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)
Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (-3 points on Social scale)	More laws don't solve problems on abortion: Favors topic 1 Efforts to fund abortion ranks among stupidest policies: Opposes topic 1 Abortion laws should be a state-level choice: Favors topic 1 Abortion causes inconsistent moral basis for value of life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Day-after pill allows individual moral choice: Favors topic 1 Abortion is murder: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Roe v. Wade decision was harmful to the Constitution: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Protecting the life of the unborn is protecting liberty: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Get the federal government out of abortion decision: Opposes topic 1 Delivered 4000 babies; & assuredly life begins at conception: Opposes topic 1 Nominate only judges who refuse to legislate from the bench: Opposes topic 1 Save “snowflake babies”: no experiments on frozen embryos: Opposes topic 1 No tax funding for organizations that promote abortion: Opposes topic 1 Sanctity of Life Act: remove federal jurisdiction: Strongly Opposes topic 1 No federal funding of abortion, and pro-life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Rated 56% by the NRLC, indicating a mixed record on abortion: Neutral on topic 1 Bar funding for abortion under federal Obamacare plans: Opposes topic 1 Prohibit federal funding for abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Prohibit federal funding to groups like Planned Parenthood: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Supports the Pro-life Presidential Leadership Pledge: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Report on Medicaid payments to abortion providers: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 NO on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortions: Opposes topic 1 YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Opposes topic 1 NO on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes: Favors topic 1 YES on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info: Opposes topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life: Strongly Opposes 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 NO on allowing human embryonic stem cell research: Opposes topic 1 NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Opposes topic 1
Strongly Opposes topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (+5 points on Economic scale)	Voluntary associations are better than quotas: Strongly Opposes topic 2 No affirmative action for any group: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Gender-equal pay violates idea of voluntary contract: Opposes topic 2 Rated 39% by NAACP, indicating a mixed record on affirmative-action: Neutral on topic 2 YES on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions: Opposes topic 2 NO on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Opposes topic 2
Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+2 points on Social scale)	No federal marriage licenses & no state licenses either: Strongly Favors topic 3 Let churches marry couples, without government document: Favors topic 3 Government is totally unnecessary for gay marriage laws: Strongly Favors topic 3 Definition of marriage is free speech: Strongly Favors topic 3 Replace "hate crime" with equal penalties for equal assaults: Opposes topic 3 Protect all voluntary associations; don’t define marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 No need for Marriage Amendment; DOMA is enough: Opposes topic 3 Opposes “hate crimes” legislation: Opposes topic 3 No “sexual orientation” in Employment Non-Discrimination Act: Opposes topic 3 No legislation to counteract the homosexual agenda: Favors topic 3 Rated 38% by the HRC, indicating a mixed record on gay rights: Neutral on topic 3 YES on banning gay adoptions in DC: Opposes 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 NO on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Opposes topic 3
Favors topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (-3 points on Social scale)	Congress should never prohibit Christian faith in public: Strongly Favors topic 4 Evolution doesn't support atheism nor diminish God: Opposes topic 4 School prayer is not a federal issue: Strongly Opposes topic 4 Don’t impeach judges for decisions on legislature prayers: Opposes topic 4 Present scientific facts that support creationism: Favors topic 4 Disallow lawsuits that stop public officials invoking God: Strongly Favors topic 4 Protect military chaplains’ right to pray in preferred faith: Favors topic 4 No Fairness Doctrine: no equal time if morally objectionable: Favors topic 4 Rated 76% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Favors topic 4 Rated 17% by the AU, indicating opposition to church-state separation: Strongly Favors topic 4 Supports a Constitutional Amendment for school prayer: Strongly Favors 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 YES on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4 NO on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Death Penalty (+5 points on Social scale)	Too many capital convictions have been proven errors: Opposes topic 8 Eliminate ultimate penalty & incarcerate for life: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Opposes death penalty at state and federal level: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Changed opinion to anti-death penalty due to many mistakes: Opposes topic 8 Opposes the death penalty: Opposes topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 60% by CURE, indicating mixed votes on rehabilitation: Neutral on 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
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	No negligence lawsuits against gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10 Opposes the DC Gun Ban; it’s not just a “collective right”: Strongly Favors topic 10 Ease procedures on the purchase and registration of firearms: Strongly Favors topic 10 Allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms: Strongly Favors topic 10 Support the Second Amendment : Strongly Favors topic 10 Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record: Strongly Favors topic 10 Sponsored bill against United Nations taxation on firearms: Strongly Favors topic 10 Require video recording of every firearm test by ATF: Favors topic 10 Individual right to self-defense at home and as self-defense: Strongly Favors topic 10 Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC: Strongly Favors topic 10 Liberty Candidate: no point in keeping guns you can't access: 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
Opposes topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (+2 points on Economic scale)	Let people opt out of Medicare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Private medical savings accounts, not government meddling: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Transfer funds from debt & empire-building to healthcare: Strongly Favors topic 5 Socialized medicine won’t work; nor managed care: Opposes topic 5 Managed care is expensive and hasn’t worked: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Oppose mandated health insurance and universal coverage: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Abolish federal Medicare entitlement; leave it to states: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Limit anti-trust lawsuits on health plans and insurers: Opposes topic 5 Rated 56% by APHA, indicating a mixed record on public health issues: Neutral on topic 5 Repeal the Job-Killing Health Care Law: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Repeal ObamaCare reporting requirements for small business: Opposes topic 5 Expand medical savings accounts for employers & individuals: Opposes topic 5 NO on giving mental health full equity with physical health: Opposes topic 5 NO on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids: Strongly Opposes topic 5 YES on repealing the "Prevention and Public Health" slush fund: Strongly Opposes topic 5 NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Favors topic 5 YES on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts: Opposes topic 5 NO on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage: 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 NO on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility: Opposes topic 5 NO on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare: Opposes topic 5 NO on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: Opposes topic 5 NO on regulating tobacco as a drug: Opposes topic 5
Strongly Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+5 points on Economic scale)	Abolish Social Security, but not overnight: Strongly Favors topic 6 Allow young people to get out of the system: Strongly Favors topic 6 Personal retirement accounts allow investing in one’s future: Favors topic 6 Create personal retirement accounts within Social Security: Strongly Favors topic 6 Sponsored bill to put Trust Fund into market certificates: Strongly Favors topic 6 Rated 30% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record: Strongly Favors topic 6 NO on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox: Favors topic 6 YES on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits: Favors topic 6 YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Favors topic 6
Favors topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (+2 points on Economic scale)	Stop enforcing No Child Left Behind; allow opt-out of system: Favors topic 7 Competition helps, but vouchers invite bureaucratic control: Opposes topic 7 Encourage homeschooling & private school via tax writeoff: Strongly Favors topic 7 Tax-credited programs for Christian schooling: Strongly Favors topic 7 Abolish the federal Department of Education: Strongly Favors topic 7 Sponsored bill for private scholarships to public schools: Favors topic 7 Rated 67% by the NEA, indicating a mixed record on public education: Neutral on topic 7 YES on reauthorizing the DC opportunity scholarship program: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on vouchers for private & parochial schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 NO on allowing vouchers in DC schools: Opposes topic 7 NO on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Favors topic 7 NO on $40B for green public schools: Favors topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (+5 points on Economic scale)	Absurd to let global bureaucrats try to manipulate climate: Opposes topic 18 Repeal the gas tax: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Rated 5% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Rated 0% by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence: Opposes topic 18 Bar greenhouse gases from Clean Air Act rules: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Repeal weatherization assistance for low-income persons: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Repeal requirements for compact fluorescent bulbs: Favors topic 18 No EPA regulation of greenhouse gases: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Liberty Candidate: tax incentives for US-based alternatives: Opposes topic 18 NO on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Opposes topic 18 NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC: Opposes topic 18 NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets: Opposes topic 18 NO on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Opposes topic 18 NO on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Opposes topic 18
Strongly Opposes topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (+5 points on Social scale)	Cancel the drug war, and cancel its violence: Strongly Opposes topic 19 We don't need laws to tell us to not use heroin: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Legalizing prostitution is about protecting liberty: Opposes topic 19 Drug War allows drug lords to make a lot more money: Opposes topic 19 Someday we'll wake up and end the Second Prohibition: Strongly Opposes topic 19 War on drugs is out of control; revert control to states: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Inner-city minorities are punished unfairly in war on drugs: Opposes topic 19 $500B on War on Drugs since 1970s has been a total failure: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Legalize industrial hemp: Opposes topic 19 War on Drugs has abused Bill of Rights : Strongly Opposes topic 19 Legalize medical marijuana: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Rated A by VOTE-HEMP, indicating a pro-hemp voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Rated +30 by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Allow rehabilitated drug convicts get student loans: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Ban federal funding for needle-exchange programs: Strongly Favors topic 19 Distribute sterile syringes to reduce AIDS and hepatitis: Opposes topic 19 Sponsored bill letting states legalize industrial hemp: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on subjecting federal employees to random drug tests: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Opposes topic 19
Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+2 points on Economic scale)	Churches used to take care of ill without insurance: Favors topic 20 Welfare state isn't in the Constitution: Favors topic 20 Let churches provide services for immigrants, not state: Strongly Favors topic 20 Bush’s faith-based initiative is “a neocon project”: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Abolish federal welfare; leave it all to states: Strongly Favors topic 20 NO on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Opposes topic 20 NO on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Opposes topic 20 NO on instituting National Service as a new social invention: Favors topic 20
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (+5 points on Economic scale)	Repeal 16th Amendment and get rid of the income tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Spending money doesn’t stimulate economy; reduced taxes do: Strongly Opposes topic 11 I have never voted for a tax increase; and never will: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Campaign slogan in 2004: The Taxpayers’ Best Friend: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Doesn’t want flat tax or consumption tax: Strongly Favors topic 11 Overhaul income tax; end capital gains & inheritance tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Phaseout the death tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 89% by NTU, indicating a "Taxpayer's Friend" on tax votes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 0% by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Repeal the Death Tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Taxpayer Protection Pledge: no new taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Supports the Taxpayer Protection Pledge: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on eliminating the "marriage penalty": Opposes topic 11 YES on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business: Opposes topic 11 YES on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Opposes topic 11 YES on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income: Favors topic 11
Strongly Opposes topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (-5 points on Social scale)	No amnesty, but border fence isn’t so important: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Tamper-proof I.D. for immigrants is a bad idea: Favors topic 12 End all incentives and amnesty for illegal immigrants: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated 100% by FAIR, indicating a voting record restricting immigration: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated 83% by USBC, indicating a sealed-border stance: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Government services in English only: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated C by the ALI, indicating an acceptably anti-amnesty stance: Opposes topic 12 Declare English as the official language of the US: Opposes topic 12 YES on more immigrant visas for skilled workers: Favors topic 12 YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12 YES on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	China trade benefits American consumers: Strongly Favors topic 13 No embargoes & no tariffs; but no NAFTA too: Favors topic 13 I oppose trade organizations because of flawed fast-track: Opposes topic 13 Free trade agreements threaten national sovereignty: Strongly Opposes topic 13 No North American Union; no WTO; no UN: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Inappropriate to impose sanctions for persecuting Christians: Favors topic 13 China trade not contingent on human rights & product safety: Favors topic 13 No NAFTA Superhighway from Canada to Mexico: Opposes topic 13 No restrictions on import/export; but maintain sovereignty : Strongly Favors topic 13 End economic protectionism: let dairy compacts expire : Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 76% by CATO, indicating a pro-free trade voting record: Strongly Favors 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 YES on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Opposes 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 implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly 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)	Enhance national security by slashing military spending: Strongly Opposes topic 15 We manufactured fear about Saddam, Al Qaeda, & Ahmadinejad: Strongly Opposes topic 15 We can’t afford a trillion-dollar war in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Neither Dems nor GOP will cut one nickel from militarism: Strongly Opposes topic 15 We can't keep troops in 135 countries & 900 bases forever: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Bring all troops home from abroad & save $100B’s every year: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Military aggressiveness weakens our national defense: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Costs of war always higher than expected & go on for decades: Opposes topic 15 End draft registration; all-volunteer forces : Strongly Opposes topic 15 Federal duty to provide missile defense : Strongly Favors topic 15 Rated 67% by SANE, indicating a mixed record on military issues: Neutral on topic 15 Terminate Selective Service: Opposes topic 15 Free postage for soldiers serving abroad: Favors topic 15 NO on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Opposes topic 15 YES on deploying SDI: Favors topic 15 NO on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Opposes topic 15 YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses: Favors topic 15 YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Opposes topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (+2 points on Economic scale)	Tax-funded elections are worse than campaign finance reform: Strongly Opposes topic 16 Reduce the salary of Members of Congress: Favors topic 16 Military spouses don't lose voting residency while abroad: Favors topic 16 Repeal automatic Congressional pay raises: Favors topic 16 NO on banning soft money and issue ads: Opposes topic 16 NO on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Opposes topic 16 NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Favors topic 16 NO on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Opposes topic 16
Strongly Favors topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+5 points on Social scale)	Guantanamo prisoners are just suspects; not terrorists yet: Strongly Favors topic 14 Many terrorists have been properly tried in US courts: Strongly Favors topic 14 Waterboarding doesn't achieve anything: Strongly Favors topic 14 Constitution even protects terrorists, not just citizens: Strongly Favors topic 14 Patriot Act is radical departure from 4th Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 14 First Amendment was written for controversial speech: Strongly Favors topic 14 We are drifting rather rapidly into a totalitarian state: Strongly Favors topic 14 Violating habeas corpus will be used against us: Strongly Favors topic 14 Be cautious about warrantless searches & habeas corpus: Strongly Favors topic 14 Criticizes use of war on terror to curtail civil liberties: Strongly Favors topic 14 We can’t fight for freedom if we impose Patriot Act: Strongly Favors topic 14 In times of war, our freedoms are threatened at home: Favors topic 14 Worldwide interventionism requires perpetual fear: Favors topic 14 Opposes Patriot Act & Iraq War: 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 NO on extending the PATRIOT Act's roving wiretaps: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on making the PATRIOT Act permanent: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant: Strongly Favors topic 14
Strongly Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (+5 points on Social scale)	17,000 troops for Baghdad embassy? Come home!: Strongly Favors topic 17 Pay attention to US borders, not international borders: Favors topic 17 Out of Iraq; stay out of Libya; stop bombing Yemen: Strongly Favors topic 17 War in Iraq was senseless invasion of sovereign state: Strongly Favors topic 17 The Iraq war was not worth the price in blood and treasure: Favors topic 17 Ronald Reagan had the courage to turn tail & run in Lebanon: Strongly Favors topic 17 Iraq war is illegal; undeclared wars never end & we lose: Strongly Favors topic 17 Neocons promoted Iraq war for years; not about Al Qaida: Strongly Favors topic 17 We should have declared war in Iraq, or not gone in at all: Favors topic 17 Opposes Iraq war and opposes path toward Iran war: Strongly Favors topic 17 Exceptionalism shouldn't mean using force around the world: Favors topic 17 Foreign aid often more harmful than helpful : Strongly Opposes topic 17 Ban foreign aid to oil-producers who restrict production: Opposes topic 17 Terminate funding for Iraq War on Dec. 31, 2011: Strongly Favors topic 17 Liberty Candidate: US abroad unconstitutional & unaffordable: Opposes topic 17 YES on removing US armed forces from Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval: Favors topic 17 NO on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Favors 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