Tom Birmingham 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 right (10 points on Social scale)	Supported clinic buffer zones: Favors topic 1 Insurance for contraception & state workers’ abortions: Strongly Favors topic 1
Favors topic 2: Require companies to hire more women & minorities (2 points on Economic scale)	Require police ticketing records, to fight racial profiling: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Sexual orientation protected by civil rights laws (10 points on Social scale)	Funding to support gays & lesbians in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Domestic partnership benefits for state employees: Strongly Favors topic 3 Include sexual orientation as basis for hate crimes: Favors topic 3
No opinion on topic 4: Teach family values in public schools (5 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (0 points on Economic scale)	Patient Bill of Rights; push for right to sue HMOs: Favors topic 5 Health Now! funds low-income healthcare from cigarette tax: Favors topic 5 Make universal health care coverage for kids a right: Strongly Favors topic 5 Universal coverage for senior prescriptions: Favors topic 5
No opinion on topic 6: Privatize Social Security (5 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (5 points on Social scale)	Strong advocate for strengthening public schools: Opposes topic 7 Equal educational opportunity regardless of where kids live: Favors topic 7
No opinion on topic 8: Death Penalty (5 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (2 points on Social scale)	Strengthen the arrest warrant system: Favors topic 9 Strengthen assault laws to focus on domestic violence: Favors topic 9 Treat as crimes domestic stalking and harassment: Favors topic 9
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (0 points on Social scale)	Ban assault weapons; more licensing & penalties: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Favors topic 11: Decrease overall taxation of the wealthy (7 points on Economic scale)	$500 million tax cut for all taxpayers: Favors topic 11
No opinion on topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (5 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 13: Support & expand free trade (5 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (5 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 15: More spending on armed forces (5 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (5 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 17: Replace US troops with UN in Iraq (5 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (2 points on Economic scale)	$26 million for preserving open space: Favors topic 18 Supports brownfield cleanup: Favors topic 18
No opinion on topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (5 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (5 points on Social scale)	$100M for affordable housing fund; don’t rely on market: Opposes topic 20 $164M in tax incentives for charity: Favors topic 20