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)
Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 30% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record: 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 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 YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: Opposes 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
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	NO on banning gay adoptions in DC.: Favors topic 3 NO on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3
Favors topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (-3 points on Social scale)	Supports anti-flag desecration amendment: Favors topic 4 Supports requiring schools to allow prayer: Favors topic 4 Rated 61% by the Christian Coalition: mixed voting record on families: Neutral on topic 4 YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror: Strongly Favors topic 4 YES on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Favors topic 4 NO on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4
Neutral on topic 8: Death Penalty (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated 20% by CURE, indicating anti-rehabilitation crime votes: Strongly Favors 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
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Rated D+ 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 YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Favors topic 10
Opposes topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (+2 points on Economic scale)	Tax credits for those without employee health insurance: Strongly Favors topic 5 $350 billion for prescriptions for poor seniors: Favors topic 5 Rated 22% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Expand medical savings accounts for employers & individuals: Opposes topic 5 YES on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts: Opposes topic 5 YES on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage: Opposes topic 5 NO on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Opposes topic 5 YES on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Opposes topic 5 YES on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Opposes topic 5
Strongly Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 0% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record: Strongly Favors topic 6 Supports individual savings accounts and work incentives: Favors topic 6 NO on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox: Favors 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 Favors topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (+5 points on Economic scale)	Support Ed-Flex: more flexibility if more accountable: Favors topic 7 Rated 25% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes: Strongly Favors topic 7
Opposes topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (+2 points on Economic scale)	Repeal the gas tax: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Make EPA into a Cabinet department: Strongly Favors topic 18 Rated 15% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Supports immediate reductions in greenhouse gases: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR: Strongly Opposes topic 18
Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated D by VOTE-HEMP, indicating an anti-hemp voting record: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Favors topic 19 NO on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Opposes topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+5 points on Economic scale)	YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Favors topic 20 YES on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Favors topic 20
Opposes topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (+2 points on Economic scale)	Phaseout the death tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 59% by NTU, indicating "Satisfactory" on tax votes: Neutral on topic 11 Implement socially fair, broad-based tax cuts: Favors topic 11 YES on eliminating the "marriage penalty": Opposes topic 11 YES on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business: Opposes topic 11 YES on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Opposes topic 11 YES on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+2 points on Social scale)	English immersion over bilingual education: Opposes topic 12 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
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	Promote the Andean Free Trade Agreement: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 44% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 YES on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Favors topic 13 NO on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Favors topic 13
Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-3 points on Social scale)	Supports $48 billion in new spending for anti-terrorism: Favors topic 15 Rated 22% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record: Strongly Favors topic 15 Reduce federal government size & scope, including military: 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)	Restrict campaign donations from foreigners or 3rd parties: Favors topic 16 YES on banning soft money and issue ads: Favors topic 16 YES on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Favors 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)
Strongly Opposes topic 17: US out of Iraq (-5 points on Social scale)	YES on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17