Joe Sestak on VoteMatch

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)
Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (+2 points on Social scale)	Right to choose is part of securing future for women: Favors topic 1 Supports Roe v. Wade: Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 Teach teens about both abstinence & contraception: Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Create new contract opportunities for MWOB small businesses: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ensure that women are provided fair wages: 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
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	Equal LGBT rights: Strongly Favors topic 3 ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays: Favors topic 3 Opposes Amendment to prevent same sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 Opposes banning homosexuals in the military: Strongly Favors topic 3 Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays: 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
Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+2 points on Social scale)	Sex Ed including both abstinence and contraception: Opposes topic 4
Neutral 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)	Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 Supports more severe penalties for Hate Crimes: Favors topic 9 YES on expanding services for offendors' re-entry into society: Opposes topic 9
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	Close the Gun Show Loophole; restrict show sales: Opposes topic 10 Rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	Shift away from fee-for-service programs: Strongly Favors topic 5 Sponsored bill providing for autism treatment under TRICARE: Favors topic 5 Expand the National Health Service Corps: 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 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)	Co-sponsored the Social Security Fairness Act: Opposes topic 6 Oppose privatization; would have lost income in recession: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Opposes private retirement accounts: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-3 points on Economic scale)	Improve our nation's schools and make college accessible: Opposes topic 7 Invest more in our public schools, and demand more: Opposes topic 7 Opposes less federal & more local control of education: Opposes topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	Offshore drilling moratorium; oversight of Marcellus Shale: Strongly Favors topic 18 Reduce greenhouse emissions & stop global warming: Strongly Favors topic 18 Create an advanced alternative energy research project: Strongly Favors topic 18 Supports renewable energy tax credits: Strongly 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 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
Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-3 points on Social scale)	YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Favors topic 19
Opposes topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (-3 points on Economic scale)	YES on instituting National Service as a new social invention: Opposes topic 20
Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-3 points on Economic scale)	Bush tax oplicies shift burden to middle class & future: 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: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+5 points on Social scale)	Allow Continued funding of sanctuary cities: Strongly Favors topic 12 Supports Granting amnesty to illegal immigrants: Strongly Favors topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Tariffs against countries undervaluing their currency: Opposes topic 13 YES on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Opposes topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13
Opposes topic 15: Expand the armed forces (+2 points on Social scale)	Free postage for soldiers serving abroad: 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)	YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Strongly Favors topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+5 points on Social scale)	Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror: Favors topic 14 YES on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on retroactive immunity for telecoms' warrantless surveillance: Opposes topic 14
Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (+2 points on Social scale)	Ensure stability as we draw down our forces in Iraq: Favors topic 17 We’ve achieved our goals; withdraw from Iraq by end of 2007: Strongly Favors topic 17 Strengthen sanctions on Syria & assist democratic transition: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Opposes timetable for troop withdrawal from Afghanistan: Opposes 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