Steve Forbes 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)
Strongly Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (-5 points on Social scale)	Recommends pledging pro-life platform, VP, & judges: Opposes topic 1 Limit abortions via step-by-step laws: Opposes topic 1 Life begins at conception; abortion leads to “extinction”: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Restrictions now; persuasion to make them disappear: Opposes topic 1
Opposes topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (+2 points on Economic scale)	No race or gender quotas nor preference: Opposes topic 2
Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+2 points on Social scale)	Against gay marriage but supports gay rights: Favors topic 3 Respects people without worrying about lifestyle choices: Favors topic 3 Would hire gays if they share his principles: Favors topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-5 points on Social scale)	Ten Commandments & prayer in schools: Strongly Favors topic 4 School prayer OK; civil rights are local issues: Strongly Favors topic 4 No separation of religion from civic life: Favors topic 4 Posting Ten Commandments is ‘a positive thing’: Strongly Favors topic 4 Allow students to study Bible in schools: Strongly Favors topic 4 Federal welfare is devolving to state and community: Favors topic 4 Charitable deduction gone under Flat Tax; but giving is not: Opposes topic 4
Opposes topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (+2 points on Economic scale)	Replace “gatekeepers” with health care vouchers: Opposes topic 5 Solve health care affordability with choice: Opposes topic 5 Allow opting out of Medicare via private doctors: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Expand Medical Savings Accounts: Favors topic 5 Medicare: More options, less bureaucracy: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Consumerism works in health care: Opposes topic 5 More funds for veterans’ hospitals: Favors topic 5 Provider rights: meet customer needs; respond to market.: Strongly Opposes topic 5
Strongly Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+5 points on Economic scale)	Private Soc. Sec. accounts for younger taxpayers: Strongly Favors topic 6 Use surplus to fund personal retirement accounts: Favors topic 6 Choose personal account or government account: Strongly Favors topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+5 points on Economic scale)	Federal involvement creates the crisis in our schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 Reforms should empower parents & teachers: Favors topic 7 Choice in education makes us more moral & more educated: Favors topic 7 More charters; vouchers at private & parochial schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 Supports public school choice & private school choice: Strongly Favors topic 7 Supports tax-supported vouchers for religious schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 Parental control will work even in inner cities: Favors topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Human needs over animal rights (+5 points on Social scale)	Protect environment while safeguarding property rights: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Strongly Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-5 points on Social scale)	Stricter penalties, more prisons, longer sentences: Strongly Favors topic 9 Supports death penalty; appoint judges to implement it: Strongly Favors topic 9 “One strike and you’re out” for violent felons: Strongly Favors topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Concealed carry OK; gun issues are local: Strongly Favors topic 10 Prosecute crimes done with guns; not buying guns: Favors topic 10 Key is to enforce 40,000 laws we have about guns now: Favors topic 10 Supports Second Amendment rights, with limits: Favors topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+5 points on Economic scale)	1995: 15% across-the-board tax cut to stimulate economy: Opposes topic 11 Optional flat tax: 17% with $13,200 deduction: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Top priority: throw out tax code: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Signed no-tax pledge; will “end IRS as we know it”: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Flat Tax of 17% on earnings over $36,000: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Bible has 700,000 words; Tax Code has 7 million. Junk it.: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Strongly Opposes topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (-5 points on Social scale)	Support English immersion programs: Opposes topic 12 Toughen rules on illegal immigration: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Replace WTO with free trade to UK, Australia, & Pacific Rim: Opposes topic 13 Do free trade ourselves, without WTO: Neutral on topic 13 Hopes for WTO as worldwide arbiter & lowering barriers: Strongly Favors topic 13 Supports Fast Track presidential trade authority: Strongly Favors topic 13
Favors topic 14: Maintain US sovereignty from UN (+2 points on Social scale)	Africa: Unshackle drug companies, not US aid, to fight AIDS: Favors topic 14 European Union is a “misguided global institution.”: Favors topic 14
Strongly Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-5 points on Social scale)	Percentage of GDP on defense is too little: Strongly Favors topic 15 Military has been hollowed with little to show: Strongly Favors topic 15 Stop “demobilizing” US military, or pay long-term price: Strongly Favors topic 15 Lack of military readiness hurts global economy: Favors topic 15
No opinion on topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 17: Stay out of Iran (0 points on Social scale)	Russia: Replace IMF loans with 5 rules of prosperity: Neutral on topic 17 IMF & USAID create economic crises by hiding risk: Opposes topic 17 Russia: No aid to kleptocrats until they pay workers: Opposes topic 17 Taiwan: Unconditional US response defends against China: Strongly Favors topic 17
Strongly Opposes topic 18: Prioritize green energy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Explore ANWR immediately, to reduce foreign oil dependence: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Kyoto Protocol based on flawed science & worse economics: Strongly Opposes topic 18 No real evidence of global warming: Strongly Opposes topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Never legalize marijuana (-5 points on Social scale)	Drugs are designed to dull our moral integrity: Strongly Favors topic 19 Legalization makes America safe for Colombian drug cartels: Strongly Favors topic 19 No medicinal marijuana - create synthetics instead: Strongly Favors topic 19
Strongly Opposes topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	A flat tax will help families, homeowners, and charities: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Better tax incentives for business investments: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Cut taxes & interest rates to avoid Asian recession: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Charitable deduction gone under Flat Tax; but giving is not: Strongly Opposes topic 20