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 right (-5 points on Social scale)	Protect the unborn via sonogram requirement: Strongly Opposes topic 1 The right to privacy is fictitious: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Abortion only for rape, incest, or maternal health: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Supports prohibiting human embryonic stem cell research: Opposes topic 1 Opposes federal abortion funding: Opposes topic 1
No opinion on topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (0 points on Economic scale)	Civil Rights Act was glorious fulfillment of Declaration: Strongly Favors topic 2 We divvy up races using tools invented to fight racism: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Suing for girls in Boy Scouts is part of strategic assault: Opposes topic 2 Support principles embodied in the Equal Rights Amendment: Favors topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (-5 points on Social scale)	Gay marriage is not protected, but judges will declare it so: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Homosexuals are inappropriate role model for adolescent boys: Opposes topic 3 Supports Amendment to prevent same sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (-5 points on Social scale)	Unelected judges shouldn't tell us when & where we can pray: Strongly Favors topic 4 Public prayer is not establishing a religion: Strongly Favors topic 4 Prohibiting school prayer is federal overreach: Strongly Favors topic 4 Supreme Court shouldn't choose how & where we may pray: Strongly Favors topic 4 It's about freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion: Strongly Favors topic 4 Supports voluntary prayer in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 8: Death Penalty (-5 points on Social scale)	If you kill a TX citizen, you will face ultimate justice: Strongly Favors topic 8 Death penalty for aggravated rape: Strongly Favors topic 8 Executes Mexican citizen despite plea from Pres. Fox: Strongly Favors topic 8 Vetoes ban on execution of mentally retarded inmates: Strongly Favors topic 8 Supports DNA testing; standards for capital defenders: Opposes topic 8 Supports capital punishment for certain crimes: Strongly Favors topic 8
Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-3 points on Social scale)	Life without parole for certain repeat sex offenders: Favors topic 9 States know best on punishment; federalism is arrogance: Favors topic 9 What's wrong with restricting ex-felons from voting?: Favors topic 9 Amachi program: break up generational cycle of incarceration: Favors topic 9 Tough and smart: jail sexual offenders; release non-violent: Strongly Favors topic 9 Supports flexible federal block grants for crime programs: Neutral on topic 9 Zero tolerance for violence against government employees: Neutral on topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Individual right to keep and bear arms: Strongly Favors topic 10 Opposes restrictions on the right to bear arms: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (+5 points on Economic scale)	Wipe out ObamaCare; block grant healthcare back to states: Strongly Opposes topic 5 ObamaCare is a trainwreck of a plan: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Repeal ObamaCare; simple message to Washington: "Enough": Strongly Opposes topic 5 Total repeal and dismantling of ObamaCare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 The future of America depends on repealing ObamaCare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Medical liability reforms have reduced frivolous lawsuits: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Healthier Texas: $200M funding pool for uncompensated care: Favors topic 5 More focus on nursing home and in-home care: Favors topic 5 More federal funding for rural health services: Favors topic 5 Opposes government-run healthcare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Loosen "one-size-fits-all" approach to Medicaid: Opposes topic 5
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Let state employees opt out of Social Security: Favors topic 6 We are fed up with system teetering on bankruptcy: Favors topic 6 New Deal inventions violently toss aside federalism: Favors topic 6 Trust Fund is an unsustainable Ponzi scheme: Favors topic 6 Maintain federal Social Services Block Grant funding: Favors topic 6 Maintain long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare: Opposes topic 6
Favors topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (+2 points on Economic scale)	Promote school choice all across this country: Favors topic 7 Choose from mix of public, charter & private schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 Turned down $700M in federal aid due to strings attached: Favors topic 7 $305 million for public schools and colleges: Opposes topic 7 Start a pilot voucher program in Texas: Strongly Favors topic 7 Supports vouchers, but didn?t push proposal through: Favors topic 7
Opposes topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (+2 points on Economic scale)	Put 1.2 million Americans to work in domestic energy: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Don't put economy in jeopardy based on unsettled science: Strongly Opposes topic 18 $5,000 incentive for Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles: Strongly Favors topic 18 Manmade global warming: "It's-All-Our-Fault" theory: Strongly Opposes topic 18 More funding to develop domestic energy supplies: Opposes topic 18 Share offshore oil development revenue with states: Neutral on topic 18 Create block grants for Agricultural Stewardship: Neutral on topic 18 Collaborative, incentive driven, locally-based solutions: Neutral on topic 18 Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP: Strongly Opposes topic 18
Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-3 points on Social scale)	Secure the Mexican border against drug cartels: Favors topic 19 Fight cross-border violence as part of drug war: Favors topic 19 Medical marijuana OK for California, but not Texas: Opposes topic 19 Drug trade causes soaring violence on southern border: Favors topic 19 ACLU shouldn't protest random drug sweeps in public housing: Favors topic 19 Protect the border from drug traffickers: Favors topic 19 States should make drug policy, not feds: Neutral on topic 19
Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+2 points on Economic scale)	Help Texans move off public assistance: Favors topic 20 Maintain flexibility & funding levels for TANF block grants: Favors topic 20 More federal funding for Low-income energy assistance: Neutral on topic 20 Supports TANF grants to states: Favors topic 20
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (+5 points on Economic scale)	Taxation is not the solution; live within our means instead: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Balance our budget without raising taxes: Opposes topic 11 Tax rebates & tax relief instead of government spending: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Federal tax incentives for energy, with state decisions: Neutral on topic 11
No opinion on topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (0 points on Social scale)	Discounted in-state tuition regardless of immigration status: Favors topic 12 Let illegals contribute to society & pursue citizenship: Strongly Favors topic 12 Illegal immigration cost TX $928M in one year: Strongly Opposes topic 12 End the notion of sanctuary cities: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Share costs of legal immigration between states & federal: Neutral on topic 12 Federal government should deal with criminal repatriation: Neutral on topic 12 Import farm workers from Mexico: Favors topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	Welcome market of united Europe & ever-growing China & India: Favors topic 13 Milk price controls are egregiously interventionist: Strongly Favors topic 13 Enforce trade law against subsidized Canadian lumber imports: Favors topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-5 points on Social scale)	US should be strongest nation by insurmountable magnitude: Strongly Favors topic 15 Invest in defense to prepare for unpredictable threats: Strongly Favors topic 15 Always maintain a robust military capability: Strongly Favors topic 15
Opposes topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (+2 points on Economic scale)	Require voters to present photo ID at polling places: Opposes topic 16 Earmarks corrupt the governing process: Favors topic 16 Campaign contributions are political free speech: Strongly Opposes topic 16
Strongly Opposes topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (-5 points on Social scale)	Glad Obama kept Gitmo open; America is safer because of it: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Unsettled policy on Guantanamo signals weakness to enemies: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Strongly Opposes topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (-5 points on Social scale)	Transition out of Afghanistan but keep non-military presence: Opposes topic 17 Iraq: combat terror on their turf, not ours: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Secure freedom for oppressed people in Iraq and Afghanistan: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Include states in anti-terrorism planning: Neutral on topic 17