Debbie Stabenow on VoteMatch

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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 unrestricted right (+5 points on Social scale)	Countless women rely on Planned Parenthood: Strongly Favors topic 1 Endorsed Recommended by EMILY's List of pro-choice women: Favors topic 1 Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record: Strongly Favors topic 1 Expand embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 Rated 0% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance: Strongly Favors topic 1 Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Access safe, legal abortion without restrictions: Strongly Favors topic 1 Keep federal funding for family planning clinics: Strongly Favors topic 1 CC:Oppose strict Constitutionalist judges: Favors topic 1 CC:Publicly fund abortions: Strongly Favors topic 1 CC:No parental notification for abortions by minors: Favors topic 1 Rated Born-Alive Survivors bill tries to illegalize abortion: Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 Focus on preventing pregnancy, plus emergency contraception: 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 prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP: Favors topic 1 NO on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime: Favors topic 1 YES on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives: Favors topic 1 NO on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions: Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1 NO on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions: Favors topic 1 NO on restricting UN funding for population control policies: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Shift from group preferences to economic empowerment of all: Neutral on topic 2 Sponsored bill for a Rosa Parks commemorative postage stamp: Favors topic 2 Rated 100% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 Recognize Juneteenth as historical end of slavery: Strongly Favors topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for women's equal rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Endorsed by The Feminist Majority indicating a pro-women's rights stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 More funding & services for victims of domestic violence: Strongly Favors topic 2 Enforce against wage discrimination based on gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Recruit women & minorities for STEM teaching: Strongly Favors topic 2 Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment: Strongly 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 NO on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions: Favors topic 2 YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale)	Schools must prohibit bullying due to sexual orientation: Favors topic 3 More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 Increase funding to combat the global HIV/AIDS epidemic: Strongly Favors topic 3 Rated 89% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance: Strongly Favors topic 3 ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays: Favors topic 3 Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays: Favors topic 3 Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Let states recognize same sex marriage: Favors topic 3 NO on banning gay adoptions in DC: Favors topic 3 YES on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 NO on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3
Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 0% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 4 Constitutionally prohibit flag desecration: Favors topic 4 YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Favors topic 4 YES on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration: Favors topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Health coverage needs to be a right, not a privilege: Strongly Favors topic 5 Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care: Favors topic 5 Invest funds to alleviate the nursing shortage: Favors topic 5 Let states make bulk Rx purchases, and other innovations: Opposes topic 5 Rated 100% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record: Strongly Favors topic 5 Sponsored merging Alzheimers diagnosis and care benefit: Favors topic 5 Keep healthcare mandate, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 5 Preserve access to Medicaid & SCHIP during economic downturn: Strongly Favors topic 5 Expand the National Health Service Corps: Strongly Favors topic 5 Expand health services for women veterans: Favors topic 5 NO on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts: Favors topic 5 NO on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage: Favors topic 5 NO on allowing tribal Indians to opt out of federal healthcare: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium: Favors topic 5 NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Favors topic 5 NO on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit: Favors topic 5 YES on $40 billion per year for limited Medicare prescription drug benefit: Favors topic 5 YES on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics: Favors topic 5 YES on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D: Favors topic 5 NO on limiting medical liability lawsuits to $250,000: Opposes 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
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)	Led the fight to stop privatization: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Create Retirement Savings Accounts: Favors topic 6 Rated 90% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Reject privatization; don't raise the retirement age: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Sponsored keeping CPI for benefits instead of lower "Chained CPI": Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 98% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance: 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 NO on establishing reserve funds & pre-funding for Social Security: Opposes topic 6
Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-3 points on Economic scale)	Has long opposed school vouchers: Strongly Favors topic 7 Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice: Opposes topic 7 Rated 100% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Sponsored extending subsidized federal student loan rates until 2015: Opposes topic 7 NO on vouchers for private & parochial schools: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on allowing vouchers in DC schools: Opposes topic 7 YES on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors: Opposes topic 7 YES on funding student testing instead of private tutors: Opposes topic 7 YES on $5B for grants to local educational agencies: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+5 points on Social scale)	Reverse cuts to Great Lakes funding: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Global Warming is real and I’m focused on solving it: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Rated 84% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 8 EPA must do better on mercury clean-up: Opposes topic 8 Grants for beach water pollution under Clean Water Act: Opposes topic 8 Make tax deduction permanent for conservation easements: Opposes topic 8 Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting: Strongly Opposes topic 8 YES on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems: Opposes topic 8 NO on prohibiting eminent domain for use as parks or grazing land: Opposes topic 8
Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-3 points on Social scale)	Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 Rated 73% by the NAPO, indicating a moderate stance on police issues: Neutral on topic 9 YES on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime: Favors topic 9 NO on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.: Strongly Favors topic 9 YES on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program: Opposes topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology: Opposes topic 10 Restrict right to bear arms, according to CC survey: Opposes topic 10 Co-sponsored background check for every firearm sale: Strongly Favors topic 10 NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Opposes topic 10 YES on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers: Strongly Opposes topic 10 YES on prohibiting foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership: Favors topic 10 NO on allowing firearms in checked baggage on Amtrak trains: Opposes topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 16% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes: Strongly Favors topic 11 Rated 80% by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation: Strongly Favors topic 11 CC:Reverse federal income tax cuts: Favors topic 11 CC:Keep the inhertiance tax: Strongly Favors 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 raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset: Favors topic 11 YES on reducing marriage penalty instead of cutting top tax rates: Favors topic 11 YES on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction: Favors topic 11 NO on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut: Favors topic 11 YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on permanently repealing the `death tax`: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax: Strongly Favors topic 11
Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+2 points on Social scale)	Opposed immigration bill because it cost us jobs: Opposes topic 12 Rated 25% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance: Strongly Favors topic 12 Opposes more border security, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 12 Terminate national emergency at the Southern border: Favors topic 12 YES on more immigrant visas for skilled workers: Favors topic 12 YES on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities": Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on establishing a Guest Worker program: Opposes topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on eliminating the "Y" nonimmigrant guestworker program: Neutral topic 12 NO on declaring English as the official language of the US government: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on comprehensive immigration reform: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	End trade agreements to keep jobs here: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Build a rule-based global trading system: Favors topic 13 Rated 17% by CATO, indicating a pro-fair trade voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Sponsored bill for tariffs against undervalued currency: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Insist on access to post-mad-cow Japanese beef markets: Favors topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 Fight Chinese predatory trade practices on car tires: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Rated Voted FOR reauthorizing Ex-Im Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 38% by the USAE, indicating support for trade sanctions: Opposes 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 NO on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on removing common goods from national security export rules: Favors topic 13 YES on granting normal trade relations status to Vietnam: Favors topic 13 NO on extending free trade to Andean nations: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on establishing free trade between US & Singapore: Favors topic 13 YES on establishing free trade between the US and Chile: Favors topic 13 NO on implementing CAFTA for Central America free-trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on promoting free trade with Peru: Opposes topic 13
Opposes topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (-3 points on Economic scale)	Disallow Palestine from joining ICC to threaten Israel: Favors topic 14 Welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees now, and more later: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Two-state solution despite Israeli settlements on West Bank: Favors topic 14 Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror: Opposes topic 14 YES on requiring FISA court warrant to monitor US-to-foreign calls: Opposes topic 14 YES on preserving habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Opposes topic 15: Expand the military (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 100% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Exempt Veterans Affairs from federal hiring freeze: Favors topic 15 YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Favors topic 15 YES on deploying SDI: Favors topic 15 YES on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding: Opposes topic 15 YES on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months: Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Repeal Citizens United; fight big money in politics: Strongly Favors topic 16 Voter ID places undue burden on voters: Strongly Favors topic 16 Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures: Strongly Favors topic 16 Sponsored bill for election holiday & easier voting access: Strongly Favors topic 16 Repeal automatic Congressional pay raises: Favors topic 16 YES on banning soft money and issue ads: Favors topic 16 YES on banning campaign donations from unions & corporations: Favors topic 16 YES on banning "soft money" contributions and restricting issue ads: Favors topic 16 YES on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity: Favors topic 16 NO on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress: Strongly Favors topic 16
Favors topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (+2 points on Social scale)	We are not in Iraq forever: Favors topic 17 Iraq was a war of choice, not a necessity: Strongly Favors topic 17 Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence: Favors topic 17 Multi-year commitment to Africa for food & medicine: Strongly Favors topic 17 No troop surge: no military escalation in Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Iran must accept long-term intrusive nuke inspection: Opposes topic 17 CC:Keep alliance with Israel: Opposes topic 17 No military force against Iran without Congress approval: Strongly Favors topic 17 Require Congress' approval before military action in Iran: Favors topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 NO on authorizing use of military force against Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007: Strongly Opposes topic 17 YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq by March 2008: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on redeploying non-essential US troops out of Iraq in 9 months: Favors topic 17
Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-3 points on Economic scale)	Climate change is real & human activity contributes: Strongly Favors topic 18 Global warming causes more volatile storms: Strongly Favors topic 18 Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 Keep efficient air conditioner rule to conserve energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 Rated 100% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence: Favors topic 18 Sign on to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change: Strongly Favors topic 18 $5 billion in tax credits for alternative energy projects: Favors topic 18 Designate sensitive ANWR area as protected wilderness: Favors topic 18 YES on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 YES on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on removing consideration of drilling ANWR from budget bill: Favors topic 18 NO on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%): Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Favors topic 18 YES on factoring global warming into federal project planning: Favors topic 18 NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on addressing CO2 emissions without considering India & China: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on requiring full Senate debate and vote on cap-and-trade: Opposes topic 18 NO on protecting middle-income taxpayers from a national energy tax: Favors topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Time to decriminalize medical and recreational marijuana: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Rated D by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 Keep ObamaCare's prevention, treatment, & recovery services: Opposes topic 19 NO on subjecting federal employees to random drug tests: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Opposes topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	Expand lending caps for credit unions to small business: Favors topic 20 Rated 86% by UFCW, indicating an anti-management/pro-labor record: Favors topic 20 Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016: Favors topic 20 CC:No Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment: Favors topic 20 YES on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million: Strongly Favors topic 20 YES on additional $825 billion for economic recovery package: Strongly Favors topic 20 YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending: Strongly Favors topic 20

Debbie Stabenow is a Hard-Core Liberal
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