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 Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (+5 points on Social scale)	Champion of woman's ability to make her own decisions: Strongly Favors topic 1 Endorsed by Planned Parenthood; supports abortion rights: Strongly Favors topic 1 Litmus test for Supreme Court nominees on abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record: Strongly Favors topic 1 Rated 0% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance: Strongly Favors topic 1 Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Access safe, legal abortion without restrictions: Strongly Favors topic 1 Keep federal funding for family planning clinics: Strongly Favors topic 1 Rated Born-Alive Survivors bill tries to illegalize abortion: Favors topic 1 Protect the reproductive rights of women: Strongly Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 Focus on preventing pregnancy, plus emergency contraception: Favors topic 1 NO on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on banning partial-birth abortions: Favors topic 1 NO on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Favors topic 1 NO on Unknown roll call for 2001-89: Favors topic 1 NO on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info: Favors topic 1 NO on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: Favors topic 1 NO on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on allowing human embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	History of voting for women's rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for equal rights by gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Issue a commemorative postage stamp of Rosa Parks: Favors topic 2 Rated 100% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for women's equal rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ratify CEDAW (Discrimination Against Women): Strongly Favors topic 2 Endorsed as "preferred" by The Feminist Majority indicating pro-women's rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Sponsored removing deadline for ratification of the ERA: Strongly Favors topic 2 More funding & services for victims of domestic violence: Strongly Favors topic 2 Enforce against wage discrimination based on gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination: Favors topic 2 Honor the 100th anniversary of the NAACP: Favors topic 2 YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act: Favors topic 2 NO on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions: Favors topic 2 YES on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale)	More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 Rated 100% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance: Strongly Favors topic 3 ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays: Favors topic 3 Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays: Favors topic 3 Prohibit sexual-identity discrimination at schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Apply copyright inheritance to same-sex couples: Strongly Favors topic 3 Maintain LGBT health info on federal websites: Strongly Favors topic 3 Provide benefits to domestic partners of Federal employees: Strongly Favors topic 3 NO on banning gay adoptions in DC: Favors topic 3 NO on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 NO on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Favors topic 3
Strongly Opposes topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (+5 points on Social scale)	Rated 7% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 4 NO on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer: Strongly Opposes topic 4 NO on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Opposes topic 4 NO on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Opposes topic 4 NO on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror: Strongly Opposes topic 4 NO on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Opposes topic 4 NO on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4 YES on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Expand online clinical trials registry: Favors topic 5 Supported ObamaCare but would repeal aspects of it: Opposes topic 5 MEDS Plan: Cover senior Rx under Medicare: Favors topic 5 Rated 100% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record: Strongly Favors topic 5 Establish a National Diabetes Coordinator: Favors topic 5 Merge Alzheimers diagnosis and care benefit: Favors topic 5 Expand the National Health Service Corps: Strongly Favors topic 5 Make health care a right, not a privilege: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on giving mental health full equity with physical health: Favors topic 5 YES on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on repealing the "Prevention and Public Health" slush fund: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Favors topic 5 NO on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts: Favors topic 5 YES on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Favors topic 5 NO on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Favors topic 5 NO on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Favors topic 5 NO on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay: Strongly Favors 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 YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: Favors topic 5 YES on regulating tobacco as a drug: Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Opposes privatizing, or any changes that reduce benefits: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Oppose Bush's Social Security benefit cut: Opposes topic 6 Reject proposals for private saving accounts: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 100% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Reject privatization; don't raise the retirement age: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Sponsored keeping CPI for benefits instead of lower "Chained CPI": Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 100% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance: Strongly Opposes topic 6 YES on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox: Opposes topic 6 NO on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits: Opposes topic 6 YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Favors topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	Reduce class size to 18 children in grades 1 to 3: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Rated 92% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Sponsored extending subsidized federal student loan rates until 2015: Opposes topic 7 NO on reauthorizing the DC opportunity scholarship program: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on vouchers for private & parochial schools: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on allowing vouchers in DC schools: Opposes topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+5 points on Social scale)	Nuclear power is a very expensive way to boil water: Favors topic 8 Prohibits commercial logging on Federal public lands: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Rated 100% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs: Opposes topic 8 Prohibits breeding or possessing Big Cat species: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Sponsored enforcing against illegal ocean fishing: Opposes topic 8 Endorsed Endorsed by LCV; supports conservation efforts: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting: Strongly Opposes topic 8 NO on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species: Strongly Opposes topic 8 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 8 YES on protecting free-roaming horses and burros: Opposes topic 8
Strongly Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+5 points on Social scale)	Rated 78% by CURE, indicating pro-rehabilitation crime votes: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Moratorium on death penalty; more DNA testing: Opposes topic 9 Require DNA testing for all federal executions: Opposes topic 9 Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 YES on replacing death penalty with life imprisonment: Strongly Opposes topic 9 NO on making federal death penalty appeals harder: Strongly Opposes topic 9 YES on maintaining right of habeas corpus in Death Penalty Appeals: Opposes topic 9 NO on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime: Opposes topic 9 YES on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.: Strongly Opposes topic 9 YES on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society: Opposes topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Expand background checks; ban assault weapons; fight NRA: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Fight the NRA for broader gun control measures: Strongly Favors topic 10 Rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Close the Gun Show Loophole; restrict show sales: Opposes topic 10 Ban "fire sale" of firearms after delicensing closure: Opposes topic 10 Ban large-capacity ammunition: Opposes topic 10 Stricter regulation on gun show firearm sales: Opposes topic 10 Co-sponsored background check for every firearm sale: Strongly Favors topic 10 NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Higher-income people should pay their fair share of taxes: Strongly Favors topic 11 American People's Dividend: Give $300 to every person: Favors topic 11 Rated 25% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes: Strongly Favors topic 11 Rated 100% by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation: Strongly Favors topic 11 Minimum tax rate of 30% for those earning over $1 million: Strongly Favors topic 11 Sponsored enforcing against corporate offshore tax haven banking: Favors topic 11 Make employee educational assistance tax-deductible: Favors topic 11 Reduce the concentration of wealth & wage inequality: Favors topic 11 NO on eliminating the "marriage penalty": Favors topic 11 NO on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business: Favors topic 11 NO on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Favors topic 11 NO on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Favors topic 11 NO on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Favors topic 11 NO on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income: Opposes topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	Would not trade protecting DACA for wall: Strongly Favors topic 12 Supports comprehensive immigration reform: Strongly Favors topic 12 Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration: Strongly Favors topic 12 Rated 0% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance: Strongly Favors topic 12 Terminate national emergency at the Southern border: Favors topic 12 YES on more immigrant visas for skilled workers: Favors topic 12 YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12 NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Favors topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Rated 50% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 Sponsored imposing import fee on countries with undervalued currency: Opposes topic 13 Declare Turkish rebar subject to anti-dumping duties: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Fight Chinese predatory trade practices on car tires: Strongly Opposes topic 13 $25B more loans from Export-Import Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 38% by the USAE, indicating support for trade sanctions: Opposes topic 13 No MFN for China; condition trade on human rights: Neutral on topic 13 NO on 'Fast Track' authority for trade agreements: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Opposes topic 13 NO on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Favors topic 13 NO on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Opposes topic 13 NO on promoting free trade with Peru: Opposes topic 13
Opposes topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (-3 points on Economic scale)	Disallow Palestine from joining ICC to threaten Israel: Favors topic 14 Welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees now, and more later: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Enforce humanitarian aid access to South Sudan: Opposes topic 14 Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror: Opposes topic 14 Allow travel between the United States and Cuba: Opposes topic 14 YES on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Opposes topic 14 YES on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on withholding $244M in UN Back Payments until US seat restored: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on reforming the UN by restricting US funding: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Opposes topic 14 NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Opposes topic 15: Expand the military (+2 points on Social scale)	Take US nuclear missiles off high alert: Opposes topic 15 Rated 100% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Establish a Department of Peace and Nonviolence: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Defund nuclear-armed aircraft and nuclear R&D or testing: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Non-proliferation includes disposing of nuclear materials: Opposes topic 15 Exempt Veterans Affairs from federal hiring freeze: Favors topic 15 YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Favors topic 15 NO on deploying SDI: Opposes topic 15 YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 15 NO on continuing military recruitment on college campuses: Opposes topic 15 YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge: Strongly Favors topic 16 Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures: Strongly Favors topic 16 Automatic voter registration for all citizens: Strongly Favors topic 16 YES on banning soft money and issue ads: Favors topic 16 NO on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Opposes topic 16 YES on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Favors topic 16 NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Favors topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Favors topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (+2 points on Social scale)	2003 Iraq war vote was a mistake; 2013 Syria vote was not: Opposes topic 17 No coherent strategy for exiting from Iraq: Favors topic 17 Multi-year commitment to Africa for food & medicine: Strongly Favors topic 17 Member of the Out-of-Iraq Congressional Caucus: Strongly Favors topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Defund US military presence in Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 17 Iran must accept long-term intrusive nuke inspection: Opposes topic 17 Hold Assad accountable for slaughter of civilians: Opposes topic 17 No military force against Iran without Congress approval: Strongly Favors topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 YES on removing US armed forces from Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 17 NO on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval: Opposes topic 17 YES on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Favors topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	More offshore wind and solar--but no Green New Deal: Strongly Favors topic 18 Simply unneeded to subsidize oil industry: Strongly Favors topic 18 Preserve Alaska's ANWR instead of drilling it: Favors topic 18 Establish greenhouse gas tradeable allowances: Strongly Favors topic 18 Rated 100% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence: Favors topic 18 Extend through 2016 the renewable energy tax credit: Strongly Favors topic 18 Sponsored Green New Deal: 10-year national mobilization: Strongly Favors topic 18 Let states define stricter-than-federal emission standards: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 NO on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on investing in homegrown biofuel: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets: Favors topic 18 YES on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Favors topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Supports medical marijuana & marijuana banking: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Rated +20 by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Allow rehabilitated drug convicts get student loans: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Harsher sentencing for "pill mill" operators: Strongly Favors topic 19 Rated 75% by NORML, indicating a pro-legalization stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Rated C+ by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 Keep ObamaCare's prevention, treatment, & recovery services: Opposes topic 19 Criminalize imports of opioid precursors: Favors topic 19 NO on subjecting federal employees to random drug tests: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Opposes topic 19 YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Favors topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	Sequestration is another word for mindless cuts: Strongly Favors topic 20 90% tax on executive bonuses at companies receiving TARP: Strongly Favors topic 20 Increase debt limit from $14.3 trillion to $16.7 trillion: Favors topic 20 Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016: Favors topic 20 Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016: Favors topic 20 NO on prioritizing spending in case debt limit is reached: Favors topic 20 YES on $60B stimulus package for jobs, infrastructure, & energy: Strongly Favors topic 20 YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending: Strongly Favors topic 20

Ed Markey is a Hard-Core Liberal
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