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)
Neutral on topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (0 points on Social scale)	Opposes abortion, but government should provide full info: Opposes topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1
Opposes topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (+2 points on Economic scale)	Consider many factors in state contracts, but not race: Opposes topic 2
Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+2 points on Social scale)	Opposes gay marriage; supports equal gay rights: Opposes topic 3 YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Favors topic 3
Neutral on topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 8: Death Penalty (-3 points on Social scale)	Supports death penalty for treason: Favors topic 8
Strongly Opposes topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (+5 points on Social scale)	Supports alternative sentencing & rehabilitation: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 YES on expanding services for offendors' re-entry into society: Opposes topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Protect the Second Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 10 Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	Moral obligation to ensure access to quality healthcare: Strongly Favors topic 5 Better and immediate funding for Medicare & Medicaid: 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 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
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Let workers invest for retirement in addition to Soc. Sec.: Favors topic 6
Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-3 points on Economic scale)	Invest in our educational infrastructure: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	Sustainable energy plan to reduce fossil fuel dependence: Strongly Favors topic 18 Balance fossil fuels and viable renewable energy: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for renewable energy: 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
Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-3 points on Social scale)	Mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs: Favors topic 19
Neutral 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)	Roll back tax cuts on to p1%; but decrease estate tax: Favors topic 11 Repeal Bush’s tax cuts: 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 Opposes topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (-5 points on Social scale)	Secure our borders; no amnesty: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Establish English as the official national language: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Declare English as the official language of the US: Opposes topic 12
Strongly Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-5 points on Economic scale)	Opposes NAFTA & CAFTA, but supports GATT & WTO: 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 15: Expand the armed forces (+2 points on Social scale)	Extend reserve retirement pay parity back to 9/11: Favors topic 15 YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports public funding for political camapigns: Strongly Favors topic 16 Supports Shays-Meehan Campaign Finance Reform: Favors topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Opposes topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (-3 points on Social scale)	No random searches; no pre-emptive strikes without threat: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on retroactive immunity for telecoms' warrantless surveillance: Opposes topic 14
Opposes topic 17: US out of Iraq (-3 points on Social scale)	Withdraw one US battalion as each Iraqi battalion is trained: Strongly Favors topic 17 Strengthen sanctions on Syria & assist democratic transition: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days: Strongly Opposes topic 17 YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Favors topic 17