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)	Life begins at conception; abortion takes a life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 No human Life Amendment; let states decide individually: Opposes topic 1 Life begins at conception, but allow early abortions: Favors topic 1 Opposes partial birth ban; but no parental notification: Opposes topic 1 Appoint only strict constructionist judges: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Doesn’t recall 1994 survey ok’ing abortion; doesn’t ok it: Opposes topic 1 Roe usurped 200 years of law; return decision to states: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Roe v. Wade was bad law and bad science: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Appoint strict constructionist judges: Opposes topic 1 Has never been pro-choice despite 1994 news reports: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on banning partial birth abortions: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions: Opposes topic 1
Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	NO on banning affirmative action hiring with federal funds: Strongly Favors topic 2 NO on ending special funding for minority & women-owned business: Strongly Favors topic 2 NO on prohibiting same-sex basic training: Favors topic 2 NO on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women: Opposes topic 2
Opposes topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (-3 points on Social scale)	Be tolerant of gays, but no special categories or rights: Favors topic 3 No gay marriage; leave civil unions to the states: Favors topic 3 YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation: Strongly Opposes topic 3 NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation: Opposes topic 3 NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Favors topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (-3 points on Social scale)	YES on $75M for abstinence education: Strongly Favors topic 4 YES on killing restrictions on violent videos to minors: Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 8: Death Penalty (-5 points on Social scale)	Death penalty DOES deter murders: Strongly Favors topic 8 YES on limiting death penalty appeals: Favors topic 8
Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-3 points on Social scale)	Impose truth in sentencing for violent crime: Strongly Favors topic 9 NO on more penalties for gun & drug violations: Opposes topic 9 NO on $1.15 billion per year to continue the COPS program: Favors topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Strongly supports the Second Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 10 Allowing concealed carry could have limited VA Tech massacre: Strongly Favors topic 10 Having handguns in your home is a Constitutional right: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows: Favors topic 10 NO on background checks at gun shows: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (+5 points on Economic scale)	I like mandates; mandates work: Favors topic 5 One-size-fits-all programs are inefficient & inadequate: Opposes topic 5 Competition, free-market solutions & personal responsibility: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Your own decisions are better than massive bureaucracy: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Americans better served than nationalized Canadian system: Strongly Opposes topic 5 NO on blocking medical savings acounts: Opposes topic 5 YES on Medicare means-testing: Opposes topic 5 YES on limiting self-employment health deduction: Opposes topic 5 NO on including prescription drugs under Medicare: Opposes topic 5 YES on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit: Opposes topic 5
Strongly Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+5 points on Economic scale)	Allow individual retirement accounts with government match: Strongly Favors topic 6 Social Security & Medicare are generational wealth transfers: Favors topic 6 YES on deducting Social Security payments on income taxes: Favors topic 6 YES on allowing Roth IRAs for retirees: Favors topic 6 YES on allowing personal retirement accounts: Favors topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (+5 points on Economic scale)	The NEA opposes school choice; we must stop them: Strongly Favors topic 7 Use bully pulpit to support vouchers & homeschooling: Strongly Favors topic 7 Allow states to experiment with vouchers & charter schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 Promote voucher programs & charter schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 Encourage rights of parents to choose school: Strongly Favors topic 7 Best reforms are not federal but local, like charters: Favors topic 7 YES on school vouchers in DC: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on education savings accounts: Favors topic 7 YES on allowing more flexibility in federal school rules: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on Educational Savings Accounts: Favors topic 7 NO on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors: Favors topic 7 NO on funding student testing instead of private tutors: Favors topic 7
Opposes topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (+2 points on Economic scale)	Get ethanol market up, then let free market take over: Opposes topic 18 Invest in alternative fuels; with R&D to reduce CO2: Strongly Favors topic 18 Solar system is warming, not earth: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests: Favors topic 18 YES on defunding renewable and solar energy: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on ending discussion of CAFE fuel efficiency standards: Favors topic 18 YES on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling: Opposes topic 18 YES on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months: Strongly Opposes topic 18
Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-3 points on Social scale)	YES on spending international development funds on drug control: Strongly Favors topic 19 NO on more penalties for gun & drug violations: Opposes topic 19 YES on increasing penalties for drug offenses: Favors topic 19
Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+2 points on Economic scale)	YES on welfare overhaul: Favors topic 20 YES on allowing state welfare waivers: Favors topic 20 NO on eliminating block grants for food stamps: Favors topic 20 YES on welfare block grants: Favors topic 20
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (+5 points on Economic scale)	Tax cuts raise revenues; so much for the experts: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Preserve the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Phase out the AMT; lower taxes grow the economy: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Progressive tax redistributes wealth without helping economy: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Tax cuts stimulate the economy: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Member of the Congressional Flat Tax Caucus: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on Internet sales tax moratorium: Opposes topic 11 YES on requiring super-majority for raising taxes: Opposes topic 11 YES on eliminating the 'marriage penalty': Opposes topic 11 YES on prioritizing national debt reduction below tax cuts: Opposes topic 11 NO on reducing marriage penalty instead of cutting top tax rates: Opposes topic 11 NO on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction: Opposes topic 11
Strongly Opposes topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (-5 points on Social scale)	Secure our borders and end “sanctuary cities”: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Protecting our border is part of being a sovereign nation: Opposes topic 12 Eliminate welfare incentives for illegal immigrants: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Opposes amnesty in any form: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Nation loses sovereignty if it cannot secure its own borders: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on limit welfare for immigrants: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on visas for skilled workers: Favors topic 12 YES on allowing more foreign workers into the US for farm work: Favors topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	Free and fair trade is the backbone of our economy: Strongly Favors topic 13 Focus on protecting infrastructure for national security: Opposes topic 13 More trade helps South America and Africa: Strongly Favors topic 13 Don’t raise specter of protectionism on globalization: Strongly Favors topic 13 Market does more for freedom & prosperity than planners: Strongly Favors topic 13 Protectionist trade policies are defensive & defeatist: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on renewing 'fast track' presidential trade authority: Favors topic 13 YES on permanent normal trade relations with China: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on expanding trade to the third world: Favors topic 13 NO on removing common goods from national security export rules: Opposes topic 13 YES on granting normal trade relations status to Vietnam: Favors topic 13 YES on extending free trade to Andean nations: Strongly Favors topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-5 points on Social scale)	Intelligence and parts of our military were neglected: Favors topic 15 Spend more than current 4% of budget on military: Strongly Favors topic 15 Build larger, more capable, and more modern military: Strongly Favors topic 15 Supports missile defense system & enhanced intelligence: Strongly Favors topic 15 The day after Iraq: They have 100-year plan; we need one too: Strongly Favors topic 15 Europe mothballs its fleet, when all should build military: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on 1996 Defense Appropriations: Favors topic 15 YES on considering deploying NMD, and amending ABM Treaty: Favors topic 15 YES on favoring 36 vetoed military projects: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on allowing another round of military base closures: Opposes topic 15 YES on military pay raise of 4.8%: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on deploying National Missile Defense ASAP: Strongly Favors topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-5 points on Economic scale)	More hard money donations ok; but do away with soft money: Strongly Favors topic 16 Reasonable limitations on soft money: Favors topic 16 YES on favoring 1997 McCain-Feingold overhaul of campaign finance: Favors topic 16 YES on banning campaign donations from unions & corporations: Favors topic 16 YES on banning "soft money" contributions and restricting issue ads: Favors topic 16
Strongly Opposes topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (-5 points on Social scale)	Waterboarding ok if national security were at stake: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Keep Guantanamo open; keep embargo on Cuba: Opposes topic 14 Habeas corpus does not apply at Guantanamo; so keep it open: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Strongly Opposes topic 17: US out of Iraq (-5 points on Social scale)	Iraq is a war between civilization and evil: Strongly Opposes topic 17 If we had not gone to Iraq, Saddam would be developing nukes: Strongly Opposes topic 17 I would do essentially what the president’s doing in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Take any chance to not get run out of Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Internationalizing war effort will not win the war: Strongly Opposes topic 17 President must decide on war based on unclear evidence: Opposes topic 17 Prophets of doom are wrong--we can’t cut-and-run: Opposes topic 17 Goal of Iraqi enemies is to demoralize us: Opposes topic 17 Pre-emptive war has got to be an option: Strongly Opposes topic 17