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)	Informed consent is government telling women what to do: Strongly Favors topic 1 Vetoed requiring info about abortion risks and alternatives: Strongly Favors topic 1 Personal choice includes taxpayer funding: Strongly Favors topic 1 A Catholic who supports abortion rights: Favors topic 1
Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Claimed diversity of farmers was accounting change by USDA: Opposes topic 2 Failed to protect slaughterhouse works, help black farmers: Opposes topic 2 Apologized for firing black woman over doctored video: Favors topic 2 Foreclosed on black farmers six times more than whites: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Pushed for minority voting rights on Farm Service committees: Strongly Favors topic 2 Root out inequities and systemic racism in systems we govern: Strongly Favors topic 2 Resolved all USDA discrimination lawsuits: Strongly Favors topic 2 Declared English as Iowa’s official language: Opposes topic 2 Demand funding for disabled learning: Favors topic 2 Shift from group preferences to economic empowerment of all: Neutral on topic 2 Support principles embodied in the Equal Rights Amendment: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale)	Appointed judges who said yes to gay marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 2011: Gay marriage at state level only, for now: Strongly Favors topic 3 Rated “B” by National Review on pro-gay issues: Favors topic 3 Hosted Governor’s Conference on LGBT Youth: Favors topic 3
Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-3 points on Social scale)	Religion is important, but no one religion should dominate: Favors topic 4
Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-3 points on Economic scale)	Focus on wellness as part of universal coverage: Strongly Favors topic 5 Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care: Favors topic 5 Maintain Medicare funding of HMO benefits: Favors topic 5 Protect state tobacco settlement funds from federal seizure: Neutral on topic 5
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Create Retirement Savings Accounts: Favors topic 6 Maintain federal Social Services Block Grant funding: Favors topic 6 Maintain long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare: Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	We need educational revolution, NOT “No Child Left Behind”: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice: Opposes topic 7 Improve and invest in public schools: Opposes topic 7
Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+2 points on Social scale)	OpEd: Rule changes harmed processing workers and animals: Strongly Opposes topic 8 OpEd: has friendly history with agricultural polluters: Favors topic 8 Cut food waste in half by 2030: Opposes topic 8 More state autonomy on brownfields & Superfund cleanups: Favors topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+2 points on Social scale)	Against the death penalty: Opposes topic 9 Opposes death penalty in Iowa: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Supports flexible federal block grants for crime programs: Neutral on topic 9
Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+2 points on Economic scale)	Rural America ready to discuss gun control: Favors topic 10 Start conversation with a respect for the 2nd Amendment: Favors topic 10 Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology: Opposes topic 10
Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+2 points on Economic scale)	One sliver of society isn't going to pay for the rest of us: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Embraces middle-class tax cuts: Opposes topic 11 No national sales tax or VAT: Neutral on topic 11
Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+2 points on Social scale)	Diversity adds to our economic wealth: Strongly Favors topic 12 Share costs of legal immigration between states & federal: Neutral on topic 12 Federal government should deal with criminal repatriation: Neutral on topic 12 Ease Canadian border-crossing rules: Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Government negotiations facilitate favorable trade: Favors topic 13 Build a rule-based global trading system: Favors topic 13 Rescinded state commitment under CAFTA: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Ease Canadian border-crossing rules: Favors topic 13 Grant fast-track authority to the President: Favors topic 13
Favors topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (+2 points on Economic scale)	Worked on building sales, consumer trust in U.S. dairy: Favors topic 14 Surprised young people don't think US is greatest nation: Favors topic 14
Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale)	Sees parallel skills between soldiers and farmers: Favors topic 15 Boost production of aviation biofuels for military use: Favors topic 15 Spending in Iraq is wrong priority; spend at home instead: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Pay salary differentials for active duty employees: Favors topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Money is the only reason he left presidential race: Favors topic 16 No more cherished right than the right to vote: Strongly Favors topic 16
Strongly Favors topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (+5 points on Social scale)	Congress should stop funding U.S. fighting in Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 Get troops out of harm’s way in Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence: Favors topic 17 Include states in anti-terrorism planning: Neutral on topic 17
Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-3 points on Economic scale)	Bio-based energy for greater independence and flexibility: Strongly Favors topic 18 Need an energy policy tied to environmental conservation: Strongly Favors topic 18 Vetoed a bill without adequate environmental safeguards: Favors topic 18 Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 Replace MTBE in gasoline with cleaner ethanol: Neutral on topic 18 Voluntary partnerships reduce greenhouse gases economically: Neutral on topic 18 Kyoto Treaty must include reductions by all countries: Opposes topic 18 Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025: Strongly Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	A long-time champion of hemp, supported during first tenure: Opposes topic 19 $51.4 million for opioid abuse clinics in rural communities: Opposes topic 19 Cannabis one of the most valuable commodities in agriculture: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Notes the revenue potential of an acre of marijuana: Opposes topic 19 Reduced supply of dangerous drugs: Favors topic 19 More federal funding for all aspects of Drug War: Favors topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	Increased farm subsidies leading to overproduction: Strongly Favors topic 20 GOP tax cuts & deregulation hurt middle-class families: Favors topic 20

Tom Vilsack is a Progressive Libertarian
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