Mark Sanford 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)	No taxpayer funding of abortions via ObamaCare: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Ban abortion after 20 weeks, except for maternal life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Include pre-born human beings in 14th Amendment protection: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortions: Opposes topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Affirmative action in state contracts, but not colleges: Strongly Favors topic 2 NO on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions: Favors topic 2
Opposes topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (-3 points on Social scale)	No civil unions; define one-man-one-woman marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Protect anti-same-sex marriage opinions as free speech: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Rated Religious objections to GLBT services same as 1960s racism: Strongly Favors topic 3 Respect faith-based opposition to same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 YES on banning gay adoptions in DC: Opposes topic 3
Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-3 points on Social scale)	Endorses teacher-led prayer & displaying Ten Commandments: Strongly Favors topic 4 Redirect welfare funding to faith-based organizations: Strongly Favors topic 4 NO on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Opposes topic 4
Opposes topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (+2 points on Economic scale)	Transfer more Medicaid recipients into managed care programs: Opposes topic 5 Loosen "one-size-fits-all" approach to Medicaid: Opposes topic 5 Fully repealing ObamaCare is important, but not sufficient: Strongly Opposes 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
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Sponsored bill for personal retirement accounts in Soc.Sec.: Strongly Favors topic 6 Rated 0% by ARA, indicating a pro-privatization stance: Strongly Favors topic 6 Reduce taxes on Social Security earnings: Favors topic 6 NO on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox: Favors topic 6 NO on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits: Opposes topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+5 points on Economic scale)	Supports merit pay for teachers: Favors topic 7 Denounce the Common Core State Standards: Favors topic 7 A-PLUS lets states escape No Child Left Behind: Favors topic 7 Vouchers break link of low-income and low-quality schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on vouchers for private & parochial schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on allowing vouchers in DC schools: Favors topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (-5 points on Social scale)	No EPA permits required for forest road runoff: Strongly Favors topic 8 Rated Voted NO on requiring limited GMO labeling: Favors topic 8
Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-3 points on Social scale)	End parole for repeat violent offenders: Strongly Favors topic 9 More prisons, more enforcement, effective death penalty: Favors topic 9 YES on making federal death penalty appeals harder: Strongly Favors topic 9 NO on maintaining right of habeas corpus in Death Penalty Appeals: Favors 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
Neutral on topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (0 points on Economic scale)	National cross-state standard for concealed carry: Strongly Favors topic 10 NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+2 points on Economic scale)	Replace income tax & estate tax with 23% sales tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Replace income tax and IRS with FairTax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Death Tax is a pernicious double tax: Strongly Favors topic 11 Repeal marriage tax; cut middle class taxes: 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
Opposes topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (-3 points on Social scale)	Voted YES to ban DREAMer immigrants from military service: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Declared English the official language of the US: Opposes topic 12 YES on more immigrant visas for skilled workers: Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Declined state commitment to CAFTA: Opposes topic 13 YES on 'Fast Track' authority for trade agreements: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Favors topic 13
Neutral on topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale)	Constitutional amendment for Congressional term limits: Favors topic 15 No US troops under UN command; more defense spending: Favors topic 15 YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Favors topic 15 YES on deploying SDI: Favors topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Get legislative "voice votes" on the record: Strongly Favors topic 16 End unlimited and undisclosed campaign donations: Strongly Favors topic 16 Limit campaign contributions but not campaign spending: Strongly Favors topic 16 Signed term limit pledge: 6 years House; 12 years Senate: Favors topic 16 YES on banning soft money and issue ads: Favors topic 16
Neutral on topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Opposes topic 18: Prioritize green energy (+2 points on Economic scale)	Stop harmful EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Voted YES on banning offshore oil drilling in Gulf of Mexico: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: Strongly Opposes topic 18
Neutral on topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (0 points on Social scale)	Rated B by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Favors topic 19
Opposes topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (+2 points on Economic scale)	2009: Reject stimulus funds; reject Washington bailouts: Opposes topic 20 Limit spending increases to population growth plus inflation: Opposes topic 20 Audit the Federal Reserve & its actions on mortgage loans: Opposes topic 20