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)	Consistent supporter of reproductive rights: Strongly Favors topic 1 Supports human embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 Recommended by EMILY's List of pro-choice women: Favors topic 1 Rated 0% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance: Strongly Favors topic 1 Protect the reproductive rights of women: Strongly Favors topic 1 Supported funding contraception and UN family planning: Favors topic 1 NO on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on banning partial-birth abortions: Favors topic 1 NO on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Favors topic 1 NO on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes: Favors topic 1 NO on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on allowing human embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Keep affirmative action in college admissions: Strongly Favors topic 2 Reparations for former slaves, as promised & never delivered: Strongly Favors topic 2 Supports reparations for slavery: Favors topic 2 Get minorities into home ownership & global marketplace: Favors topic 2 Ending racial profiling is part of fight for justice: Favors topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for equal rights by gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Issue a commemorative postage stamp of Rosa Parks: Favors topic 2 Rated 97% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 Stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Favors topic 2 Establish a Women's Bureau in Dept. of Veterans Affairs: Favors topic 2 Supported funding for women's and disadvantaged businesses: Favors topic 2 NO on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions: Favors topic 2 YES on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	Supports gay adoptions: Strongly Favors topic 3 Increase funding for AIDS treatment & prevention: Favors topic 3 More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 Rated 80% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance: Strongly Favors topic 3 NO on banning gay adoptions in DC.: Favors topic 3
Strongly Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+5 points on Social scale)	NO on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Death Penalty (+5 points on Social scale)	Replace death penalty with life imprisonment: Strongly Opposes topic 8 End the death penalty; it's based on race & class: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Moratorium on death penalty; more DNA testing: Opposes topic 8 Require DNA testing for all federal executions: Opposes topic 8 YES on replacing death penalty with life imprisonment: Strongly Opposes topic 8 NO on making federal death penalty appeals harder: Strongly Opposes topic 8 YES on maintaining right of habeas corpus in Death Penalty Appeals: Opposes topic 8
Strongly Opposes topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (+5 points on Social scale)	End racial disparities in sentencing: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Police take communities of color as rampaging ground: Opposes topic 9 Rethink prisons; reverse astronomical incarceration rates: Opposes topic 9 Rated 80% by CURE, indicating pro-rehabilitation crime votes: Strongly Opposes 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 Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports single-payer universal health care: Strongly Favors topic 5 Resources for health needs, pre-natal & post-natal care: Strongly Favors topic 5 Take insurance companies out of health-care equation: Strongly Favors topic 5 More funding for Rx benefits, community health, CHIPs: Favors topic 5 MEDS Plan: Cover senior Rx under Medicare: Favors topic 5 Make health care a right, not a privilege: Strongly Favors topic 5 Supported funding women's health needs: Neutral on topic 5 NO on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage: Favors topic 5 NO on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay: Strongly Favors topic 5
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)	Changing Social Security disproportionately affects women: Opposes topic 6 Reject proposals for private saving accounts: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Supported pension reform and tax credits for long-term care: Neutral on topic 6 YES on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox: Opposes 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
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-5 points on Economic scale)	No Child Left Behind aimed at dismantling public education: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on vouchers for private & parochial schools: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on allowing vouchers in DC schools: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	Declare US carbon-free and nuclear-free: Strongly Favors topic 18 Implement Kyoto; raise CAFE; oppose drilling ANWR: Strongly Favors topic 18 Leave the oil in the soil: Strongly Favors topic 18 Protect ANWR; fund sustainable power sources: Strongly Favors topic 18 Preserve Alaska's ANWR instead of drilling it: Favors topic 18 Rated 100% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence: Favors topic 18 YES on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore: Strongly Favors topic 18
Strongly Opposes topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (+5 points on Social scale)	Legalize medical marijuana & needle exchanges: Strongly Opposes topic 19 End the war on drugs: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Detoxification & rehabilitation--not incarceration: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Rated +20 by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Opposes topic 19
Opposes topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (-3 points on Economic scale)	NO on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Opposes topic 20
Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-3 points on Economic scale)	American People's Dividend: Give $300 to every person: Favors topic 11 Rated 100% by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation: Strongly Favors topic 11 Reduce the concentration of wealth & wage inequality: Favors topic 11 Tax incentives for child care; eliminate marriage penalty: Neutral on topic 11 YES on eliminating the "marriage penalty": Opposes topic 11 NO on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business: Favors topic 11 NO on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Favors topic 11 YES on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 NO on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Favors topic 11 NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Favors topic 11
Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+2 points on Social scale)	No skilled worker visas; but no border fence either: Opposes topic 12 Corporations found scapegoats in "illegal immigrants": Strongly Favors topic 12 Illegal immigration shouldn't be a labor policy: Favors topic 12 NO on more immigrant visas for skilled workers: Opposes topic 12 YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12 YES on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Favors topic 12
Strongly Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-5 points on Economic scale)	No Fast Track; no MFN for China; no WTO; no CAFTA: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Repeal NAFTA & CAFTA to address immigration problems: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Put a stop to these "free trade" agreements, and quickly: Strongly Opposes topic 13 No MFN for China; condition trade on human rights: Neutral on 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 CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13
Strongly Opposes topic 15: Expand the armed forces (+5 points on Social scale)	Pentagon lost $2.3T; let's cut their funding: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Bring home all troops stationed abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 15 We have plenty of money for programs; it's just misallocated: Opposes topic 15 Speak out against Pentagon waste, fraud, and abuse: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Recognize women veterans; assist military families: Neutral on topic 15 NO on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Opposes topic 15 NO on deploying SDI: Opposes topic 15 NO on continuing military recruitment on college campuses: Opposes topic 15
Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-3 points on Economic scale)	Long been a supporter of publicly financed elections: Strongly Favors topic 16 End privately-owned and party-run voting machines: Favors topic 16 YES on banning soft money and issue ads: Favors topic 16 NO on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Opposes topic 16 NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Favors topic 16
Strongly Favors topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+5 points on Social scale)	End the rollback of our civil liberties: Strongly Favors topic 14 Maintain habeas corpus; oppose Patriot Act: Strongly Favors topic 14 Repeal the Patriot Act and end Islamophobia: Strongly Favors topic 14 Don't give up liberty in exchange for security: Strongly Favors topic 14 Address abuses of electronic monitoring in the workplace: 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 (+5 points on Social scale)	Cut funding for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 Immediate withdrawal from Iraq & from rest of world: Strongly Favors topic 17 Multi-year commitment to Africa for food & medicine: Strongly Favors topic 17 NO on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date: Strongly Favors topic 17