crack down on drug cartels trafficking of illegal weapons: Strongly Favors topic 19 Rated -20 by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 Rated 50% by NORML, indicating a mixed record on drug reform: Neutral on topic 19 Rated F by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Favors topic 19
Opposes topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (+2 points on Economic scale)	Disapprove of increasing the debt limit: Opposes topic 20 Rated 14% by UFCW, indicating a pro-management voting record: Opposes topic 20 NO on $60B stimulus package for jobs, infrastructure, & energy: Strongly Opposes topic 20 YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending: Strongly Favors topic 20