Joaquin Castro 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)
Strongly Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (+5 points on Social scale)	I consider myself pro-choice: 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 Rated Funding abortion avoids discrimination against poor women: Strongly Favors topic 1 Rated Constitutional right to terminate pregnancy for health: Strongly Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports affirmative action for all state decisions: Strongly Favors topic 2 Endorsed as "preferred" by The Feminist Majority indicating pro-women's rights: 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 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)	Supports same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (+2 points on Social scale)	Job training & childcare subsidies for welfare recipients: Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Restore funding to critical health care programs: Strongly Favors topic 5 Opposes repealing ObamaCare: Favors topic 5 Rated GOP can't beat ObamaCare, so they pretend it's a "disaster": Strongly Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	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)	At Stanford, discovered about inequity in education: Opposes topic 7 Proud product of the public school system: Opposes topic 7 More funds for schools, teachers, and college: Strongly Opposes topic 7 More funds for schools, teachers, and college: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Sponsored extending subsidized federal student loan rates until 2015: Opposes topic 7 Rated No-strings-attached block grant will kill transparency: Opposes topic 7 Rated Oppose private and religious school voucher programs: Strongly Opposes topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+5 points on Social scale)	Require reporting lead in drinking water to the public: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Voted YES to require GMO labeling: Opposes topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+2 points on Social scale)	More community centers; more job assistance for inmates: Opposes topic 9 Rated 69% by the NAPO, indicating a moderate stance on police issues: Neutral on topic 9
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	Require background check for every firearm sale and transfer: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Opposes an income tax increase: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated Raising estate tax to 1990s level means $448B in new revenue: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	National Guard on Texas border is just a feel-good show: Strongly Favors topic 12 Vanguard of a new class of Latino leaders: Favors topic 12 Opposes exiting US to apply for citizenship: Favors topic 12 Rated Voted to legalize DREAMer immigrants via military service: Strongly Favors topic 12 Provide lawyers and evidence for children being deported: Favors topic 12 Increase both high-skill and family-based visa caps: Favors topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	$25B more loans from Export-Import Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13
Neutral on topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Neutral 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)	1995: Studied overcoming minority voter disenfranchisement: Strongly Favors topic 16 Limit campaign donations, plus full disclosure: Strongly Favors topic 16 Establish "My Voice Voucher" small campaign contributions: Strongly Favors topic 16 Public financing of federal campaigns by voter vouchers: Favors topic 16 Statehood for the District of Columbia: Favors topic 16 Automatic voter registration for all citizens: Strongly Favors topic 16 Holiday on election day; revamp for easier voting access: Favors topic 16
Strongly Favors topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (+5 points on Social scale)	Opposes combat operations in Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 17 No military force against Iran without Congress approval: Strongly Favors topic 17
Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-3 points on Economic scale)	Supports alternative fuel plus traditional sources: Opposes topic 18 Voted YES on banning offshore oil drilling in Gulf of Mexico: Strongly Favors topic 18 50% clean and carbon free electricity by 2030: Strongly Favors topic 18 Green New Deal: 10-year national mobilization: Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Strengthen sentences for drug-related crimes: Favors topic 19 Rated B by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19
Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-3 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

Joaquin Castro is a Libertarian-Leaning Progressive
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