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 (+5 points on Social scale)	Abortions should always be legally available: Strongly Favors topic 1 Provide emergency contraception at military facilities: Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 Focus on preventing pregnancy, plus emergency contraception: Favors topic 1 Teach teens about both abstinence & contraception: Favors topic 1 Endorsed by EMILY's list for pro-choice Democratic women: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1
Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	Civil unions ok; marriage definition not ok: Strongly Favors topic 3 ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays: Favors topic 3 Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays: Favors topic 3 YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Favors topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+2 points on Social scale)	Sex Ed including both abstinence and contraception: Opposes topic 4
Neutral on topic 8: Death Penalty (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Opposes topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (+5 points on Social scale)	Support alternative sentencing; provide inmates job skills: Strongly Opposes topic 9 YES on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society: Opposes topic 9
Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+2 points on Economic scale)	Ban semi-automatics; but allow concealed carry: Opposes topic 10 National cross-state standard for concealed carry: Strongly Favors topic 10 Teach kids Eddie Eagle GunSafe's lifesaving message: Favors topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	Expand access to affordable health care: Favors topic 5 Better and immediate funding for Medicare & Medicaid: Favors topic 5 YES on giving mental health full equity with physical health: Favors topic 5 YES on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Favors topic 5 YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility: Favors topic 5 YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare: Favors topic 5 YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: Favors topic 5 YES on regulating tobacco as a drug: Favors topic 5
Neutral on topic 6: Privatize Social Security (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-3 points on Economic scale)	Improve our public schools: Opposes topic 7 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	Invest in renewable energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 Balance fossil fuels and viable renewable energy: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on investing in homegrown biofuel: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets: Favors topic 18 YES on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Favors topic 18 NO on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Opposes topic 18
Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-3 points on Social scale)	YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Favors topic 19
Opposes topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (-3 points on Economic scale)	YES on instituting National Service as a new social invention: Opposes topic 20
Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-3 points on Economic scale)	No flat tax; no rebate of budget surplus: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income: Opposes topic 11
Opposes topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (-3 points on Social scale)	Likes DREAM Act for specific youth, not illegal immigration: Favors topic 12 Expand border security on Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	YES on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Opposes topic 13
Strongly Opposes topic 15: Expand the armed forces (+5 points on Social scale)	YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports public funding for political campaigns: Strongly Favors topic 16 Supports Shays-Meehan Campaign Finance Reform: Favors topic 16 Repeal automatic Congressional pay raises: Favors topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Strongly Favors topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+5 points on Social scale)	Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror: Favors topic 14 YES on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on retroactive immunity for telecoms' warrantless surveillance: Opposes topic 14
Opposes topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (-3 points on Social scale)	Strategic redeployment to bring our troops home: Strongly Favors topic 17 Strengthen sanctions on Syria & assist democratic transition: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days: Strongly Opposes topic 17 YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Favors topic 17