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 Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (-5 points on Social scale)	Resisted stepping aside after "legitimate rape" comment: Opposes topic 1 Life begins at conception; support Constitutional Amendment: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Life begins at conception; protect the unborn: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Rated 100% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-life stance: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Bar funding for abortion under federal Obamacare plans: Opposes topic 1 Ban abortions for sex selection or race selection: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Prohibit federal funding for abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Prohibiting forced abortions by UN Population Fund: Opposes topic 1 Grant the pre-born equal protection under 14th Amendment: Opposes topic 1 YES on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Opposes topic 1 YES on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes: Opposes topic 1 YES on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info: Opposes 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 YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions: Strongly Opposes topic 1 NO on allowing human embryonic stem cell research: Opposes topic 1 NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Opposes topic 1
Strongly Opposes topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (+5 points on Economic scale)	Women's pay should be left to discretion of employers: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Rated 22% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Opposes topic 2 NO on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Opposes topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated 0% by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Amend Constitution to define traditional marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes 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 NO on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (-5 points on Social scale)	Let schools display the words "God Bless America": Strongly Favors topic 4 Supports anti-flag desecration amendment: Favors topic 4 Rated 100% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Favors topic 4 Rated 0% by the AU, indicating opposition to church-state separation: Strongly Favors topic 4 Recognize Christianity's importance to western civilization: Favors topic 4 YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror: Strongly Favors topic 4 YES on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Favors topic 4 YES on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4 NO on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4
Neutral on topic 8: Death Penalty (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-3 points on Social scale)	NO on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society: Favors topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Second Amendment protects individual right to bear arms: 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 Loosen restrictions on interstate gun purchases: Strongly Favors topic 10 Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC: Strongly Favors topic 10 Allow reloading spent military small arms ammunition: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (+5 points on Economic scale)	Denounces intrusive government regulations and ObamaCare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Rated 11% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 5 NO on giving mental health full equity with physical health: Opposes topic 5 NO on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids: Strongly Opposes topic 5 YES on repealing the "Prevention and Public Health" slush fund: Strongly Opposes topic 5 YES on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Opposes topic 5 NO on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Opposes topic 5 YES on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Opposes topic 5 NO on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Favors topic 5 YES on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay: Strongly Opposes topic 5 NO on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Opposes topic 5 NO on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility: Opposes topic 5 NO on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare: Opposes topic 5 NO on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: Opposes topic 5 NO on regulating tobacco as a drug: Opposes topic 5
Strongly Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 10% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record: Strongly Favors topic 6 YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Favors topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (+5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 8% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on reauthorizing the DC opportunity scholarship program: Strongly Favors topic 7 NO on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Favors topic 7 NO on $40B for green public schools: Favors topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (+5 points on Economic scale)	Wean ourselves off our addiction to foreign oil, by drilling: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Rated 10% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Rated 0% by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence: Opposes topic 18 Bar greenhouse gases from Clean Air Act rules: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP: Strongly Opposes 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 raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Opposes 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 NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets: Opposes topic 18 NO on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Opposes topic 18 NO on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Opposes topic 18
Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated -20 by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Favors topic 19 NO on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Opposes topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+5 points on Economic scale)	YES on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Favors topic 20 NO on instituting National Service as a new social invention: Favors topic 20
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (+5 points on Economic scale)	Phaseout the death tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Abolish IRS--replace income tax with national sales tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 76% by NTU, indicating a "Taxpayer's Friend" on tax votes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 0% by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Repeal the Death Tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Replace income tax & employment tax with FairTax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Taxpayer Protection Pledge: no new taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 No European-style VAT (value-added tax): Opposes topic 11 Supports the Taxpayer Protection Pledge: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Opposes topic 11 YES on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income: Favors topic 11
Strongly Opposes topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (-5 points on Social scale)	Illegal immigrants receiving benefits is unacceptable: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated 100% by FAIR, indicating a voting record restricting immigration: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated 100% by USBC, indicating a sealed-border stance: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Government services in English only: Strongly Opposes topic 12 End Birthright Citizenship; no more anchor babies: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated A+ by the ALI, indicating a strongly anti-amnesty stance: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Declare English as the official language of the US: Opposes topic 12 YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12 YES on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: 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)	Rated 61% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Opposes 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 YES on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Favors topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-5 points on Social scale)	Keep America's national defense capabilities strong: Strongly Favors topic 15 Rated 11% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record: Strongly Favors topic 15 Set minimum spending on defense at 4% of GDP: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses: Favors topic 15 NO on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Favors topic 15
Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-3 points on Economic scale)	Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge: Strongly Favors topic 16 YES on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Favors topic 16 NO on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Opposes topic 16 YES on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Opposes topic 16
Strongly Opposes topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (-5 points on Social scale)	NO on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's roving wiretaps: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on making the PATRIOT Act permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on retroactive immunity for telecoms' warrantless surveillance: Opposes topic 14
Strongly Opposes topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (-5 points on Social scale)	No contact & enforce sanctions on Iran until threat is gone: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Boycott & sanctions against Iran for terrorism & nukes: Opposes topic 17 NO on removing US armed forces from Afghanistan: Strongly Opposes topic 17 YES on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval: Favors topic 17 YES on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly 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 NO on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Opposes topic 17