Al Franken on SenateMatch

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)	Let military perform abortions in cases of rape or incest: Favors topic 1 Require pharmacies to fulfill contraceptive prescriptions: Favors topic 1 Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Access safe, legal abortion without restrictions: Strongly Favors topic 1 Keep federal funding for family planning clinics: Strongly Favors topic 1 Sponsored emergency contraception at military facilities: Strongly Favors topic 1
Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Apologized for comic routines that offended women: Opposes topic 2 Increase funding for occupational & physical therapy: Favors topic 2 More funding & services for victims of domestic violence: Strongly Favors topic 2 Enforce against wage discrimination based on gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale)	Apologizes for stigmatizing hermaphrodites & conjoined twins: 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 Sponsored bill prohibiting sexual-identity discrimination: Strongly Favors topic 3 Sponsored enforcing against anti-gay discrimination in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Apply copyright inheritance to same-sex couples: Strongly Favors topic 3 Let states recognize same sex marriage: Favors topic 3
Strongly Opposes topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (+5 points on Social scale)	Sex Ed including both abstinence and contraception: Opposes topic 4 Comprehensive sex ed for sexually-active adolescents: Opposes topic 4 Religious freedom means no religious registry: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	We need to go to universal health care: Strongly Favors topic 5 Full funding for state-based coverage, but not single payer: Strongly Favors topic 5 Universal health care as soon as possible: Strongly Favors topic 5 Root cause of many problems is no access to healthcare: Strongly Favors topic 5 Merge Alzheimers diagnosis and care benefit: Favors topic 5 Disclose payments from manufacturers to physicians: Favors topic 5 NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	I’ll scream if Republicans ever try to privatize again: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Raise the cap on income subject to the payroll tax: Opposes topic 6 Social Security was the greatest achievement of the New Deal: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Sponsored keeping CPI for benefits instead of lower "Chained CPI": Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 98% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-3 points on Economic scale)	No Child Left Behind law must be dramatically reformed: Strongly Favors topic 7 Improve low-performing schools instead of punishing them: Opposes topic 7 Fully fund our public schools: Strongly Opposes topic 7 $25B to renovate or repair elementary schools: Opposes topic 7 Sponsored extending subsidized federal student loan rates until 2015: Opposes topic 7
Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+2 points on Social scale)	Ok the PolyMet copper mine only after 9-year review: Opposes topic 8 Prevent invasive species Asian carp in Great Lakes: Opposes topic 8 Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs: Opposes topic 8 No EPA permits required for forest road runoff: Strongly Favors topic 8 YES on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems: Opposes topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+2 points on Social scale)	Ridicules imprisoning drug abusers & maximum sentences: Opposes topic 9 Rated 73% by the NAPO, indicating a moderate stance on police issues: Neutral on topic 9
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	Ban large-capacity ammunition: Opposes topic 10 YES on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Level the playing field for middle class against industry: Favors topic 11 Minimum tax rate of 30% for those earning over $1 million: Strongly Favors topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	Apologize for stripping citizenship for marrying foreigners: Strongly Favors topic 12 Enforce immigration law at the worksite, not at the border: Favors topic 12 We need comprehensive immigration reform: Strongly Favors topic 12 Provide lawyers and evidence for children being deported: Favors topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Immediate action on steel dumping, to protect U.S. jobs: Opposes topic 13 I’m a fair trader; enforce labor, safety, & environment: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Fight Chinese predatory trade practices on car tires: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Rated Voted FOR reauthorizing Ex-Im Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 $25B more loans from Export-Import Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 38% by the USAE, indicating support for trade sanctions: Opposes topic 13
Strongly Opposes topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (-5 points on Economic scale)	Muslim travel ban is a recruiting tool for ISIS: Strongly Opposes topic 14 OpEd: Campaign website devoid of views on foreign policy: Neutral on topic 14 A great nation meets its obligations; pay up our UN dues: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Foreign Development Assistance is right thing & smart thing: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Prohibit torture & interrogation banned by Geneva Convention: Opposes topic 14 Convene a regional conference in the Middle East: Strongly Opposes topic 14 US intervention in Iran has made it worse: Opposes topic 14 Disallow Palestine from joining ICC to threaten Israel: Favors topic 14
Opposes topic 15: Expand the military (+2 points on Social scale)	Fund UN Peace Operations in Darfur: Opposes topic 15 Reduce our arsenal & abandon plans for new nuclear weapons: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Reduce our arsenal & abandon plans for new nuclear weapons: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Renew our commitment to our men and women in uniform: Favors topic 15 Investigate waste, fraud, & abuse in Iraq contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Non-proliferation includes disposing of nuclear materials: Opposes topic 15 Exempt Veterans Affairs from federal hiring freeze: Favors topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Congress needs watchdogs, not lapdogs: Favors topic 16 Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures: Strongly Favors topic 16 No photo IDs to vote; they suppress the vote: Favors topic 16 Matching fund for small donors, with debate requirements: Favors topic 16 Public financing of federal campaigns by voter vouchers: Favors topic 16
Strongly Favors topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (+5 points on Social scale)	Supported airstrikes in Syria to fight ISIS: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Consistently opposed to Iraq War: Strongly Favors topic 17 Astounded anyone would still believe Iraq war is good idea: Strongly Favors topic 17 Keep our country safe; but Iraq was a mistake: Strongly Favors topic 17 Investigate the misappropriation of billions on Iraq: Favors topic 17 Convince the Iraqi government that we’re leaving by leaving: Strongly Favors topic 17 The litany of mistakes in Iraq is endless: Strongly Favors topic 17 Start bringing our troops home from Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 Iran must accept long-term intrusive nuke inspection: Opposes topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Delay Keystone pipeline; but if built, use American steel: Favors topic 18 Tax credits for wind-power, not for oil companies: Strongly Favors topic 18 Supports cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 US failed to lead by refusing to sign onto the Kyoto accords: Strongly Favors topic 18 Investing in renewable energy is win-win-win-win-win: Strongly Favors topic 18 Apollo project for renewable energy development: Strongly Favors topic 18 50% clean and carbon free electricity by 2030: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Admitted drug use during days as TV comedian: Opposes topic 19 Wrote two movies about drug addiction and its horrors: Opposes topic 19 Drug abuse isn’t immoral; hypocrisy about it is: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Rated C by NORML, indicating a mixed record on drug reform: Neutral on topic 19 Keep ObamaCare's prevention, treatment, & recovery services: Opposes topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	Expand lending caps for credit unions to small business: Favors topic 20 Rated 86% by UFCW, indicating an anti-management/pro-labor record: Favors topic 20 Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016: Favors topic 20 YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending: Strongly Favors topic 20