Bill Nelson on SenateMatch

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)
Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record: Strongly Favors topic 1 Expand embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 Rated 25% by the NRLC, indicating a mixed record on abortion: Neutral on 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 YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions: Opposes 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
Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Favors requiring companies to hire more women & minorities: Favors topic 2 Shift from group preferences to economic empowerment of all: Neutral on topic 2 Issue a commemorative postage stamp of Rosa Parks: Favors topic 2 Rated 86% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 Rated 89% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance: Strongly Favors topic 3 Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays: 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
Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 16% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 4 Rated 67% by the AU, a mixed record on church-state separation: Neutral on topic 4 YES on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration: Favors topic 4
No opinion on topic 8: Death Penalty (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Opposes topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (+2 points on Social scale)	Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes 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)	Opposes absolute right to gun ownership: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology: Opposes topic 10 NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence: Strongly Opposes topic 10 YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors 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 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports More Federal Funding for Health Coverage: Strongly Favors topic 5 Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care: Favors topic 5 Rated 100% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record: Strongly Favors topic 5 Preserve access to Medicaid & SCHIP during economic downturn: Strongly Favors topic 5 Establishment of Office of Health Care Fraud Prevention: Opposes 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
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Opposes efforts to partially privatize: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Opposes privatizing Social Security: 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 NO on establishing reserve funds & pre-funding for Social Security: Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-5 points on Economic scale)	Opposes parents choosing schools via vouchers: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice: Opposes topic 7 Rated 91% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly 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
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	We can’t drill, drill, drill our way to oil independence: Strongly Favors topic 18 Supports spending resources to stop Global Warming: Strongly Favors topic 18 Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 Include pickup trucks in CAFE; include hybrids in HOV lanes: Favors topic 18 Rated 79% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes: Strongly Favors topic 18 Keep efficient air conditioner rule to conserve energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 Establish greenhouse gas tradeable allowances: Strongly Favors topic 18 Rated 100% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence: Favors topic 18 Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025: Strongly Favors topic 18 Let states define stricter-than-federal emission standards: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 NO on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months: Strongly Favors 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 YES on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%): Strongly Favors 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 YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Favors 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 NO on requiring full Senate debate and vote on cap-and-trade: Favors topic 18 YES on protecting middle-income taxpayers from a national energy tax: Opposes topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
No opinion on topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+2 points on Economic scale)	Finish welfare reform by moving able recipients into jobs: Favors topic 20
Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-3 points on Economic scale)	National sales tax raises taxes $4,500 versus income tax: Strongly Favors topic 11 Voted against repealing estate tax; but now supports it: Opposes topic 11 Rated 14% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes: Strongly Favors topic 11 Rated 40% by CTJ, indicating a mixed record on progressive taxation: Neutral on topic 11 NO on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million: 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 YES on permanently repealing the `death tax`: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts: Strongly Opposes 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: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+2 points on Social scale)	Cover child resident aliens under Medicaid and SCHIP: Favors topic 12 Rated 33% by USBC, indicating a mixed record on open borders: Neutral on topic 12 YES on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities": Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on establishing a Guest Worker program: Favors topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on eliminating the "Y" nonimmigrant guestworker program: Neutral topic 12 YES on declaring English as the official language of the US government: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on comprehensive immigration reform: Strongly Favors topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	Build a rule-based global trading system: Favors topic 13 Rated 33% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 Insist on access to post-mad-cow Japanese beef markets: 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 YES on extending free trade to Andean nations: Strongly Favors 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 YES on implementing CAFTA for Central America free-trade: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on free trade agreement with Oman: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13
Opposes topic 15: Expand the armed forces (+2 points on Social scale)	Upgrade the military: Favors topic 15 Rated 70% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Extend reserve retirement pay parity back to 9/11: 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: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports McCain/Feingold campaign finance reform: Favors topic 16 Prohibit 'voter caging' which intimidates minority voting: Favors topic 16 Repeal automatic Congressional pay raises: 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 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+2 points on Social scale)	Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror: Favors topic 14 YES on requiring FISA court warrant to monitor US-to-foreign calls: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's roving wiretaps: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act: Opposes topic 14 YES on preserving habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (+2 points on Social scale)	Get State Dept. to do more for Holocaust victims: Favors topic 17 Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence: Favors topic 17 No troop surge: no military escalation in Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes 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 NO on redeploying non-essential US troops out of Iraq in 9 months: Opposes topic 17