OnTheIssues.org - Candidates on the Issues

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Issues Click for our new CelebrityMatch quiz
(Click on a candidate's name to the left or click on an issue below).

America agrees with Gore on...
(Click on a topic below for analysis)

Abortion

And with Bush on...

Retirement Privatization

Topics in the News

(Click on a topic below or see the referenced topic above).

Affirmative Action	See Civil Rights
Armed Forces Personnel	See Defense
Balkans	See War & Peace
Bilingualism	See Civil Rights
Campaign Finance	See Government Reform
Cuba	See Foreign Policy
Death Penalty	See Crime
Disabled Rights	See Civil Rights
Drug War	See Drugs
Energy	See Environment
Faith-Based Organizations	See Welfare & Poverty
Farm Policy	See Labor & Farming
Flat Tax	See Tax Reform
Foreign Aid	See Foreign Policy
Gay Rights	See Civil Rights
Global Warming	See Environment
Human Rights in China	See China
Illegal Immigrants	See Immigration
Internet	See Technology
Israel & Palestine	See War & Peace
Juvenile Justice	See Crime
Kyoto Treaty	See Environment

Litmus Test	See Abortion
Medicare & Medicaid	See Health Care
Mideast	See Foreign Policy
NAFTA	See Free Trade
Nuclear Energy & Weapons	See Defense
Patient Rights	See Health Care
Privacy	See Civil Rights
Privatization	See Social Security
Sales Tax	See Tax Reform
School Prayer	See Education
SDI Missile Defense	See Defense
Second Amendment	See Gun Control
Sovereignty	See Foreign Policy
Ten Commandments	See Civil Rights
Three Strikes	See Crime
Tobacco	See Health Care
Tort Reform	See Crime
United Nations	See Foreign Policy
Universal Health Care	See Health Care
Veterans	See Defense
Vouchers	See School Choice

Question

Answer

VoteMatch results

Below are the summary results of our VoteMatch 20-question political quiz, with analysis of the responses in terms of Bush's & Gore's stances. Click on the links below for excerpts on each topic, or click for a summary of Gore's VoteMatch answers and Bush'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 Right

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: 61% agree with Gore's pro-choice stance, and only 35% with Bush's pro-life stance. This issue has the fewest people answering "no opinion" of any VoteMatch issue (only 4%), which reflects the fact that it is overwhelmingly the issue with the most voter interest (as indicated by our viewership statistics). Click for all candidates' headlines on abortion or for background information.

Require Companies To Hire More Women/Minorities

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: Gore supports Affirmative Action but without quotas, Bush supports Affirmative Access with more focus on process than outcome. Note that our question specifies REQUIREMENT: 35% support that, and 51% oppose it. Click for all candidates' headlines on Civil Rights or for background information.

Sexual Orientation Protected By Civil Rights Law

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: 58% agree with Gore's pro-gay stance, and 32% with Bush's leave-it-to-the-states stance. The response pattern indicates a divisive issue: both "strongly" bars are larger than their corresponding non-strong bars. Click for all candidates' headlines on Civil Rights or for background information.

Organized Prayer In Public Schools

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: It's difficult to decode the candidates's stances on religious issues, since both are wary of issues of separation of church and state, and neither wants to be seen as anti-religion. But Bush is considerably more willing to federally fund values education, which the results above would imply are supported by 38% of voters. 50% oppose school prayer, which implies a closer match to Gore's voluntary-only prayer. and 35% with Bush's stance. Click for all candidates' headlines on Education or for headlines on Values.

Death Penalty

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: Both Gore and Bush support the death penalty, but Bush is more fervent about it; such strong support is backed up by 31% of voters. Gore's more cautious support is backed by 17% of voters, for an overall split of 47% support to 43% opposition. Click for all candidates' headlines on Crime or for background information.

Mandatory "Three Strikes" Sentencing Laws

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: Both Bush & Gore support mandatory sentencing, which is unsurprising given the lopsided voter preference: 66% to 25% in support. Gore agrees with tougher penalties, but prefers more police. Bush is again more fervent, in favor of "Two Strikes" and limited parole, including minors. Click for all candidates' headlines on Juvenile Crime or for background information.

Absolute Right To Gun Ownership

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: The Gun Control issue rounds out the Big Three issues in terms of viewer interest, behind Abortion and Education -- all the other issues are very distantly behind. Voters are split on the issue: 49% agree with Bush's pro-gun rights stance, while 45% agree with Gore's pro-registration stance. Click for all candidates' headlines on Gun_Control or for background information.

More Federal Funding For Health Coverage

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: This is the most lopsided of any response: 68% in favor, versus only 23% opposing. Accodingly, Bush has been promoting various spending programs, such as prescription drugs and health care tax credits. But health care is generally seen as a Democratic issue, favoring Gore's more fervent stance of incrementally reaching universal coverage. Click for all candidates' headlines on Health Care or for background information.

Privatize Social Security

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: Only 29% agree with Gore's stance to keep Social Security within the federal government, while 56% agree with Bush's stance of privatization. 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 demographics -- our viewers 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.

Parents Choose Schools Via Vouchers

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: 42% agree with Gore's stance to fund public schools only, and 47% agree with Bush'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 second in voter interest (behind abortion, 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.

Spend Resources To Stop Global Warming

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: The environmental issue is the most lopsided issue on which the candidates sharply differ; this is a particularly sharp difference because the question is worded in terms of spending and not just a call for vague action. 61% agree with Gore's stance that global warming is a serious threat, and 25% with Bush's stance opposing the Kyoto Protocol. Click for all candidates' headlines on Environment or for background information.

Drug Use Is Immoral: Enforce Laws Against It

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: 53% support the Drug War, while 37% oppose it. This has not been much of a campaign issue because Bush & Gore in large part agree: Gore would maintain the Drug War but focus on treatment and prevention, while Bush would maintain the Drug War by focusing on stronger penalties. Click for all candidates' headlines on Drugs or for background information.

Allow Churches To Provide Welfare Services

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: Both Bush & Gore once again agree with a strong voter consensus: 60% favor welfare services by faith-based organization while only 23% oppose it. Gore favors Charitable Choice, and Bush favors church-based solutions for most social issues. Click for all candidates' headlines on welfare & charity or for background information.

Make Income Taxes Flatter and Lower

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: 65% agree with tax cuts and only 26% oppose; another consensus on which the candidates largely agree. However, tax cuts are generally seen as a Republican issue, so this consensus favors Bush despite Gore's tax cut plans. Bush favors a $1.3 trillion tax rate reduction; Gore favors $500 billion in targeted cuts. Click for all candidates' headlines on Tax Reform or for background information.

Immigration Helps Our Economy - Encourage It

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: Immigration holds the dubious distinction of the issue with the most viewers answering "No opinion", at 18%. And the results, 38% in favor and 44% opposed, indicate a lack of voter consensus as well. Bush has mixed views, calling for a friendlier INS but more border guards. Gore is less ambiguous, calling for more & easier immigration. Click for all candidates' headlines on Immigration or for background information.

Support and Expand Free Trade

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: Free Trade has the smallest strong opposition of our 20 issues (5%, despite the very visible protests throughout the campaign), as well as a strong consensus in favor: 65% to only 22% opposed. This consensus is an important reason why Nader's and Buchanan's campaigns have failed to gain steam, since they have both made this issue central to their candidacies. Nader & Buchanan agree in opposing free trade based on the dangers of "globalization", with Buchanan focusing on Economic Nationalism, and Nader focusing on corporate power. Bush & Gore agree in supporting free trade, with Bush promoting the free market, and Gore occasionally mentioning fair trade. Click for all candidates' headlines on Free Trade or for background information.

More Spending On Armed Forces Personnel

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: This is another strong voter consensus; 62% in favor with only 27% opposed, despite that the wording says MORE spending, not just MAINTAIN spending. Bush & Gore outdo each other in pledging better military pay; they differ only on what else they would spend on, with Bush focusing on a general military buildup and Gore focuing on technological effectiveness. Cheney's calls for better readiness tend to reinforce this as a Republican issue. Click for all candidates' headlines on Kosovo or Defense in general, or for background information.

Reduce Spending on Missile Defense ("Star Wars")

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: This is the only issue of our 20 questions which came out a tie: 42% favor, and 42% oppose. Bush & Gore agree that we should build some sort of national missile defense; Gore proposes a less powerful version, and Bush a full-scale version. Click for all candidates' headlines on Defense, or for background information.

Link Human Rights To Trade With China

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: 60% favor restrictions on China trade, with only 24% opposing. This is the only issue of our 20 questions where Bush & Gore both strongly disagree with the voter's preference -- Gore has pushed for China in the WTO; Bush agrees and would add Taiwan as well. Their agreement is not surprising, since both President Clinton and the Republican Congress also agree on this issue. What is surprising is the strong public consensus against it, which only Nader and Buchanan acknowledge, and even they have not come out strongly on this issue. Click for all candidates' headlines on China or for background information.

Continue Foreign Aid to Russia, Israel, Others

Strongly Support

Support

No Opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

Analysis: 55% favor foreign aid and 31% oppose it. Bush & Gore agree in general in favoring foreign aid, although Gore is more internationalist and interventionist abroad, while Bush more cautiously combines internationalism and isolationism. Click for all candidates' headlines on Foreign Policy or for background information.

Explore The Results
| 2000 Bush-Gore quiz
Take the VoteMatch Quiz | More Issue Results | How It Works | Quiz Comments
The above analyses reflect data collected from March 2000 through October 2000. Sample size is well over 100,000 viewer sessions. The margin of error is well under 1%, but the data represents a "self-selected sample" of people who use the Internet for political information.