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)	Expand access to contraception; reduce unintended pregnancy: Favors topic 1 Rated 100% by NARAL on pro-choice votes in 2005, 2006 & 2007: Strongly Favors topic 1 Voted against banning partial birth abortion: Favors topic 1 Stem cells hold promise to cure 70 major diseases: Favors topic 1 Trust women to make own decisions on partial-birth abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 Extend presumption of good faith to abortion protesters: Favors topic 1 Pass the Stem Cell Research Bill: Favors topic 1 Protect a woman’s right to choose: Strongly Favors topic 1 Supports Roe v. Wade: Strongly Favors topic 1 Sponsored bill providing contraceptives for low-income women: Favors topic 1 Rated 0% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance: Strongly Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 NO on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP: Favors topic 1 YES on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives: Favors topic 1 NO on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions: Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports Fair Pay Act: equal pay for equal work: Strongly Favors topic 2 Racial equality good for America as a whole: Favors topic 2 Keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day’s work: Strongly Favors topic 2 Past discrimination affects future generations: Strongly Favors topic 2 Fight job discrimination to give women equal footing at jobs: Strongly Favors topic 2 Include class-based affirmative action with race-based: Favors topic 2 Better enforce women’s pay equity via Equal Pay Act: Strongly Favors topic 2 Supports affirmative action in colleges and government: Strongly Favors topic 2 Opposes CA Prop. 8, one-man-one-woman marriage: Strongly Favors topic 2 America’s race and class problems are intertwined: Favors topic 2 Get minorities into home ownership & global marketplace: Favors topic 2 Ending racial profiling is part of fight for justice: Favors topic 2 Sponsored bill for a Rosa Parks commemorative postage stamp: Favors topic 2 Rated 100% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 Recognize Juneteenth as historical end of slavery: Strongly Favors topic 2 Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 2 Reinforce anti-discrimination and equal-pay requirements: Favors topic 2 Afghan law tolerating marital rape is abhorrent: Strongly Favors topic 2
Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+2 points on Social scale)	Gays should not face discrimination but should not marry: Opposes topic 3 Decisions about marriage should be left to the states: Opposes topic 3 Homosexuality no more immoral than heterosexuality: Favors topic 3 We need strong civil unions, not just weak civil unions: Favors topic 3 Opposes gay marriage; supports civil union & gay equality: Favors topic 3 Marriage not a human right; non-discrimination is: Favors topic 3 Include sexual orientation in anti-discrimination laws: Favors topic 3 Increase funding for AIDS treatment & prevention: Favors topic 3 Rated 89% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance: Strongly Favors topic 3 Provide benefits to domestic partners of Federal employees: Strongly Favors topic 3 NO on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+2 points on Social scale)	Listening to evangelicals bridges major political fault line: Favors topic 4 Religious concerns ok, if translated into universal values: Opposes topic 4 Rated 100% by the AU, indicating support of church-state separation: Strongly Opposes topic 4 NO on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration: Opposes topic 4
Opposes topic 8: Death Penalty (+2 points on Social scale)	Pushed Illinois bill to videotape all capital interrogations: Opposes topic 8 Some heinous crimes justify the ultimate punishment: Favors topic 8 Videotape all capital punishment interrogations: Opposes topic 8 Death penalty should be enforced fairly and with caution: Favors topic 8 Death penalty should not discriminate by gang membership: Opposes topic 8 Battles legislatively against the death penalty: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (+2 points on Social scale)	Reduce recidivism by providing ex-offender supports: Opposes topic 9 No extra penalty for gang association: Opposes topic 9 Passed 150 laws to toughen penalties for violent crime: Favors topic 9 Supports alternative sentencing and rehabilitation: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 Reduce recidivism by giving offenders a Second Chance: Strongly Opposes topic 9 YES on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program: Opposes topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Respect 2nd Amendment, but local gun bans ok: Opposes topic 10 Provide some common-sense enforcement on gun licensing: Opposes topic 10 2000: cosponsored bill to limit purchases to 1 gun per month: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Concealed carry OK for retired police officers: Favors topic 10 Keep guns out of inner cities--but also problem of morality: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Bush erred in failing to renew assault weapons ban: Strongly Favors topic 10 Ban semi-automatics, and more possession restrictions: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	If we started from scratch, one-payer system would be best: Strongly Favors topic 5 Added 20,000 children to Illinois healthcare: Strongly Favors topic 5 Increase competition in the insurance and drug markets: Opposes topic 5 National Health Insurance Exchange for private coverage: Opposes topic 5 National insurance pool & catastrophic insurance: Strongly Favors topic 5 The market alone can’t solve our health-care woes: Favors topic 5 Crises happen in our lives and healthcare is necessary: Strongly Favors topic 5 Believes health care is a right, not a privilege for the few: Favors topic 5 Will expand health coverage & allow meds to be re-imported: Favors topic 5 Ensure access to basic care: Favors topic 5 More funding for Rx benefits, community health, CHIPs: Favors topic 5 Preserve access to Medicaid & SCHIP during economic downturn: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium: Favors topic 5 YES on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics: Favors topic 5 YES on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D: Favors topic 5 YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	What do we do with the losers of privatizing?: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Stop any efforts to privatize Social Security: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Privatization puts retirement at whim of stock market: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Stop any efforts to privatize Social Security: Strongly Opposes topic 6 No privatization; but consider earning cap over $97,500: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Stock market risk is ok, but not for Social Security: Strongly Opposes topic 6 $2000 tax credit for Working Families Savings Accounts: Opposes topic 6 NO on establishing reserve funds & pre-funding for Social Security: Opposes topic 6
No opinion on topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (0 points on Economic scale)	Guarantee affordable life-long, top-notch education: Opposes topic 7 I doubled charter schools in Illinois; but no vouchers: Favors topic 7 Vouchers don’t solve the problems of our schools: Opposes topic 7 Supports charter schools; it’s important to experiment: Favors topic 7 Supports charter schools and private investment in schools: Favors topic 7 YES on $5B for grants to local educational agencies: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	More Alaska oil & gas leases, plus new gas pipeline: Strongly Opposes topic 18 GovWatch: $150B for electric car batteries & new technology: Strongly Favors topic 18 GovWatch: Supports nuclear power if it’s clean & safe: Opposes topic 18 3-way win: economy, environment, & stop funding terror: Strongly Favors topic 18 Invest in alternative energy sources: Favors topic 18 Increase CAFE to 40 mpg: Strongly Favors topic 18 Renewable Fuels Standard: require ethanol in fuel supply: Strongly Favors topic 18 Free America from its dependence on foreign oil: Strongly Favors topic 18 Include clean coal in clean energy future: Opposes topic 18 Reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050: Strongly Favors topic 18 Aggressively address accelerating climate change: Strongly Favors topic 18 Cap-and-trade is more specific on reducing greenhouse gases: Strongly Favors topic 18 Sponsored legislations that improve energy efficiency: Favors topic 18 Sponsored bill for tax credit for providing 85% ethanol gas: Favors topic 18 Sponsored bill raising CAFE by a 4% per year until 2018: Strongly Favors topic 18 Rated 100% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence: Favors topic 18 Sign on to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change: Strongly Favors topic 18 Designate sensitive ANWR area as protected wilderness: Favors topic 18 Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025: Strongly Favors topic 18 Let states define stricter-than-federal emission standards: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%): Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Favors topic 18 YES on factoring global warming into federal project planning: Favors topic 18 YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (+2 points on Social scale)	Look at needle exchange; and expand treatment: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Fight to rid our communities of meth: Favors topic 19 Expand drug courts; help prisoners with substance abuse: Strongly Opposes topic 19 2001: questions harsh penalties for drug dealing: Opposes topic 19 Not first candidate to use drugs, but first honest about it: Opposes topic 19 Smokes cigarettes now; smoked some pot in high school: Favors topic 19 Admitted marijuana use in high school & college: Favors topic 19 Deal with street-level drug dealing as minimum-wage affair: Opposes topic 19 End harsher sentencing for crack vs. powder cocaine: Opposes topic 19 Require chemical resellers to certify against meth use: Favors topic 19
Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+2 points on Economic scale)	We can find common ground between pro-choice and pro-life: No opin. on topic 20 Cut poverty in half in 10 years, with faith-based help: Strongly Favors topic 20 Engages people of faith on all aspects of his public service: Favors topic 20 Black churches minister to social needs out of necessity: Favors topic 20 Reach out to faith community;faith has role in public square: Favors topic 20
Strongly Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-5 points on Economic scale)	Tax cut for 95% of all working families, not corporations: Strongly Favors topic 11 Maintain the inheritance tax on wealthy: Strongly Favors topic 11 I will raise CEO taxes, no doubt about it: Strongly Favors topic 11 Trillion dollar giveaway: the Paris Hilton Tax Break: Strongly Favors topic 11 Bush tax cuts help corporations but not middle class: Strongly Favors topic 11 Tax cuts for the rich do not create jobs: Favors topic 11 Rated 100% by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset: Favors topic 11 NO on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut: Favors topic 11 NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on permanently repealing the `death tax`: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax: Strongly Favors topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+5 points on Social scale)	Crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants: Opposes topic 12 Immigrants are scapegoats for high unemployment rates: Strongly Favors topic 12 Support granting driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants: Favors topic 12 Reform must include more border security, and border wall: Opposes topic 12 Pathway to citizenship, but people have to earn it: Favors topic 12 Give immigrants who are here a rigorous path to citizenship: Favors topic 12 Extend welfare and Medicaid to immigrants: Favors topic 12 Comprehensive immigration reform without amnesty: Strongly Favors topic 12 Provide funding for social services for noncitizens: Favors topic 12 Rated 8% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities": Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on establishing a Guest Worker program: Favors topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on declaring English as the official language of the US government: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on comprehensive immigration reform: Strongly Favors topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	NAFTA protects corporate profits; should protect labor: Opposes topic 13 Stand firm against CAFTA for labor & environmental standards: Strongly Opposes topic 13 People don’t want cheaper T-shirts if it costs their job: Opposes topic 13 Amend NAFTA to add labor agreements: Opposes topic 13 Fair trade should have tangible benefits for US: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Tax incentives to create jobs at home instead of offshore: Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing CAFTA for Central America free-trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on free trade agreement with Oman: Strongly Favors topic 13
Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-3 points on Social scale)	Grow size of military to maintain rotation schedules: Favors topic 15 Give our soldiers the best equipment and training available: Favors topic 15 Sponsored bill for Iraq budget to be part of defense budget: Opposes topic 15 Improve mental health care benefits for returning veterans: Favors topic 15 YES on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months: Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-5 points on Economic scale)	Ended corporate jet travel subsidized by lobbyists: Favors topic 16 No lobbyist money; no PAC money; fund campaigns instead: Strongly Favors topic 16 Reduced cost TV ads for candidates; $85M presidential limit: Strongly Favors topic 16 Public campaign financing with free television & radio time: Strongly Favors topic 16 No “bundled” money from federal-registered lobbyists: Favors topic 16 People know his “bundlers” because he pushed disclosure law: Favors topic 16 First bill ever passed was campaign finance reform: Strongly Favors topic 16 Lobbyist influence comes from access, not money: Favors topic 16 Prohibit 'voter caging' which intimidates minority voting: Favors topic 16 YES on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity: Favors topic 16 NO on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress: Strongly Favors topic 16
Strongly Favors topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+5 points on Social scale)	No torture; no renditions; no operating out of fear: Strongly Favors topic 14 No torture; defiance of FISA; no military commissions: Strongly Favors topic 14 The politics of fear undermines basic civil liberties: Strongly Favors topic 14 America cannot sanction torture; no loopholes or exceptions: Strongly Favors topic 14 Close Guantanamo and restore the right of habeas corpus: Strongly Favors topic 14 Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror: Favors topic 14 NO on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act: Opposes topic 14 YES on preserving habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14
Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq (+2 points on Social scale)	Can’t do anything at home with $12 billion a month on Iraq: Favors topic 17 US policy should promote democracy and human rights: Favors topic 17 $2.7 billion each week of Iraq spending is unsustainable: Favors topic 17 War in Iraq is “dumb” but troops still need equipment: Strongly Favors topic 17 We are playing to Osama’s plan for winning a war from a cave: Strongly Favors topic 17 NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007: Strongly Opposes topic 17 YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq by March 2008: Strongly Favors topic 17