Joseph Hoeffel 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 Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (+5 points on Social scale)	Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record: Strongly 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 funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info: Favors topic 1 NO on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Constitutional Amendment for equal rights by gender: Strongly Favors topic 2
Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+2 points on Social scale)	Oppose gay marriage but support civil union: Opposes topic 3 More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 NO on banning gay adoptions in DC.: Favors topic 3 NO on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3
Strongly Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+5 points on Social scale)	Rated 25% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-family voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 4 NO on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror: Strongly Opposes topic 4 NO on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Opposes topic 4 NO on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4
Opposes topic 8: Death Penalty (+2 points on Social scale)	Moratorium on death penalty; more DNA testing: Opposes topic 8 Require DNA testing for all federal executions: Opposes topic 8
Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 50% by CURE, indicating mixed votes on rehabilitation: Neutral on topic 9 NO on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime: Opposes topic 9 NO on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.: Strongly Favors topic 9
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	Rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-3 points on Economic scale)	Voted against a sweet deal for pharmaceutical companies: Opposes topic 5 Limit anti-trust lawsuits on health plans and insurers: Opposes topic 5 Rated 100% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record: Strongly 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 YES on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Favors topic 5 NO on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Favors topic 5 NO on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Favors topic 5
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)	Rated 100% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 6 YES on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox: Opposes topic 6 NO on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits: Opposes 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)	Reduce class size to 18 children in grades 1 to 3: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Rated 100% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly Opposes topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	Preserve Alaska's ANWR instead of drilling it: Favors topic 18 Rated 95% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes: Strongly 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
Strongly Opposes topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (+5 points on Social scale)	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
Strongly Opposes topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (-5 points on Economic scale)	NO on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Opposes topic 20 NO on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Opposes topic 20
Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-3 points on Economic scale)	Rated 21% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on eliminating the "marriage penalty": Favors 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 NO on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Favors topic 11 NO on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Favors topic 11 NO on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+5 points on Social scale)	Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12 NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Favors topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Rated 50% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 NO on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Favors topic 13
Neutral on topic 15: Expand the armed forces (0 points on Social scale)	There was plenty of money for the troops in the pipeline: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Rated 78% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 15 YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Favors topic 15 YES on deploying SDI: Favors topic 15 YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 15
Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-3 points on Economic scale)	YES on banning soft money and issue ads: Favors topic 16 NO on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Opposes topic 16 YES on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Favors topic 16
Neutral on topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Neutral on topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (0 points on Social scale)	Multi-year commitment to Africa for food & medicine: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17