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)	Supports a woman’s right to choose: Favors topic 1
Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Inclusion even if you don’t believe in affirmative action: Favors topic 2 Overcome black criticism by reaching out “for real”: Favors topic 2 Affirmative action gives minorities a competitive choice: Strongly Favors topic 2 Diversity over discrimination; it won’t go away by itself: Favors topic 2 Wants active government in protecting civil rights: Favors topic 2 Equal opportunity without preferential treatment: Neutral on topic 2
No opinion on topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (0 points on Social scale)	Skin color is not behavioral; sexual orientation is: Opposes topic 3 Originated “Don’t ask, don’t tell” as a compromise solution: Favors topic 3
Favors topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (-3 points on Social scale)	GOP values fuel families; families build communities: Favors topic 4 Family is important, but don’t impose “family values”: Opposes topic 4 A sense of shame is not a bad moral compass: Favors topic 4
No opinion 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)	Building jails is a temporary fix, not the solution: Opposes topic 9 Build our children instead of building jails: Opposes topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Reasonable investigation of gun registrants: Opposes topic 10
Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-3 points on Economic scale)	Promise Three: Healthy start and future: Favors topic 5
No opinion on topic 6: Privatize Social Security (0 points on Economic scale)	Hard reality: reduce entitlements or raise taxes: Neutral on topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (+5 points on Economic scale)	Supports charter schools, vouchers, home schools: Strongly Favors topic 7
Opposes topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (+2 points on Economic scale)	Tax credits & more funding for renewable energy research: Favors topic 18 Open small fraction of ANWR for regulated production : Strongly Opposes topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (+2 points on Social scale)	Can solve drug problem only by strengthening kids: Opposes topic 19 Assigned AWACS planes to fight drugs, despite opposition: Opposes topic 19
Opposes topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (-3 points on Economic scale)	Teach kids volunteerism while young: Strongly Favors topic 20 Reform the entitlement state, not just the welfare state: Opposes topic 20 Believes in value of many government social programs: Strongly Opposes topic 20
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (+5 points on Economic scale)	With GOP on economy; wants bipartisanship on social issues: Opposes topic 11 Lessen the burdens of taxes & debt: Opposes topic 11 Tax dollars are better spent if left in private hands: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+5 points on Social scale)	Immigration is part of our life’s blood: Strongly Favors topic 12 Value today’s immigrant as much as Mayflower descendant: Strongly Favors topic 12
No opinion on topic 13: Support & expand free trade (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Opposes topic 15: Expand the armed forces (+2 points on Social scale)	We’ll defeat tyranny as we defeated communism & fascism: Favors topic 15 Supports strategy of readiness for 2 near-simultaneous wars: Strongly Favors topic 15 Make military leaner & more efficient: Opposes topic 15 Supports base closures; too many are Congressional pork: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Cut strategic oil stockpile; end Cold War spending: Strongly Opposes topic 15
No opinion on topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+5 points on Social scale)	Close Guantanamo; it shakes belief in US justice system: Strongly Favors topic 14
Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq (+2 points on Social scale)	State Dept. is under-staffed and under-funded: Favors topic 17 American century gives way to “century of democracy”: Opposes topic 17 US need not choose between Israel & Arabs: Favors topic 17 US has always stood with Israel; and will continue to do so: Strongly Favors topic 17 Somalia: Feeding hungry OK; national-building not: Opposes topic 17 Oil is a vital interest; humanitarianism is not: Neutral on topic 17 Lebanon: providing “presence” not sufficient basis: Opposes topic 17