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Clarence Thomas on VoteMatch

 



VoteMatch Responses
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VoteMatch Question & Answer
(Click on question for explanation and background)
Based on these stances:
(Click on topic for excerpt & citation)
No opinion on topic 1:
Abortion is a woman's right
(0 points on Social scale)
Personally views back-alley illegal abortions as torture: Favors topic 1
Never discussed Roe v. Wade in law school nor since: Neutral on topic 1
Overruling previous cases is a very serious matter: Favors topic 1
Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided & should be overturned: Strongly Opposes topic 1
Opposes topic 2:
Require hiring more women & minorities
(+2 points on Economic scale)
Limit employer liability for sexual harassment by employees: Opposes topic 2
Employee must prove negligence to sue city for harassment: Opposes topic 2
Tension between affirmative help and undermining dignity: Opposes topic 2
Reaching out to minorities is OK; but no quotas: Neutral on topic 2
Supports scholarships & internships for minorities & women: Favors topic 2
Sociological analysis insufficient to prove gender bias: Strongly Opposes topic 2
Hate crimes must be separate crimes, not just for sentencing: Strongly Opposes topic 2
Congress can't allow lawsuits by rape victims under 14th Am.: Opposes topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3:
Same-sex domestic partnership benefits
(-5 points on Social scale)
Coloradans entitled to be hostile toward homosexual conduct: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Don't recognize GLBT as a constitutionally-protected class: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Sodomy laws are uncommonly silly but states can enforce them: Opposes topic 3
1st Amendment protects church's anti-gay funeral pickets: Opposes topic 3
State laws should not protect gay rights: Opposes topic 3
Boy Scouts may exclude gay scoutmasters: Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4:
Teacher-led prayer in public schools
(-5 points on Social scale)
God in schools creates values; but wall of separation needed: Favors topic 4
Unconstitutional to deny scholarships to divinity students: Strongly Favors topic 4
Paying taxes insufficient to oppose religious or any credits: Favors topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 8:
Death Penalty
(-5 points on Social scale)
Due process in death penalty cases, but limited restrictions: Favors topic 8
International Court not grounds for stay of execution: Strongly Favors topic 8
Shorten time between sentencing and executions: Strongly Favors topic 8
Life-sentence alternative doesn't affect death sentence: Favors topic 8
Favors topic 9:
Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws
(-3 points on Social scale)
Balance victim’s rights with defendant’s rights: Favors topic 9
Uniform sentencing guidelines have eliminated much disparity: Favors topic 9
Scientific testing requires live testimony in criminal cases: Strongly Opposes topic 9
Fleeing the police is reasonable grounds for a search: Favors topic 9
OK to lengthen prison sentences retroactively: Favors topic 9
Miranda rights can be overruled by Congress: Strongly Favors topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10:
Absolute right to gun ownership
(+5 points on Economic scale)
Felons may possess guns unless state explicitly prohibits it: Favors topic 10
Right to gun ownership is individual, not collective: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 5:
More federal funding for health coverage
(+5 points on Economic scale)
States cannot ban cigarette ads near schools: Opposes topic 5
States have no authority to protect patient rights: Strongly Opposes topic 5
States decide insurance issues, not federal government: Neutral on topic 5
Federal law pre-empts state laws on generic drug warning: Strongly Opposes topic 5
No opinion on topic 6:
Privatize Social Security
(0 points on Economic scale)
(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 7:
Parents choose schools via vouchers
(+5 points on Economic scale)
Vouchers needed for failing urban public schools: Strongly Favors topic 7
Taxpayer funding OK for parochial school materials: Strongly Favors topic 7
Opposes topic 18:
Replace coal & oil with alternatives
(+2 points on Economic scale)
No disclosure needed by Cheney energy task force: Strongly Opposes topic 18
States can't request EPA to regulate CO2 greenhouse gases: Strongly Opposes topic 18
Federal statutes displace federal common law on CO2: Favors topic 18
Can't sue polluters after they stop polluting: Opposes topic 18
Limit CWA restrictions to navigable waterways: Opposes topic 18
Favors topic 19:
Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it
(-3 points on Social scale)
Let states decide on medical marijuana: Favors topic 19
Sentences should stand despite crack-vs.-powder rule change: Favors topic 19
No tactile inspection by police for drugs: Opposes topic 19
Treat drug roadblocks the same as drunk-driving roadblocks: Favors topic 19
Opposes topic 20:
Allow churches to provide welfare services
(-3 points on Economic scale)
Public housing entitlements are good programs: Opposes topic 20
Favors topic 11:
Make taxes more progressive
(-3 points on Economic scale)
Discriminatory fuel sales tax on railroads ok: Favors topic 11
Strongly Opposes topic 12:
Illegal immigrants earn citizenship
(-5 points on Social scale)
No judicial limit on detaining illegal immigrants: Opposes topic 12
Automatic deportation for aliens convicted of crimes: Strongly Opposes topic 12
No back pay to illegal alien fired for union organizing: Strongly Opposes topic 12
INS may hold suspects for deportation, but habeas applies: Opposes topic 12
AZ may revoke licenses for hiring unauthorized aliens: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Opposes topic 13:
Support & expand free trade
(-3 points on Economic scale)
Sovereign immunity only applies to foreign-owned companies: Opposes topic 13
No opinion on topic 15:
Expand the armed forces
(0 points on Social scale)
(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Opposes topic 16:
Stricter limits on political campaign funds
(+5 points on Economic scale)
Public campaign finance can't be based on opponent spending: Strongly Opposes topic 16
Strongly Opposes topic 14:
The Patriot Act harms civil liberties
(-5 points on Social scale)
Courts have no place in reviewing military decisions: Strongly Opposes topic 14
No statute gives habeas review for non-citizens outside US: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Favors topic 17:
US out of Iraq & Afghanistan
(+2 points on Social scale)
Supported stock divestiture from South Africa: Favors topic 17

Other Justices' VoteMatch: Clarence Thomas on the issues:
Samuel Alito
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Stephen Breyer
Elena Kagan
Anthony Kennedy
John Roberts
Antonin Scalia
Sonia Sotomayor
Clarence Thomas

Former Justices:
David Souter
Sandra Day O'Connor
William Rehnquist
John Paul Stevens

Party Platforms:
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Libertarian Platform
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Reform Platform
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About Clarence Thomas:
Profile
Abortion
Budget/Economy
China
Civil Rights
Crime
Defense
Drugs
Education
Environment
Families
Foreign Policy
Free Trade
Govt. Reform
Gun Control
Health Care
Immigration
Labor
Principles
School Choice
Social Security
Tax Reform
Technology
War & Peace
Welfare

Page last updated: Dec 01, 2011