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 right (+2 points on Social scale)	Abortion decision should be between a woman and her God: Strongly Favors topic 1 Supports parental notification but not extreme limits: Opposes topic 1 Rated 25% by the NRLC, indicating a mixed record on abortion: Neutral on topic 1 NO on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP: Favors topic 1 YES on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives: Favors topic 1 YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions: Opposes topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1 NO on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions: Favors topic 1
Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Wrote brief defending U.Michigan affirmative action case: Strongly Favors topic 2 Issue a commemorative postage stamp of Rosa Parks: Favors topic 2 Rated 82% by NAACP, indicating a mixed record on affirmative-action: Neutral on topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2
Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+2 points on Social scale)	Oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment: Favors topic 3 Rated 67% 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
Favors topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (-3 points on Social scale)	Make sure students can skip Pledge if they so choose: Opposes topic 4 Encourage character education curriculum in schools: Favors topic 4 Rated 67% by the AU, a mixed record on church-state separation: Neutral on topic 4 YES on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration: Favors topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 8: Death Penalty (-5 points on Social scale)	Heinous crimes deserve the ultimate sanction: Strongly Favors topic 8
Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-3 points on Social scale)	Establish rights for crime victims: Favors topic 9 Greater access to sex offender registration information: Favors topic 9 Streamline Colorado’s criminal sentencing statutes: Favors topic 9 Limit post-conviction appeals, allow more restitution: Strongly Favors topic 9 Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 Reduce recidivism by giving offenders a Second Chance: Strongly Opposes topic 9 YES on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program: Opposes topic 9
Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+2 points on Economic scale)	Protect the individual right to use firearms: Favors topic 10 Restrict felon possession, and ban assault weapons: Strongly Opposes topic 10 More background checks for gun purchases: Opposes topic 10 YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership: Favors topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	Take next steps toward universal coverage: Strongly Favors topic 5 Allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices: Favors topic 5 Allow reimportation of prescription drugs: Favors topic 5 NO on allowing tribal Indians to opt out of federal healthcare: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium: Favors topic 5 YES on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics: Favors topic 5 YES on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D: Favors topic 5 NO on limiting medical liability lawsuits to $250,000: Opposes 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
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Opposes privatization and individual investment accounts: Strongly Opposes topic 6 NO on establishing reserve funds & pre-funding for Social Security: Opposes topic 6
No opinion on topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (0 points on Economic scale)	Strongly supports public education: Opposes topic 7 Promoted Salazar-Spence school voucher proposal: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on $5B for grants to local educational agencies: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	Protect and preserve our land and water: Favors topic 18 Tax credit for gas stations providing 85% ethanol fuel: Favors topic 18 Rated 50% by CAF, indicating a mixed record on energy independence: Neutral on topic 18 Designate sensitive ANWR area as protected wilderness: Favors topic 18 Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%): Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Favors topic 18 NO on factoring global warming into federal project planning: Opposes topic 18 YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on addressing CO2 emissions without considering India & China: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Favors topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-5 points on Social scale)	Opposed 2000 initiative for medical use of marijuana: Strongly Favors topic 19 Medical marijuana partly allowed, but he doesn’t like it: Strongly Favors topic 19 Federal grants to Indian tribes to fight methamphetamine: Strongly Favors topic 19 Require chemical resellers to certify against meth use: Favors topic 19
No opinion on topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-3 points on Economic scale)	Enact responsible tax cuts for low- and middle-class: Strongly Favors topic 11 Permanent tax cuts for middle class; reform estate tax: Opposes topic 11 More tax cuts and ending of loopholes: Opposes topic 11 Cut national debt and close tax loopholes: Favors topic 11 Rated 100% by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset: Favors topic 11 YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut: Favors topic 11 YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on permanently repealing the `death tax`: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax: Strongly Favors topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+5 points on Social scale)	Give benefits to children of longtime illegal immigrants: Strongly Favors topic 12 Opportunity for undocumented workers to gain legal status: Favors topic 12 Decrease illegal immigration; stronger border enforcement: Opposes topic 12 Sponsored comprehensive immigration reform, without amnesty: Strongly Favors topic 12 Provide funding for social services for noncitizens: Favors topic 12 Rated 0% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities": Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on eliminating the "Y" nonimmigrant guestworker program: Neutral topic 12 NO on declaring English as the official language of the US government: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on comprehensive immigration reform: Strongly Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Stoutly in favor of free trade: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on implementing CAFTA for Central America free-trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on free trade agreement with Oman: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13
Opposes topic 15: Expand the armed forces (+2 points on Social scale)	Fighting war on terror is not easy nor inexpensive: Favors topic 15 Sponsored bill for Iraq budget to be part of defense budget: Opposes topic 15 YES on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding: Opposes topic 15 YES on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months: Opposes topic 15
Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-3 points on Economic scale)	Subject independent 527s to rules for political committees: Strongly Favors topic 16 NO on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity: Opposes topic 16 NO on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress: Strongly Favors topic 16
Favors topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+2 points on Social scale)	Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror: Favors 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 YES on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq (+2 points on Social scale)	We need cooperation of our traditional allies on terrorism: Favors topic 17 Work towards a global community: Favors topic 17 NATO needs to be a bigger part in US war policy: Strongly Favors topic 17 No troop surge: no military escalation in Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007: Strongly Opposes topic 17 YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq by March 2008: Strongly Favors topic 17 NO on redeploying non-essential US troops out of Iraq in 9 months: Opposes topic 17