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)
Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (-3 points on Social scale)	Supports stem cell research on existing embyo lines: Neutral on topic 1 Rated 30% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortions: Opposes topic 1 NO on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Favors topic 1 YES on Unknown roll call for 2001-89: Opposes topic 1 NO on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info: Favors topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: Opposes topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Personally opposes abortion, but it’s a private decision: Favors topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for equal rights by gender: Strongly Favors topic 2
Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+2 points on Social scale)	2006: Marriage is sacred; 2015: guarantee marriage equality: Favors topic 3 For ENDA & against DADT & in Congress; evolved on marriage: Favors topic 3 YES on banning gay adoptions in DC: Opposes topic 3 NO on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Favors topic 3
Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 53% by the Christian Coalition: mixed voting record on Family Values: Neutral on topic 4 Supports a Constitutional Amendment for school prayer: Strongly Favors topic 4 YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Favors topic 4 NO on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Opposes topic 4 YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror: Strongly Favors topic 4 NO on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Opposes topic 4 NO on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4
Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-3 points on Economic scale)	Wary of universal government-run health care: Opposes topic 5 Better and immediate funding for Medicare & Medicaid: Favors topic 5 Rated 56% by APHA, indicating a mixed record on public health issues: Neutral on topic 5 Sponsored bill to disclose pharma payments to physicians: Strongly 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 NO on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts: Favors topic 5 NO on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage: Favors topic 5 NO on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Opposes topic 5 NO on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Favors topic 5 NO on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: 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
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)	Opposes privatization of Social Security: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 70% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 6 YES on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox: Opposes topic 6 NO on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits: Opposes topic 6 YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Favors topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	Reduce class size to 18 children in grades 1 to 3: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Rated 100% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly Opposes topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 76% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Make tax deduction permanent for conservation easements: Opposes topic 8 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 8 NO on protecting free-roaming horses and burros: Favors topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+2 points on Social scale)	Prefers life sentence to death penalty: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Life imprisonment must mean life imprisonment, forever: Favors topic 9 Rated 30% by CURE, indicating anti-rehabilitation crime votes: Strongly Favors topic 9 Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 YES on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime: Favors topic 9 YES on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.: Strongly Opposes topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Firm bleiever in the Second Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 10 Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record: Strongly Favors topic 10 National cross-state standard for concealed carry: Strongly Favors topic 10 Teach kids Eddie Eagle GunSafe's lifesaving message: Favors topic 10 Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC: Strongly Favors topic 10 NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Opposes topic 10 YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Favors topic 10
Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-3 points on Economic scale)	Rated 29% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on eliminating the "marriage penalty": Favors topic 11 NO on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business: Favors topic 11 NO on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Favors topic 11 YES on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 NO on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Favors topic 11 NO on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income: Opposes topic 11
Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+2 points on Social scale)	Opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Rated 39% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 Tariffs against countries undervaluing their currency: Opposes topic 13 YES on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Favors topic 13 YES on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Opposes topic 13
Opposes topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (-3 points on Economic scale)	YES on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Opposes topic 14 YES on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on withholding $244M in UN Back Payments until US seat restored: Strongly Favors topic 14
Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale)	Strong military important post-9-11: Strongly Favors topic 15 Rated 100% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 15 YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Favors topic 15 YES on deploying SDI: Favors topic 15 YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 15
Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+2 points on Social scale)	Supports Shays-Meehan Campaign Finance Reform: Favors topic 16 Require Internet disclosure of all earmarks: Favors topic 16 Repeal automatic Congressional pay raises: Favors topic 16 YES on banning soft money and issue ads: Favors topic 16 NO on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Opposes topic 16 YES on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Favors topic 16
Neutral on topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (0 points on Social scale)	War in Iraq was a mistake, and has been mismanaged: Strongly Favors topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 YES on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Favors topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Balance fossil fuels and viable renewable energy: Favors topic 18 Establish a Carbon Storage Research Corporation: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR: Strongly 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 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)	Rated 50% by NORML, indicating a mixed record on drug reform: Neutral on topic 19 NO on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Opposes topic 19 YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Favors topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	YES on $60B stimulus package for jobs, infrastructure, & energy: Strongly Favors topic 20 YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending: Strongly Favors topic 20