Sonia Sotomayor 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)
Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (+2 points on Social scale)	Government may spend public funds on its abortion position: Favors topic 1 Rejected abortion rights challenge to Mexico City Policy: Opposes topic 1 Precedents must be given deference in any situation: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	In some situations, race in some form must be considered: Favors topic 2 Women under-represented as managers enough for gender bias: Strongly Favors topic 2
Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+2 points on Social scale)	Anonymous offensive speech by off-duty cops is protected: Opposes topic 3 School policies on grade transfers must be race-neutral: Strongly Favors topic 3 Sexual harassment counts as a hostile work environment: Favors topic 3 1st Amendment protects church's anti-gay funeral pickets: Opposes topic 3
Strongly Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+5 points on Social scale)	Paying taxes sufficient to oppose religious tax credits: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Opposes topic 8: Death Penalty (+2 points on Social scale)	Death penalty is constitutional under certain situations: Favors topic 8 Delay executions if asked by International Court of Justice: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (+2 points on Social scale)	Government is responsible for abuses in private prisons: Opposes topic 9 Some documents may be allowed without testimony: Opposes topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	2009: supported individual right; 2010: opposed it: Strongly Opposes topic 10 States may restrict weapons; Heller only applies to feds: Strongly Opposes topic 10 The Second Amendment gives an individual right to bear arms: Favors topic 10 Many factors influence Congress's powers on gun control: Opposes topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	Insurers must pay benefits even when sued by beneficiary: Favors topic 5 Ok to collect health benefits from 2 sources for same injury: Strongly Favors topic 5 Congress did not intend disparate result on generic drugs: Strongly Favors topic 5
No opinion on topic 6: Privatize Social Security (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (+2 points on Economic scale)	Often supports local school districts in her rulings: Favors topic 7
No opinion on topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Opposes topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (+5 points on Social scale)	Reduce crack sentences to follow powder-vs.-crack changes: Strongly Opposes topic 19
No opinion on topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (0 points on Economic scale)	Some trust fees should be only partly tax deductible: Favors topic 11 Railroads can sue for tax exemptions on other diesel users: Opposes topic 11
Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+2 points on Social scale)	OpEd: personal story is a classic immigrant struggle: Favors topic 12 AZ law obstructs uniformity in immigration enforcement: Favors topic 12
No opinion on topic 13: Support & expand free trade (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 15: Expand the armed forces (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-5 points on Economic scale)	Public campaign finance can fund based on opponent spending: Strongly Favors topic 16
Favors topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+2 points on Social scale)	Construe FOIA exemptions narrowly, in favor of disclosure: Favors topic 14 Struck down parts of the anti-terror USA Patriot Act: Favors topic 14
No opinion on topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)