Mel Martinez 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 Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (-5 points on Social scale)	Opposed to abortion--life begins at conception: Strongly Favors topic 1 Support the partial birth abortion ban: Opposes topic 1 Vote against government-sponsored abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Block funding for coerced abortions or sterilization: Opposes topic 1 Support the rights of unborn victims of violence: Opposes topic 1 Supports Bush signing the Unborn Victims of Violence Act: Opposes topic 1 Rated 100% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-life stance: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Apply 14th amendment protections to pre-born fetuses: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Declare preborn as persons under 14th amendment: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP: Opposes topic 1 NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives: Opposes topic 1 YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions: Opposes topic 1 NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Opposes topic 1 YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions: Opposes topic 1 YES on restricting UN funding for population control policies: Opposes topic 1
Strongly Opposes topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (+5 points on Economic scale)	Eliminate government regulations to encourage expansion: Opposes topic 2 Rated 11% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Opposes topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (-5 points on Social scale)	Support the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Support gay marriage ban: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Rated 0% by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance: Strongly Opposes topic 3 YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (-5 points on Social scale)	Support public displays of religious devotion: Favors topic 4 Rated 0% by the AU, indicating opposition to church-state separation: Strongly Favors topic 4 YES on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration: Favors topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 8: Death Penalty (-5 points on Social scale)	I support the death penalty: Strongly Favors topic 8
Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-3 points on Social scale)	Crack down criminals who prey on senior citizens: Strongly Favors topic 9 Close loopholes on Officer Next Door program: Opposes topic 9 NO on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program: Favors topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	I will always protect our Second Amendment Rights: Strongly Favors topic 10 Prevent activists from bankrupting firearms manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10 Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC: Strongly Favors topic 10 Apply concealed carry permit to all other states where legal: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership: Favors topic 10 YES on allowing firearms in checked baggage on Amtrak trains: Favors topic 10
Opposes topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (+2 points on Economic scale)	Promote health saving account and Association Health Plans: Strongly Opposes topic 5 YES on allowing tribal Indians to opt out of federal healthcare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 NO on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium: Favors topic 5 NO on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics: Opposes topic 5 NO on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug: Strongly Opposes topic 5 NO on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D: Opposes topic 5 YES on limiting medical liability lawsuits to $250,000: Favors topic 5 NO on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Opposes topic 5 NO on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility: Opposes 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 Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+5 points on Economic scale)	Social Security is a sacred promise but plan future solvency: Favors topic 6 Allow people to invest in a private account: Strongly Favors topic 6 Support Social Security privatization: Strongly Favors topic 6 YES on establishing reserve funds & pre-funding for Social Security: Favors topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (+5 points on Economic scale)	Give parents more choice over kids’ schooling: Strongly Favors topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (+5 points on Economic scale)	Allow exploration in areas that support drilling: Strongly Favors topic 18 Increase domestic oil output: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Rated 0% by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence: Opposes topic 18 Develop technology for carbon dioxide sequestration: Opposes topic 18 Open the Outer Continental Shelf for oil & gas leasing: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Gas tax holiday for the summer: Opposes topic 18 NO on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%): Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Opposes topic 18 NO on factoring global warming into federal project planning: Opposes topic 18 NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on addressing CO2 emissions without considering India & China: Favors topic 18 NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on requiring full Senate debate and vote on cap-and-trade: Opposes topic 18 YES on protecting middle-income taxpayers from a national energy tax: Opposes topic 18 NO on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Opposes topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-5 points on Social scale)	More border security against illegal drugs: Strongly Favors topic 19
Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+2 points on Economic scale)	HUD worked through religious organizations: Strongly Favors topic 20 More spending on homeownership & mutifamily loans: Opposes topic 20 Supports faith-based charities based on personal history: Strongly Favors topic 20
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (+5 points on Economic scale)	Make Bush’s tax cuts permanent for strong economic growth: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Make the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 0% by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Keep reduction of capital gains tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset: Opposes topic 11 YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut: Opposes topic 11 YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on permanently repealing the `death tax`: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Opposes topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (-3 points on Social scale)	Strongly oppose amnesty for illegal aliens: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Amnesty rewards lawlessness: Strongly Opposes topic 12 End the flow of illegal aliens: Opposes topic 12 Comprehensive immigration reform without amnesty: Strongly Favors topic 12 Rated 10% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities": Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on establishing a Guest Worker program: Favors topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on eliminating the "Y" nonimmigrant guestworker program: Neutral topic 12 YES on declaring English as the official language of the US government: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on comprehensive immigration reform: Strongly Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Stand up for agriculture in US trade policy: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Support trade that is free and fair: Opposes topic 13 YES on implementing CAFTA for Central America free-trade: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on free trade agreement with Oman: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-5 points on Social scale)	The decision to use force in Iraq was necessary: Strongly Favors topic 15 Funding the strongest military in the world: Strongly Favors topic 15 Fight to keep all FL military bases open: Strongly Favors topic 15 Set minimum spending on defense at 4% of GDP: Strongly Favors topic 15 NO on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding: Favors topic 15 NO on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months: Favors topic 15
Opposes topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (+2 points on Economic scale)	Military spouses don't lose voting residency while abroad: Favors topic 16 NO on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity: Opposes topic 16 YES on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress: Strongly Opposes topic 16
Strongly Opposes topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (-5 points on Social scale)	NO on requiring FISA court warrant to monitor US-to-foreign calls: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act: Opposes topic 14 NO on preserving habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Strongly Opposes topic 17: US out of Iraq (-5 points on Social scale)	No permission from abroad for military actions: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Oppose aid to countries that don’t support US foreign policy: Opposes topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq by March 2008: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying non-essential US troops out of Iraq in 9 months: Opposes topic 17