Clarence Thomas on VoteMatch

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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 unrestricted right (+2 points on Social scale)	1991: There us a right to privacy in the 14th Amendment: Favors topic 1 Personally views back-alley illegal abortions as torture: Favors topic 1 Never discussed Roe v. Wade in law school nor since: Neutral on topic 1 Overruling previous cases is a very serious matter: Favors topic 1 Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided & should be overturned: Strongly Opposes topic 1
Strongly Opposes topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (+5 points on Economic scale)	Affirmative action forever discounts black achievements: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Preferential policies should apply to disadvantaged whites: Opposes topic 2 Affirmative action has stigmatizing effects: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Focus on improving black colleges, not desegregation: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Opposed the Voting Rights Act & affirmative action: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Limit employer liability for sexual harassment by employees: Opposes topic 2 Employee must prove negligence to sue city for harassment: Opposes topic 2 Tension between affirmative help and undermining dignity: Opposes topic 2 Reaching out to minorities is OK; but no quotas: Neutral on topic 2 Supports scholarships & internships for minorities & women: Favors topic 2 Sociological analysis insufficient to prove gender bias: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Hate crimes must be separate crimes, not just for sentencing: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Congress can't allow lawsuits by rape victims under 14th Am.: Opposes topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (-5 points on Social scale)	Coloradans entitled to be hostile toward homosexual conduct: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Don't recognize GLBT as a constitutionally-protected class: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Sodomy laws are uncommonly silly but states can enforce them: Opposes topic 3 1st Amendment protects church's anti-gay funeral pickets: Opposes topic 3 State laws should not protect gay rights: Opposes topic 3 Boy Scouts may exclude gay scoutmasters: Opposes topic 3
Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-3 points on Social scale)	God in schools creates values; but wall of separation needed: Favors topic 4 Public housing entitlements are good programs: Opposes topic 4 Unconstitutional to deny scholarships to divinity students: Strongly Favors topic 4 Paying taxes insufficient to oppose religious or any credits: Favors topic 4
Strongly Opposes topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (+5 points on Economic scale)	States cannot ban cigarette ads near schools: Opposes topic 5 States have no authority to protect patient rights: Strongly Opposes topic 5 States decide insurance issues, not federal government: Neutral on topic 5 Federal law pre-empts state laws on generic drug warning: Strongly Opposes topic 5
No opinion on topic 6: Privatize Social Security (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+5 points on Economic scale)	School vouchers preferable to busing & welfare: Strongly Favors topic 7 Vouchers needed for failing urban public schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 Taxpayer funding OK for parochial school materials: Strongly Favors topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 8: Human needs over animal rights (-5 points on Social scale)	EPA, not Congress, determines when cost-benefit applies: Favors topic 8 Migratory birds don't extend CWA to isolated waters: Strongly Favors topic 8 Eminent domain should not take from poor to give to rich: Favors topic 8 Clean Water Act does not apply to wetlands: Strongly Favors topic 8 Can't sue polluters after they stop polluting: Favors topic 8
Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-3 points on Social scale)	As radical, imprisoned blacks were political prisoners: Strongly Opposes topic 9 In criminal-appeals, saw blacks were not political prisoners: Favors topic 9 Balance victim’s rights with defendant’s rights: Favors topic 9 Due process in death penalty cases, but limited restrictions: Favors topic 9 Uniform sentencing guidelines have eliminated much disparity: Favors topic 9 Scientific testing requires live testimony in criminal cases: Strongly Opposes topic 9 International Court not grounds for stay of execution: Strongly Favors topic 9 Fleeing the police is reasonable grounds for a search: Favors topic 9 Shorten time between sentencing and executions: Strongly Favors topic 9 OK to lengthen prison sentences retroactively: Favors topic 9 Miranda rights can be overruled by Congress: Strongly Favors topic 9 Life-sentence alternative doesn't affect death sentence: Favors topic 9
Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+2 points on Economic scale)	Interpreting Commerce Clause to ban guns is unconstitutional: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Felons may possess guns unless state explicitly prohibits it: Favors topic 10 Right to gun ownership is individual, not collective: Strongly Favors topic 10
Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-3 points on Economic scale)	Discriminatory fuel sales tax on railroads ok: Favors topic 11
Strongly Opposes topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (-5 points on Social scale)	No judicial limit on detaining illegal immigrants: Opposes topic 12 Automatic deportation for aliens convicted of crimes: Strongly Opposes topic 12 No back pay to illegal alien fired for union organizing: Strongly Opposes topic 12 INS may hold suspects for deportation, but habeas applies: Opposes topic 12 AZ may revoke licenses for hiring unauthorized aliens: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Sovereign immunity only applies to foreign-owned companies: Opposes topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 14: Maintain US sovereignty from UN (+5 points on Social scale)	Courts have no place in reviewing military decisions: Strongly Favors topic 14 No statute gives habeas review for non-citizens outside US: Strongly Favors topic 14 Vienna Convention treaty not binding on US courts: Strongly Favors topic 14
No opinion on topic 15: Expand the military (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Opposes topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (+5 points on Economic scale)	Public campaign finance can't be based on opponent spending: Strongly Opposes topic 16
Favors topic 17: Stay out of Iran (+2 points on Social scale)	Supported stock divestiture from South Africa: Favors topic 17
Opposes topic 18: Prioritize green energy (+2 points on Economic scale)	No disclosure needed by Cheney energy task force: Strongly Opposes topic 18 States can't request EPA to regulate CO2 greenhouse gases: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Federal statutes displace federal common law on CO2: Favors topic 18 Limit CWA restrictions to navigable waterways: Opposes topic 18
Favors topic 19: Never legalize marijuana (-3 points on Social scale)	Let states decide on medical marijuana: Favors topic 19 Sentences should stand despite crack-vs.-powder rule change: Favors topic 19 No tactile inspection by police for drugs: Opposes topic 19 Treat drug roadblocks the same as drunk-driving roadblocks: Favors topic 19
Opposes topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-3 points on Economic scale)	1980: Voted for Reagan & against ever-larger government: Opposes topic 20