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)
Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 36% by the NRLC, indicating a mixed record on abortion: Neutral on topic 1 NO on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on allowing human embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1
Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Rated 75% by NAACP, indicating a mixed record on affirmative-action: Neutral on topic 2 Increase funding for occupational & physical therapy: Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination: Favors topic 2 YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act: Favors topic 2 YES on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Favors topic 2
Opposes topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 25% by the HRC, indicating a mixed record on gay rights: Neutral on topic 3 YES on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman: Strongly Opposes topic 3 NO on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Opposes 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)	NO on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Include prescription drug coverage for all seniors now: Strongly Favors topic 5 Better and immediate funding for Medicare & Medicaid: Favors topic 5 Require insurers to cover breast cancer treatment: 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 repealing the "Prevention and Public Health" slush fund: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Favors topic 5 NO on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay: 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 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)	Stop raiding the Social Security Trust Fund: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 72% by ARA, indicating a mixed record on senior issues: Neutral on topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	NO on reauthorizing the DC opportunity scholarship program: Strongly Opposes topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Favors topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (-3 points on Social scale)	Make tax deduction permanent for conservation easements: Opposes topic 8 No EPA permits required for forest road runoff: Strongly Favors topic 8 Allow importing ivory from controlled sources: Favors topic 8 YES on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species: Strongly Favors topic 8 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 8 NO on protecting free-roaming horses and burros: Favors topic 8
Neutral on topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (0 points on Social scale)	Rated 85% by the NAPO, indicating a tough-on-crime stance: Favors topic 9 YES on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society: Opposes topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	National cross-state standard for concealed carry: Strongly Favors topic 10 Loosen restrictions on interstate gun purchases: Strongly Favors topic 10 Allow veterans to register unlicensed guns acquired abroad: Favors topic 10 Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10
Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+2 points on Economic scale)	Rated 0% by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes 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
Strongly Opposes topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated 83% by USBC, indicating a sealed-border stance: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated A- by the ALI, indicating a strongly anti-amnesty stance: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Tariffs against countries undervaluing their currency: Opposes topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 Rated 25% by the USAE, indicating support for trade sanctions: Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Opposes topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13
Favors topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (+2 points on Economic scale)	Condemn China's organ harvesting from Falun Gong prisoners: Opposes topic 14 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 reforming the UN by restricting US funding: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Favors topic 14 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14
Opposes topic 15: Expand the military (+2 points on Social scale)	YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses: Favors topic 15 YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Supports Shays-Meehan Campaign Finance Reform: Favors topic 16 Reduce the salary of Members of Congress: Favors topic 16 Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge: Strongly Favors topic 16 Military spouses don't lose voting residency while abroad: Favors topic 16 Repeal automatic Congressional pay raises: Favors topic 16 NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Favors topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Strongly Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-5 points on Social scale)	Strengthen sanctions on Syria & assist democratic transition: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Boycott & sanctions against Iran for terrorism & nukes: Opposes topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 NO on removing US armed forces from Afghanistan: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval: Opposes topic 17 YES on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date: Strongly 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
Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-3 points on Economic scale)	Balance fossil fuels and viable renewable energy: Favors topic 18 Rated 100% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence: Favors topic 18 Require 80% fuel-choice vehicles by 2018: Strongly Favors topic 18 Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Opposes topic 18 YES on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on investing in homegrown biofuel: Strongly Opposes 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 NO on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Opposes topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated -10 by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 Rated 25% by NORML, indicating an anti-legalization stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Favors topic 19
Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-3 points on Economic scale)	Audit the Federal Reserve & its actions on mortgage loans: Opposes topic 20 NO on prioritizing spending in case debt limit is reached: Favors topic 20 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