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Vance-Walz debate (Oct. 1, 2024)
Trump-Harris debate (Sept. 10, 2024)
Sen. J.D. Vance's book, Hillbilly Elegy(2018)
First Trump-Biden debate (June 27, 2024)
Project 2025 (Heritage Foundation/GOP plan)
2024 State of the State speeches (Jan.3-Apr.10, 2024)
2024 State of the Union speech (March 7, 2024)
5th GOP presidential primary debate (Jan. 10, 2024)
4th GOP presidential primary debate (Dec. 6, 2023)
3rd GOP primary debate (Nov. 8, 2023)
2nd GOP primary debate (Sept. 27, 2023)
1st GOP presidential debate (Aug. 23, 2023)
2023 presidential hopefuls
2023 State of the Union speech (Feb. 7, 2023)
2023 State of the State speeches

2022 State of the Union speech (March 1, 2022)
2022 State of the State speeches

2021 State of the State speeches
2021 House freshman class

2020 Presidential prediction

2020 Senatorial prediction

2020 Gubernatorial prediction

Presidential debate #3
(Oct. 22, 2020)
Presidential "debate" #2
(Oct. 15, 2020)
Vice presidential debate
(Oct. 7, 2020)
Presidential debate #1
(Sept. 29, 2020)
Biden Town Hall
(Sept. 17, 2020)
Trump Town Hall
(Sept. 15, 2020)
Democratic & GOP Conventions
(Aug 2020)
Democratic Veepstakes
(May-July 2020)
State of the Union speech
(Feb., 2019)
2019 Governors' State of the State speeches

2019 House Freshman Campaign websites


Background material for presidential race

2020 political books:
The War on Normal People, by Andrew Yang (2019)
The Mueller Report, with notes by the Washington Post (2019)
The Truths We Hold, by Kamala Harris (2019)
Shortest Way Home, by Pete Buttigieg (2019)
Where We Go From Here, by Bernie Sanders (2018)
This Fight Is Our Fight by Elizabeth Warren (2017)
Guide to Political Revolution, by Bernie Sanders (2017)
Promise Me, Dad, by Joe Biden (2017)
Our Revolution by Bernie Sanders (2016)
Donald Trump vs. Hillary Clinton On The Issues
(paperback Feb. 2016)
The Opposite of Woe, by John Hickenlooper (2016)
The Senator Next Door, by Amy Klobuchar (2015)
Crippled America, by Donald J. Trump (2015)
A Fighting Chance by Elizabeth Warren (2014)
Smart People Should Build Things, by Andrew Yang (2014)
Excerpts from Hillary's book
(June 2014)
Time to Get Tough, by Donald J. Trump (2011)
Smart on Crime, by Kamala Harris (2010)
The Two-Income Trap by Elizabeth Warren (2007)
Promises to Keep, by Joe Biden (2007)
All Your Worth, by Elizabeth Warren & Amelia Warren Tyagi (2006)
The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump (2000)

2020 Senatorial debates:
AK - AL - AR - AZ - CO - DE - GA-2 - GA-6 - IA - ID - IL - KS - KY - LA - MA - ME - MI - MN - MS - MT - NC - NE - NH - NJ - NM - OK - OR - RI - SC - SD - TN - TX - VA - WV - WY

2019-2021 Gubernatorial debates:
DE - IN - KY - LA - MO - MS - MT - NC - ND - NH - NJ - PR - UT - VA - VT - WA - WV

Prez-Veep-Senator
Our associated Yahoo discussion group






OnTheIssues philosophy:

Q: How do you know when a politician is lying?
A: His lips are moving.

Q: How do you know when the press is lying?
A: They report only what the politician says.

At OnTheIssues, we report what politicians MEAN, not just what they SAY.





Presidential Contenders for 2024: Republicans:
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (R)
N.D. Gov.
Doug Burgum

Withdrew Dec'23
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R)
N.J. Gov.
Chris Christie
      
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R)
Florida Gov.
Ron DeSantis
 
Talk Radio Host Larry Elder (R)
Radio Host Larry Elder
 
(Withdrew Oct'23) 
South Carolina Governor and Former Ambassador Nikki Haley (R)
S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley
  
U.S. Rep Will_Hurd(R,FL)
U.S.Rep.Will Hurd (FL)
 (Suspended
Oct'23) 
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (R)
AR Gov. Asa Hutchinson
  
CEO Perry Johnson (R)
CEO Perry Johnson
 
(Suspended Oct'23) 
Cranston Rhode Island Mayor Steve Laffey (R)
Mayor Steve Laffey
  
Withdrew Oct'23
Vice President & Former Gov. Mike Pence (R)
Former V.P.
Mike Pence
  
Withdrew Oct'23
CEO Vivek Ramaswamy (R)
CEO Vivek Ramaswamy
 
S.C. Senator Tim Scott (R)
S.C. Senator
Tim Scott
   
Withdrew Nov'23
Montana Secretary Corey Stapleton (R)
MT Secy.
Corey Stapleton
 
(Withdrew Oct'23)     
Mayor Francis Suarez (R)
FL Mayor
Francis Suarez
 
(Withdrew Aug'23)     
Former President Donald Trump (R)
Former Pres. Trump
   
Senator JD Vance (R-OH)
Senator JD Vance (R-OH)
   
Democrats: Independents/Third Parties:
President Joe Biden (D)
President Joe Biden
Vice President Kamala Harris (D)
V.P. Kamala Harris
Gov.Tim Walz
Gov.Tim Walz (MN)
U.S.Rep.Dean Phillips
Rep. Dean Phillips (MN)
 
Environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
  Switched (D) to (I),Oct'23
Chase Oliver, Libertarian Party
Chase Oliver, Libertarian Party
  
Jill Stein Green Party
Jill Stein
Green Party
   
Harvard Professor Cornel West (Green)
Cornel West, People's Party
   

2024 Senatorial debates:
  -   AZ - CA - CT - DE - FL - HI - IN - MA - MD - ME - MI -
  -   MN - MO - MS - MT - NE - ND - NJ - NM - NV - NY - OH -
  -   PA - RI - TN - TX - UT - VA - VT - WA - WI - WV - WY -

2023-2024 Gubernatorial debates:
  -   DE - IN - KY - LA - MO - MS - MT - NC - ND - NH - UT - VT - WA - WV -


Which candidate matches you on the issues?
For all the 2022 Senate and Gubernatorial races.
Find out.

State and federal officeholders in 2023
(Click below on a state for a list of Governors, House of Representative members, or Senators and their challengers).



State Selection Hawaii Alaska Washington Oregon California Idaho Nevada Utah Arizona Arizona New Mexico Colorado Texas Kansas Oklahoma Minnesota Iowa Missouri Wisconsin Illinois Tennessee Michigan Michigan Mississippi Alabama Kentucky Indiana Georgia Ohio Florida South Carolina North Carolina North Carolina Virginia Washington DC Delaware Delaware Maryland Maryland Pennsylvania New Jersey New Jersey New York Connecticut Rhode Island Rhode Island Connecticut Massachusetts Massachusetts Vermont Vermont New Hampshire New Hampshire Arkansas Louisiana Montana North Dakota Wyoming South Dakota Nebraska West Virginia Maine Washington DC  .htm

AK   AL   AR   AZ   CA   CO   CT   DE   FL   GA   HI   IA   ID   IL   IN   KS   KY   LA   MA  
MD   ME   MI   MN   MO   MS   MT   NC   ND   NE   NH   NJ   NM   NV   NY  
OH   OK   OR   PA   RI   SC   SD   TN   TX   UT   VA   VT   WA   WI   WV   WY  

Presidential Cabinet for 2021:
Joe Biden (Democratic V.P. and Senator)
President
Joe Biden
Kamala Harris (Democratic California Senator & V.P. nominee)
V.P.
Kamala Harris
      
Xavier Becerra (CA Attorney General)
CA Atty Genl
Xavier Becerra,
HHS nominee
      
Gov. Tom_Vilsack (IA)
USDA nominee
IA Governor
Tom Vilsack
      
Marcia Fudge (OH Rep)
Marcia Fudge,
OH Rep.
HUD nominee
  
John Kerry (Democratic MA Senator)
John Kerry,
nominee for
Climate Envoy
   
Rep. Cedric Richmond
Public Liaison
LA Rep.
Cedric Richmond
  
Susan Rice
Domestic Policy
ME candidate
Susan Rice
      
Pete Buttigieg (Democratic South Bend IN Mayor)
DOT nominee
IN Mayor
Pete Buttigieg
   
Lloyd Austin (Armed Forces general)
DOD nominee
General Lloyd Austin
  
Antony Blinken
State Dept.nominee
Antony Blinken
  
Alejandro Mayorkas
DHS nominee
Alejandro Mayorkas
  
Janet Yellen
DOT nominee
Janet Yellen
  
Jennifer Granholm (Democratic MI Governor)
DOE nominee
MI Governor
Jennifer Granholm
   
Rep. NM-1 Deb Haaland
DOI nominee
NM Rep.
Deb Haaland
  
Merrick Garland
DOJ nominee
Judge
Merrick Garland
   
Marty Walsh (Democratic MA Mayor)
DOL nominee
Boston Mayor
Marty Walsh
   
Gov. Gina Raimondo
DOC nominee
RI Gov.
Gina Raimondo
  
Issues:
Abortion
Budget & Economy
Civil Rights
Corporations
Crime
Drugs
Education
Energy & Oil
Environment
Families & Children
Foreign Policy
Free Trade
Government Reform
Gun Control
Health Care
Homeland Security
Immigration
Infrastructure & Technology
Jobs
Principles & Values
Social Security
Tax Reform
War & Peace
Welfare & Poverty
Presidential contenders for 2020:
CEO Donald Trump (R,NY)
Pres.
Trump
(Republican)
Mike Pence (V.P. and Former Governor)
V.P.
Pence
(Republican)
Joe Biden (Democratic V.P. and Senator)
V.P.
Biden
(Democrat)
Kamala Harris (Democratic California Senator & V.P. nominee)
CA Sen.
Harris
(Dem.V.P.)
Don Blankenship (former WV Senate nominee)
Don
Blankenship
(Constitution)
Rocky De La Fuente
Rocky
De La Fuente
(Reform)
New York Green Party contender
Howie
Hawkins
(Green)
Jo Jorgensen (Libertarian nominee)
Jo
Jorgensen
(Libertarian)
Gloria La Riva
Gloria
La Riva
(Socialist)
Kanye West (Birthday Party)
Kanye
West
(Birthday)





Cory Booker: Promises Kept & Promises Broken

(paperback April 2017)


Donald Trump vs. Hillary Clinton On The Issues

(paperback Feb. 2016)


Mike Pence vs. Tim Kaine On the Issues

(paperback Aug. 2016)


Bernie Sanders vs. Hillary Clinton On the Issues

(paperback Feb. 2016)

Topics in the News

(Click on a topic below or see the referenced topic above).
Affirmative Action See Civil Rights
Afghanistan See War & Peace
Alternative Energy See Energy & Oil
American Exceptionalism See Foreign Policy
Animal Rights See Environment
Arab Spring See War & Peace
Armed Forces Personnel See Homeland Security
Bailout & Stimulus See Corporations
Black Lives Matter See Civil Rights, and Crime
Campaign Finance See Government Reform
China See Free Trade, and Foreign Policy
College Tuition See Education
Contraception See Abortion, and Families & Children
Coronavirus See Health Care
Critical Race Theory See Education
Cybersecurity See Technology
Death Penalty See Crime
Disabled Rights See Civil Rights
Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell See Civil Rights
Drug War See Drugs
Energy Independence See Energy & Oil
Entitlement Reform See Health Care
Estate Tax See Tax Reform
Faith-Based See Welfare & Poverty
Federal Reserve See Budget & Economy, and Government Reform
Flat Tax & FairTax See Tax Reform
Foreign Aid See Foreign Policy
Gay Rights See Civil Rights, and Families & Children
Globalization See Free Trade, and Foreign Policy
Global Warming See Energy & Oil
Guantanamo Prison See Homeland Security, and Civil Rights
HIV/AIDS See Health Care, and Civil Rights
Illegal Immigrants See Immigration
Internet See Technology
Iranian Nukes See War & Peace, and Foreign Policy
Iraq See War & Peace
ISIS (Islamic State) See Homeland Security
Israel & Palestine See See War & Peace
Jan. 6 Insurrection See Crime
Marijuana Legalization See Drugs
Mass Shooting See Gun Control, and Crime
Mexican Border See Immigration
NAFTA See Free Trade
Natural Resources See Free Trade
No Child Left Behind See Education
North Korea See War & Peace
Nuclear Energy & Weapons See Homeland Security
ObamaCare See Health Care
Opioid Epidemic See Drugs
Privacy See Civil Rights, and Technology
Privatization See Social Security
Puerto Rico See Government Reform, and Foreign Policy
Russia See Foreign Policy, and Government Reform
Saudi Arabia See Homeland Security, and Foreign Policy
School Prayer See Education
SDI Missile Defense See Homeland Security
Second Amendment See Gun Control
Supreme Court See Government Reform
Syria See War & Peace
Ten Commandments See Principles & Values
Term_Limits See Government Reform
Terrorism See War & Peace
Three Strikes See Crime
Transgender Rights See Families & Children, and Civil Rights
Ukraine See War & Peace
Unionization See Jobs
United Nations See Foreign Policy
Veterans See Homeland Security
Vaccinations See Health Care
Vouchers See Education
WMD See War & Peace
Yemen Civil War See War & Peace, and Foreign Policy
...Full news coverage
 

The Web
OnTheIssues.org

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LeaderMatch
(Under construction)
George Bush Sr.
(President, 1989-1993)
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(President, 1977-1981)
Noam Chomsky
(Liberal Activist)
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(President, 1993-2001)
Gerald Ford
(President, 1974-77)
Newt Gingrich
(Speaker of the House, 1994-1998)
Denny Hastert
(Speaker of the House)
Rev.Jesse Jackson
(Democratic Spokesman)
Rush Limbaugh
(Conservative talk-show host)
Richard Nixon
(President, 1969-1974)
Ross Perot
(Reform Party founder)
Ronald Reagan
(President, 1981-1989)
Donald Trump
(Real estate magnate)

SenateMatch
(AZ,R) McCain
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Other Senators
(2016 races)

Challengers
in 2016 races

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(113th Congress, 2013-2014)
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 Question Answer VoteMatch results
     
Below are the summary results of our VoteMatch 20-question political quiz, with analysis of the responses in terms of Donald Trump's & Joe Biden's stances from the 2020 elections. This data summarizes about 1,580 VoteMatch quiz responses. Click on the links below for excerpts on each topic, or click for a summary of Joe Biden's VoteMatch answers and Donald Trump's VoteMatch answers, with headlines evidencing how we concluded their answer to each question. Click on the "analysis" link to see background and details about the question.

Abortion is a Woman's Unrestricted Right    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: 51% agree with Biden's pro-choice stance, and only 36% with Trump’s pro-life stance. This issue has the fewest people answering "no opinion" of any VoteMatch issue (only 13%), which reflects the fact that it is overwhelmingly the issue with the most voter interest (as indicated by our viewership statistics consistently since 1999). Since 2012, the response set has become more polarized (both "strong" answers increased in percentage) and more shifted towards "support". Accordingly, we "strengthened" the question text by adding the term "unrestricted" -- which reduced the number of "support" answers from 65% in 2012 to 51% in 2016. Click for all candidates' headlines on abortion or for background information.
 
Legally require hiring women & minorities    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: Biden supports Affirmative Action on the basis of past discrimination; Trump opposes DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion). Note that our question specifies REQUIREMENT: 50% support that, and 30% oppose. We added the term "LEGALLY" to attempt to skew more towards "oppose" (our goal is 50/50 support/oppose). Without the term "LEGALLY", 39% supported (the largest shift for any question which had identical wording previously). Click for all candidates' headlines on Jobs or for background information.
 
Comfortable with same-sex marriage    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: Joe Biden has evolved over time to become "comfortable" with same-sex marriage (strong support now; opposed in the 1990s); Donald Trump has consistently supported gay rights, but does not support transgender rights. The "strongly support" bar has the highest response of any quiz question (35% strongly support; that bar has grown recently) -- indicating that America has "evolved" on same-sex marriage along with Biden. We strengthened the wording (to include "benefits" instead of just "rights") then we strengthened it further (to include "marriage" instead of just "benefits"). Despite those strengthened wordings, the "strongly support" ratio rose each election cycle. Click for all candidates' headlines on Families & Children or for background information.
 
Keep God in the public sphere    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: 51% support (agreeing with Republicans); 28% oppose (agreeing with Democrats): It's difficult to decode Biden's stances on religious issues, because he doesn't address the issue much. Trump is less personally religious than Biden, but accepts the support of the "religious right". Under this topic, Trump mostly talks about issues of "political incorrectness" like saying "Merry Xmas". Biden instead focuses on
 
Fight EPA regulatory over-reach    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: This is a new question since the 2016 election cycle. Donald Trump's desire to reduce regulations is backed up by 53% of viewers. Joe Biden's desire to protect the environment via federal action is backed by 27% of viewers Click for all candidates' headlines on Environment or for background information.
 
Make voter registration easier    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: 50% favor, and only 26% oppose, voting reform. This indicates a public reaction against "voter suppression" and gerrymandering, and perhaps for campaign finance reform. (We refocused this question away from "Campaign Finance Reform" since the Citizens United Supreme Court decision which removed many restrictions on campaign spending.) Viewers' responses favors Biden's stance for more open voting compared to Trump’s stance for more "voter security". Click for all candidates' headlines on Voting Reform, or for background information.
 
Stricter punishment reduces crime    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: Trump supports mandatory sentencing, which matches voter preference: 52% to 29% opposed. Biden prefers prevention and rehabilitation Support for mandatory sentencing, the death penalty, and "Three Strikes" (our previous question wordings) have increased over the last decade. The "Black Lives Matter" movement, which arose in the 2016 election, might be credited with slowing support for this topic. Click for all candidates' headlines on Crime or for background information.
 
Absolute Right To Gun Ownership    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: The Gun Control issue is second in the Big Issues in terms of viewer interest, behind Abortion -- all other issues are very distantly behind. Voters support Trump on the issue: 42% agree with Trump’s pro-gun rights stance, while 33% agree with Biden's pro-registration stance. HOWEVER, support has been weakening in recent election cycles, we previously registered 55% support to 37% oppose --perhaps due to the focus on mass shootings since then. This question exemplifies the "yes-bias": people prefer answering "yes" to any question; if we correct for that bias, this question is now opposed by the majority (but was not in 2012 or earlier). Our wording on this question has never changed, since 1999 -- but America's view is evolving. Click for all candidates' headlines on Gun_Control or for background information.
 
Expand ObamaCare    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: This topic is a leader in lopsided support: 56% in favor, versus only 24% opposing (slightly less favorable than 2012 and even less than in 2008). We've changed the wording of this question from generic "health coverage" to "ObamaCare" for 2016, but the support ratio has remained steady. Accordingly, Trump (and many Republicans) have been promoting various spending programs that mimic aspects of ObamaCare without calling it ObamaCare (a term repugnant to Trump). But federal health care is generally seen as a Democratic issue, favoring Biden's fervent stance of incrementally reaching universal coverage. Click for all candidates' headlines on Health Care or for background information.
 
Vouchers for school choice    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: 27% agree with Biden's stance favoring public school choice and Common Core, and 47% agree with Trump’s stance to fund vouchers for private schools. Education is primarily a non-federal issue, with 93% of funding and most decisions occuring at the state and local levels. But education is solidly third in voter interest (behind abortion and guns, as measured by our viewership statistics), so the candidates are obligated to make their views known despite the limited power of the presidency on this issue. Click for all candidates' headlines on School Choice or for background information.
 
Prioritize green energy    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: This topic offers another of the most lopsided responses: 56% in favor, versus only 22% opposing. The candidates sharply differ; This is a particularly sharp difference because the question is worded in stronger terms than our previous quizzes (73% support to 14% oppose "Replace coal and oil with alternatives"). The majority agree with Biden's stance that global warming is a serious threat, vs. Trump’s stance questioning climate change. Most notably, this question had the lowest "strongly oppose" of any question (only 7%) -- reflecting that everyone CLAIMS to support green energy. The catch-phrase "all-of-the-above energy" really means "drill for oil and gas," but pro-oil and pro-coal candidates like to say it includes solar and wind also. Click for all candidates' headlines on Energy or for background on Environment or background on Energy issues.
 
Marijuana is a gateway drug    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: 53% support the Drug War, while 28% oppose it. This has not been much of a campaign issue but Trump & Biden disagree: Biden would treat drugs with treatment, while Trump would implement stronger penalties. Perhaps America has evolved due to marijuana legalization efforts, but Trump has evolved in the opposite direction: favoring decriminalization in the 1990s but taking a harder line as a candidate. Click for all candidates' headlines on Drugs or for background information.
 
Stimulus better than market-led recovery    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: This is a new question since 2016; it is a defining difference between Republicans and Democrats during and after President Obama's "stimulus package" and now the post-COVID recovery. 51% of viewers agree with Joe Biden on supporting the federal stimulus; 21% of viewers agree with the Republicans and Donald Trump opposing the federal stimulus. Republicans recognize that viewers did support a federal response to the "Great Recession", so they pivot to their own definition of "stimulus": cutting taxes (question below) and reducing regulations (question a few above). Click for all candidates' headlines on Budget and Economy or for background information.
 
Higher taxes on the wealthy    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: 28% agree with Joe Biden that the the wealthy should pay a greater share; 51% agree with Trump on cutting taxes on the wealthy. This is an enormous shift since the 2016 election cycle, when our question was worded "Make taxes more progressive": 53% agreed with a more progressive tax structure and only 32% opposed. This is the largest shift of any question on our quiz; we attribute it to (1) the harsher wording ("progressive" sounds nice; "tax the wealthy" does not); and (2) Republican success at convincing the public that cutting taxes will create jobs and economic growth. Click for all candidates' headlines on Tax Reform or for background information.
 
Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: Our viewers are evenly split on immigration: 39% support a pathway to citizenship and 39% oppose. This question has been evenly split for many years. Keep in mind that for all questions the bias is towards answering "yes", so an even split means, in general, that opposition is stronger than support -- and Donald Trump capitalized on that. Trump calls for tougher enforcement and a border wall; Biden calls for comprehensive reforms. Click for all candidates' headlines on Immigration or for background information.
 
Privatize Social Security    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: Only 18% agree with Biden's stance to keep Social Security within the federal government, while 58% agree with Trump’s stance of privatization (the highest support score of any question). Support of privatization in some aspect -- including calling for "reforms" in general -- have been rising in recent years. Social Security until recently was called the "Third Rail" of politics -- touch it and you die -- but clearly the voters are ready for a change. This question is perhaps the most skewed by our demographics -- our respondents are all Internet users, and hence are younger and more affluent than the general population. Click for all candidates' headlines on Social Security or for background information.
 
Support and Expand Free Trade    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: Free trade has a consensus in favor: 47% to only 29% opposed. Trump & Biden agree in restricting free trade but for different reasons, with Trump focusing on nationalist & protectionist grounds, and Biden insisting on labor and environmental standards in free trade agreements. Click for all candidates' headlines on Free Trade or for background information.
 
Expand the military    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: This question has long yielded an even split among viewers, 35% support to 35% oppose. Trump focuses on a general military buildup and a strong foreign policy. Joe Biden echoes the even split of our viewership, focusing on veteran's benefits but switching funds from military to diplomacy. The third-party candidates all point out the folly of supporting the military-industrial complex, but they have no support from the two major parties. Click for all candidates' headlines on Homeland Security in general, or for background information.
 
Support American Exceptionalism    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: This is a new question since the 2016 election cycle; 35% support "American exceptionalism" while 33% oppose. But "No Opinion" is the single most frequent response, at 31%. That indicates that the population is unclear on the meaning of "American exceptionalism" -- because Republicans and Democrats mean very different things by it. Biden supports multilateralism, internationalism, and accepting refugees. Trump supports unilateralism, nationalism, and barring refugees. Click for all candidates' headlines on Foreign Policy or for background information.
 
Avoid foreign entanglements    Strongly Support
 
Support
 
No Opinion
 
Oppose
 
Strongly Oppose
 
Analysis: 43% support exiting wars abroad; 27% oppose exiting. This is a big drop from the 2012 election cycle (where our wording was more specific, "US out of Iraq & Afghanistan") where 68% favored ending our ongoing wars and 15% opposed doing so. The new wording (which quotes President George Washington) ignores specific wars, rather than focusing on North Korea or Iran or Ukraine -- but the vague wording garners less support. Both Biden and Trump disagree with the majority, but for different reasons. Biden suppors military assistance to Ukraine, while Trump has long favored Russia over Ukraine but would militarily enforce denuclearization in North Korea and in Iran. Click for all candidates' headlines on War + Peace or for background information.


Methodology

  • This data summarizes about 1,580 VoteMatch quiz responses prior to the 2020 election).
  • This data includes only people who took the "PresidentMatch" or "PartyMatch" quiz (national quizzes, not state-oriented quizzes).
  • This data includes only people who use the Internet for political information and who chose to keep their answers stored by OnTheIssues (a self-selected group).
  • We discuss in the context of several questions above the "yes-bias", that people are more likely to answer "yes" to any question posed, because of human nature. We quantify that bias at 61% (people answer "yes" on our quiz questions 61% more often than they answer "no").
  • We balance our quiz against the "yes-bias" by arranging the polarity of the questions so that half are answered "yes" by typical conservatives, and half are answered "yes" by typical liberals (also, half are "yes" for typical libertarians and half are social questions vs. economic questions -- those aspects are discussed further on the analysis page of your quiz results).
  • Any quiz that does not account for the "yes-bias" is what we call a "push-poll" -- guiding quiz-takers towards a desired set of responses. We attempt to avoid that.
  • Anonymized raw data for the 1,580 answers, with a summary as well as normalization for "yes-bias", is available in Excel format.


    Explore The Results
    Take the 2024 VoteMatch Quiz  Analysis of 2012 Romney-Obama quizAnalysis of 2008 McCain-Obama quiz2004 Bush-Kerry quiz2000 Bush-Gore quiz  


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