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)	Protect a woman’s right to choose: Strongly Favors topic 1 Opposes prohibiting human embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 Focus on preventing pregnancy, plus emergency contraception: 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 affirmative action: Strongly Favors topic 2 Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 2 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)	Yes to civil unions; no to constitutional definition: 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 prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Favors topic 3
Neutral on topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
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)	Prison rehabilitation and addiction programs for inmates: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 YES on expanding services for offendors' re-entry into society: Opposes topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Support Second Amendment rights: 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 Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	Universal access to quality healthcare: Strongly Favors topic 5 Expand the National Health Service Corps: 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 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
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)
Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-3 points on Economic scale)	More funding for teachers & school infrastructure: 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)	End subsidies to Big Oil; extend biomass tax credit: Strongly Favors topic 18 Manhattan Project to address global warming: Strongly Favors topic 18 Let states define stricter-than-federal emission standards: Strongly 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 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (+2 points on Social scale)	Supports medical marijuana: Strongly Opposes topic 19 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
Strongly Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-5 points on Economic scale)	Fiscally irresponsible to allow tax breaks for the top 2%: Strongly Favors topic 11 Keep the estate tax; keep the dividend tax: 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)	Beef up the border & work with Mexico on jobs & fairness: Opposes topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Supports GATT and the WTO: Favors topic 13 Supports NAFTA only if revised for labor & environment: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Tariffs against countries undervaluing their currency: Opposes topic 13 Review free trade agreements biennially for rights violation: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Opposes topic 13 NO on promoting free trade with Peru: 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
Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-3 points on Economic scale)	Fight Wall Street executives & corporate lobbyists: Favors topic 16 Ban earmarks associated with campaign contributions: Strongly Favors topic 16 Increase individual campaign donation limits: Opposes 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)	Reform the Patriot Act to protect individual freedoms: Strongly Favors topic 14 Take any and all reasonable action to defend our citizens: Opposes 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 NO on retroactive immunity for telecoms' warrantless surveillance: Favors topic 14
Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq (+2 points on Social scale)	Bush took our country off course in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Withdraw our National Guard from Iraq immediately: Strongly Favors topic 17 Keep US troops in Iraq but internationalize the effort: Opposes topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Favors topic 17