Sonia Sotomayor on VoteMatch

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)
Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (+2 points on Social scale)	Don't require admitting privileges for abortionists: Favors topic 1 Government may spend public funds on its abortion position: Favors topic 1 Rejected abortion rights challenge to Mexico City Policy: Opposes topic 1 Precedents must be given deference in any situation: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	I'm an "affirmative action baby" at Princeton & Yale: Strongly Favors topic 2 In some situations, race in some form must be considered: Favors topic 2 Women under-represented as managers enough for gender bias: Strongly Favors topic 2
Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+2 points on Social scale)	No job discrimination for transgender status: Strongly Favors topic 3 Concurred on no longer deny gays the right to marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 Overturn DOMA; equal protection for same-sex couples: Strongly Favors topic 3 Anonymous offensive speech by off-duty cops is protected: Opposes topic 3 School policies on grade transfers must be race-neutral: Strongly Favors topic 3 Sexual harassment counts as a hostile work environment: Favors topic 3 1st Amendment protects church's anti-gay funeral pickets: Opposes topic 3
Strongly Opposes topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (+5 points on Social scale)	States can fund private schools but not parochial schools: Opposes topic 4 Paying taxes sufficient to oppose religious tax credits: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Individual mandate is constitutional even with $0 tax: Favors topic 5 Concurred on allowing federal ObamaCare subsidies: Favors topic 5 ObamaCare's mandate is constitutional under Commerce Clause: Strongly Favors topic 5 Insurers must pay benefits even when sued by beneficiary: Favors topic 5 Ok to collect health benefits from 2 sources for same injury: Strongly Favors topic 5 Congress did not intend disparate result on generic drugs: Strongly Favors topic 5
No opinion on topic 6: Privatize Social Security (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+2 points on Economic scale)	Schools are limited in regulating student off-campus speech: Neutral on topic 7 Often supports local school districts in her rulings: Favors topic 7
No opinion on topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+2 points on Social scale)	Denying vote to convicted felon violates civil rights law: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Government is responsible for abuses in private prisons: Opposes topic 9 Death penalty is constitutional under certain situations: Favors topic 9 Some documents may be allowed without testimony: Opposes topic 9 Delay executions if asked by International Court of Justice: Strongly Opposes topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	2009: supported individual right; 2010: opposed it: Strongly Opposes topic 10 States may restrict weapons; Heller only applies to feds: Strongly Opposes topic 10 The Second Amendment gives an individual right to bear arms: Favors topic 10 Many factors influence Congress's powers on gun control: Opposes topic 10
Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+2 points on Economic scale)	Company can challenge onerous IRS reporting requirement: Opposes topic 11 Only Congress can allow out-of-state Internet sales tax: Opposes topic 11 State taxes must credit taxes paid in other states: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Some trust fees should be only partly tax deductible: Favors topic 11 Railroads can sue for tax exemptions on other diesel users: Opposes topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	DACA protect childhood immigrants from deportation: Strongly Favors topic 12 OpEd: personal story is a classic immigrant struggle: Favors topic 12 AZ law obstructs uniformity in immigration enforcement: Favors topic 12
No opinion on topic 13: Support & expand free trade (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 15: Expand the military (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	AZ mail-in restrictions violate Voting Rights Act: Strongly Favors topic 16 Allow curbside voting & loosen rules during pandemic: Strongly Favors topic 16 Voting Rights Act still needed to prevent discrimination: Strongly Favors topic 16 Corporate political spending is not protected free speech: Favors topic 16 Corporate speech can be restricted but not banned: Strongly Favors topic 16 Public campaign finance can fund based on opponent spending: Strongly Favors topic 16 States cannot sue each other over eased voting rules: Favors topic 16
No opinion on topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Expansive reading of EPA's authority under the Clean Air Act: Strongly Favors topic 18 No extensions for refineries' Renewable Fuel Program: Favors topic 18
Strongly Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+5 points on Social scale)	Reduce crack sentences to follow powder-vs.-crack changes: Strongly Opposes topic 19
No opinion on topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)

Sonia Sotomayor is a Libertarian-Leaning Progressive
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