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)	Rated 10% 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 Prohibit transporting minors across state lines for abortion: 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
Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Rated 69% by NAACP, indicating a mixed record on affirmative-action: Neutral on 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 $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Favors topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated 25% by the HRC, indicating a mixed record on gay rights: Neutral on 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 YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Favors topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated 75% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-family voting record: Strongly Favors topic 4 Rated 18% by the AU, indicating opposition to church-state separation: Strongly Favors topic 4 Constitutionally prohibit flag desecration: Favors topic 4 YES on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Favors topic 4 YES on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4
Neutral on topic 8: Death Penalty (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Opposes topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (+2 points on Social scale)	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)	Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record: Strongly Favors topic 10 Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC: 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
Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-3 points on Economic scale)	Better and immediate funding for Medicare & Medicaid: Favors topic 5 Rated 67% by APHA, indicating a mixed record on public health issues: Neutral on 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 allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Favors topic 5 NO on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Favors topic 5 YES on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Opposes 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 NO on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility: Opposes topic 5 YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare: Favors topic 5 NO on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: Opposes topic 5 YES on regulating tobacco as a drug: Favors topic 5
Neutral on topic 6: Privatize Social Security (0 points on Economic scale)	Rated 67% by the ARA, indicating a mixed record on senior issues: Neutral on topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 100% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly Opposes topic 7 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-3 points on Economic scale)	Balance fossil fuels and viable renewable energy: Favors topic 18 Rated 55% by the LCV, indicating a mixed record on environment: Neutral on topic 18 Rated 50% by CAF, indicating a mixed record on energy independence: Neutral on topic 18 Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025: Strongly Favors topic 18 Include agricultural products in renewable fuels: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly Favors 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 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 NO on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Opposes topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated -20 by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors 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
Opposes topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (+2 points on Economic scale)	Rated 22% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes: Strongly Favors topic 11 Rated 50% by CTJ, indicating a mixed record on progressive taxation: Neutral on 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 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)	Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration: Strongly Favors topic 12 Rated 83% by USBC, indicating a sealed-border stance: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Government services in English only: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Strongly Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-5 points on Economic scale)	NO on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Opposes topic 13 YES on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: 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 NO on promoting free trade with Peru: Opposes topic 13
Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 33% by SANE, indicating a mixed record on military issues: Neutral on topic 15 Extend reserve retirement pay parity back to 9/11: 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 YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports Shays-Meehan Campaign Finance Reform: 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 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 YES on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Favors 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 (-5 points on Social scale)	Strengthen sanctions on Syria & assist democratic transition: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: 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