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 right (+5 points on Social scale)	Supports embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 Decision between a woman and her doctor: Strongly Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 NO on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP: Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1 NO on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions: Favors topic 1 NO on restricting UN funding for population control policies: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	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
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	Supports civil unions and equal rights for gay partners: Favors topic 3 No constitutional amendment defining marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3
No opinion on topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
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)	Lock up predatory sex offenders indefinitely: Favors topic 9 Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 YES on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program: Opposes topic 9
Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+2 points on Economic scale)	I would do nothing to hurt hunting: Favors topic 10 Extend the ban on assault weapons: Strongly Opposes topic 10 YES on prohibiting foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership: Favors topic 10 YES on allowing firearms in checked baggage on Amtrak trains: Favors topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	Crack down on the price of health care: Favors topic 5 Universal coverage is our goal: Strongly Favors topic 5 Disclose payments from manufacturers to physicians: Favors topic 5 NO on allowing tribal Indians to opt out of federal healthcare: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium: 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)	No raising retirement age; no cost of living increase: Strongly Opposes topic 6 President’s privatization scheme puts us at risk: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Raise cap from $90,000 for paying in: Opposes topic 6 Privatization is a risky scheme: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Make Social Security more secure for the long term: Opposes topic 6 Incentives for private retirement options: Favors topic 6 NO on establishing reserve funds & pre-funding for Social Security: Opposes topic 6
Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-3 points on Economic scale)	No Child Left Behind is an unfunded mandate: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	Invest in homegrown, renewable energy sources: Strongly Favors topic 18 Gas gouging penalty against oil companies: Favors topic 18 National strategy to address global warming: Strongly Favors topic 18 Sign on to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change: Strongly Favors topic 18 Designate sensitive ANWR area as protected wilderness: Favors topic 18 Let states define stricter-than-federal emission standards: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on factoring global warming into federal project planning: Favors topic 18 YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on addressing CO2 emissions without considering India & China: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on requiring full Senate debate and vote on cap-and-trade: Opposes topic 18 YES on protecting middle-income taxpayers from a national energy tax: Opposes topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-3 points on Social scale)	More resources to fight the meth epidemic: Favors topic 19
No opinion on topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-5 points on Economic scale)	Roll back tax cuts on people making over $336,000 a year: Strongly Favors topic 11 Reduce $250B deficit by rolling back capital gains & top 1%: Strongly Favors topic 11 Middle class tax cuts good; but current cuts are for rich: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset: Favors topic 11 NO on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax: Strongly Favors topic 11
No opinion on topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (0 points on Social scale)	No amnesty for companies hiring illegal immigrants: Opposes topic 12 Opposes Social Security for illegal immigrants: Opposes topic 12 YES on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities": Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on eliminating the "Y" nonimmigrant guestworker program: Neutral topic 12 YES on declaring English as the official language of the US government: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on comprehensive immigration reform: Strongly Favors topic 12
Strongly Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-5 points on Economic scale)	I will fight for fair trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Opposes CAFTA: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Level playing field and fair prices for farmers: 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)	Our troops need the best equipment and intelligence: Favors topic 15 Fight for a clear plan to bring our troops home safely: Strongly Opposes topic 15 YES on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months: Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-5 points on Economic scale)	Washington’s pay to play system hurts the middle class: Favors topic 16 Institute MN-style restrictions on lobbyist-funded gifts: Strongly Favors topic 16 Prohibit 'voter caging' which intimidates minority voting: Favors topic 16 Repeal automatic Congressional pay raises: Favors topic 16
Opposes topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (-3 points on Social scale)	I supported the Patriot Act: Opposes topic 14 Patriot Act provides necessary surveillance tools: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Detainee bill will not meet constitutional muster: Favors topic 14 Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror: Favors topic 14 YES on requiring FISA court warrant to monitor US-to-foreign calls: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Strongly Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq (+5 points on Social scale)	Work together with other countries to solve Iraq problem: Strongly Favors topic 17 Iraq has devolved into a civil war; get US troops out: Strongly Favors topic 17 Fight for accountability for the run-up to the Iraq war: Favors topic 17 Supported invading Afghanistan, but not Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 Iraq war needed moral compass of int’l cooperation: Strongly Favors topic 17 No troop surge: no military escalation in Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq by March 2008: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on redeploying non-essential US troops out of Iraq in 9 months: Favors topic 17