Thomas Perez 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)	Committed to protecting and advancing reproductive rights: Strongly Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	We must work to promote diversity among our educators: Strongly Favors topic 2 Inequitable that women still not receiving equal pay: Strongly Favors topic 2 Respect John Lewis' stature as icon of civil rights movement: Favors topic 2 Make good on opportunity for people with disabilities: Strongly Favors topic 2 Expand opportunity for marginalized communities: Strongly Favors topic 2 Women still earn 77 cents on the dollar compared to men: Strongly Favors topic 2
No opinion on topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-3 points on Economic scale)	Put himself through college with Pell grants & taking jobs: Strongly Opposes topic 5 94% healthcare coverage not good enough; goal is 100%: Strongly Favors topic 5 Ensure that there is equal access to mental health care: Strongly Favors topic 5 Guarantee healthcare to immigrants, regardless of status: Strongly Favors topic 5 Implement and strengthen state health equity program: Strongly Favors topic 5 ObamaCare has failed; repeal will lift the burden: Strongly Opposes topic 5 ObamaCare is an important part of anti-poverty efforts: Strongly Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Enforce laws misclassifying workers to avoid taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Require retirement investment advisers to disclose their pay: Opposes topic 6 Can't cling to defined benefit mentality in modern world: Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	Committed to fully funding our education system: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Pay teachers equitable and professional salaries: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Equal access to early childhood education: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Focus on CTE: career technical education: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+5 points on Social scale)	Open environmental data to fullest extent possible: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Took 70 years to get silica dust protections in place: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Coal dust: Shouldn't sacrifice your life for your livelihood: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Strongly Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+5 points on Social scale)	We need full-scale, nationwide reform of police departments: Strongly Opposes topic 9
No opinion on topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	As board president, grew local immigrant advocacy group: Strongly Favors topic 12 Solution is to break down barriers, not to build walls: Strongly Favors topic 12 Address immigration for economy, security, and morality: Strongly Favors topic 12 Fixing broken system brings 11M workers out of shadows: Strongly Favors topic 12
No opinion on topic 13: Support & expand free trade (0 points on Economic scale)	TPP learned from past to protect the American worker: Strongly Favors topic 13 Go after Chinese companies dumping steel here in the US: Strongly Opposes topic 13
Favors topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (+2 points on Economic scale)	The rest of the world is looking to America for leadership: Favors topic 14
Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale)	DOL helped reduce veteran unemployment from 8.7% to 4.3%: Favors topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Increase accessible voting centers; end long lines: Strongly 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)	80% carbon free by 2030, 100% by 2035: Strongly Favors topic 18 Renewable energy means high paying jobs open to unionization: Strongly Favors topic 18 Offshore wind a win for workers, businesses, & environment: Strongly Favors topic 18 Promote SolarCity manufacturing solar panels: Strongly Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Legalization means jobs, revenue; address past injustice: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Both treatment and prevention to deal with opioid addiction: Favors topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	Support small business, especially those needing extra help: Strongly Favors topic 20 Homeownership is the best source of affordable housing: Strongly Favors topic 20 Expand Maryland business-based job training program: Strongly Favors topic 20 Invest in state's successful affordable housing program: Strongly Favors topic 20 The stimulus worked, despite the Eeyore caucus: Strongly Favors topic 20 6 years of steady job growth, but not nearly enough: Strongly Favors topic 20

Thomas Perez is a Libertarian-Leaning Progressive
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