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 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 YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortions: 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 prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP: Opposes topic 1 YES on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime: Opposes topic 1 NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives: Opposes topic 1 YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions: Opposes topic 1 NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Opposes topic 1 YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions: Opposes topic 1
Strongly Opposes topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (+5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 14% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Opposes topic 2 YES on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions: Opposes topic 2
Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 33% by the HRC, indicating a mixed record on gay rights: Neutral on topic 3 NO on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (-5 points on Social scale)	Supports anti-flag desecration amendment: Favors topic 4 Supports requiring schools to allow prayer: Favors topic 4 Rated 100% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-family voting record: Strongly Favors topic 4 Rated 33% by the AU, a mixed record on church-state separation: Neutral on topic 4 YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror: Strongly Favors topic 4 YES on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration: 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)	Rated 38% by CURE, indicating mixed votes on rehabilitation: Neutral on topic 9 YES on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime: Favors topic 9 NO on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.: Strongly Favors topic 9 NO on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program: Favors 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 Allow firearms in National Parks: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Favors topic 10 NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence: Strongly Opposes topic 10 YES on prohibiting foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership: Favors topic 10
Opposes topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (+2 points on Economic scale)	Rated 12% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Expand medical savings accounts for employers & individuals: Opposes topic 5 YES on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts: Opposes topic 5 YES on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage: Opposes topic 5 YES on allowing tribal Indians to opt out of federal healthcare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 YES on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium: Opposes topic 5 NO on $40 billion per year for limited Medicare prescription drug benefit: Opposes topic 5 NO on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics: Opposes topic 5 NO on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug: Strongly Opposes topic 5 NO on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D: Opposes topic 5 YES on limiting medical liability lawsuits to $250,000: Favors topic 5 NO on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Opposes topic 5 YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility: Favors topic 5 NO on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare: Opposes topic 5
Strongly Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+5 points on Economic scale)	Create personal retirement accounts within Social Security: Strongly Favors topic 6 Rated 20% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record: Strongly Favors topic 6 NO on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox: Favors topic 6 YES on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits: Favors topic 6 YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Favors topic 6 YES on establishing reserve funds & pre-funding for Social Security: Favors topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (+5 points on Economic scale)	Supports private-school vouchers & charter schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 Rated 27% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes: Strongly Favors topic 7 Support the goals and ideals of Charter Schools: Favors topic 7 YES on vouchers for private & parochial schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on allowing vouchers in DC schools: Favors topic 7 NO on $5B for grants to local educational agencies: Favors topic 7
Opposes topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (+2 points on Economic scale)	Increase domestic fuel exploration: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Rated 42% by the LCV, indicating a mixed record on environment: Neutral on topic 18 Keep efficient air conditioner rule to conserve energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 Rated 17% by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence: Opposes topic 18 Open the Outer Continental Shelf for oil & gas leasing: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Gas tax holiday for the summer: Opposes topic 18 NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: 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 NO on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on removing consideration of drilling ANWR from budget bill: Opposes topic 18 NO on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%): Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Opposes topic 18 YES on factoring global warming into federal project planning: Favors topic 18 YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on addressing CO2 emissions without considering India & China: Opposes topic 18 NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Opposes topic 18
Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated D by VOTE-HEMP, indicating an anti-hemp voting record: Strongly Favors topic 19 NO on subjecting federal employees to random drug tests: Strongly Opposes topic 19 YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Favors topic 19
Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+2 points on Economic scale)	NO on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Opposes topic 20 YES on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Favors topic 20
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (+5 points on Economic scale)	Phaseout the death tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 85% 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 YES on eliminating the "marriage penalty": Opposes topic 11 YES on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business: 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 raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset: Opposes topic 11 YES on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut: Opposes topic 11 YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on permanently repealing the `death tax`: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Opposes topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (-3 points on Social scale)	Ban access to benefits by illegals; oppose sanctuary cities: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated 58% by USBC, indicating a mixed record on open borders: Neutral on topic 12 Increase limitations for H-1B, H-2B, and L-visas: Favors topic 12 Declared English the official language of the US: Opposes topic 12 YES on more immigrant visas for skilled workers: Favors topic 12 YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12 NO on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities": Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on establishing a Guest Worker program: Opposes topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on eliminating the "Y" nonimmigrant guestworker program: Neutral topic 12 YES on declaring English as the official language of the US government: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on comprehensive immigration reform: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 83% by CATO, indicating a pro-free trade voting record: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on 'Fast Track' authority for trade agreements: Strongly Favors 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 establishing free trade between US & Singapore: Favors topic 13 YES on establishing free trade between the US and Chile: Favors topic 13 YES on implementing CAFTA for Central America free-trade: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on free trade agreement with Oman: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13
Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 0% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record: Strongly Favors topic 15 Improve mental health care benefits for returning veterans: Favors topic 15 YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Favors topic 15 YES on deploying SDI: Favors topic 15 YES on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding: Opposes topic 15 NO on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months: Favors topic 15
Opposes topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (+2 points on Economic scale)	NO on banning soft money and issue ads: Opposes 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 NO on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity: Opposes topic 16 YES on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress: Strongly Opposes topic 16
Opposes topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (-3 points on Social scale)	Support the PATRIOT act with additional civil safeguards: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Military tribunals OK; reading domestic mail & email OK: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on requiring FISA court warrant to monitor US-to-foreign calls: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act: Opposes topic 14 YES on preserving habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Strongly Opposes topic 17: US out of Iraq (-5 points on Social scale)	YES on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq by March 2008: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying non-essential US troops out of Iraq in 9 months: Opposes topic 17