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Elected 1994; Terrorism Czar
Tom Ridge
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Energy & Oil  Environment Jobs Principles & Values
Tom Ridge on Abortion
Click here for 2 full quotes on Abortion OR background on Abortion.
  • Pro-choice. (Jan 2000)
  • Allow abortions, with limits; no partial-birth. (Jul 1998)
Tom Ridge on Budget & Economy
Click here for 3 full quotes on Budget & Economy OR background on Budget & Economy.
  • Invest in strong economy, for solid international alliances. (Sep 2009)
  • Bankruptcy reform: limit Chapter 7; protect states' role. (Feb 2001)
  • Uphold commitments to states before other spending. (Sep 2001)
Tom Ridge on Civil Rights
Click here for 3 full quotes on Civil Rights OR background on Civil Rights.
  • Opposes Affirmative Action. (Jul 1998)
  • No special gay laws; no gay marriage. (Jul 1998)
  • Support principles embodied in the Equal Rights Amendment. (Feb 2001)
Tom Ridge on Corporations
Click here for background on Corporations.
    No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.
Tom Ridge on Crime
Click here for 4 full quotes on Crime OR background on Crime.
  • Supports victim’s rights & death penalty. (Jan 2000)
  • More prisons; more death penalty. (Jul 1998)
  • Stricter penalties; less parole. (Jul 1998)
  • Supports flexible federal block grants for crime programs. (Sep 2001)
Tom Ridge on Drugs
Click here for the full quote on Drugs OR background on Drugs.
  • More federal funding for all aspects of Drug War. (Aug 2000)
Tom Ridge on Education
Click here for 5 full quotes on Education OR background on Education.
  • More standards, and make them clear. (Jan 2000)
  • Teacher-led voluntary prayer is OK. (Jul 1998)
  • State-wide student testing; teacher re-certification. (Jul 1998)
  • More charters; push for school choice. (Jan 2000)
  • Vouchers for private & religious schools. (Jul 1998)
Tom Ridge on Energy & Oil
Click here for 3 full quotes on Energy & Oil OR background on Energy & Oil.
  • Comprehensive energy policy including nuclear & clean coal. (Sep 2009)
  • Voluntary partnerships reduce greenhouse gases economically. (Aug 2000)
  • Kyoto Treaty must include reductions by all countries. (Aug 2000)
Tom Ridge on Environment
Click here for 6 full quotes on Environment OR background on Environment.
  • Regional DHS office would have decreased Katrina damage. (Sep 2009)
  • Changed rules & got 350 polluted industrial sites cleaned up. (Jan 2000)
  • Let industries audit themselves & then clean up. (Jul 1998)
  • More flexibility in environmental regulation. (Jul 1998)
  • More state autonomy on brownfields & Superfund cleanups. (Aug 2001)
  • Support State Revolving Loan Fund for flexible Clean Water. (Aug 2001)
Tom Ridge on Families & Children
Click here for 2 full quotes on Families & Children OR background on Families & Children.
  • Encourage fathers' participation in child-raising. (Sep 2001)
  • Federal funds & state involvement in fatherhood initiatives. (Aug 2001)
Tom Ridge on Foreign Policy
Click here for the full quote on Foreign Policy OR background on Foreign Policy.
  • UNICEF is ok, but the rest of the UN is ineffective. (Sep 2009)
Tom Ridge on Free Trade
Click here for 2 full quotes on Free Trade OR background on Free Trade.
  • Closing borders post-9-11 dealt a crushing blow to trade. (Sep 2009)
  • Increase global connections, even for small business. (Sep 2009)
Tom Ridge on Government Reform
Click here for 3 full quotes on Government Reform OR background on Government Reform.
  • More effective to have one Cabinet DHS, not a dozen agencies. (Mar 2010)
  • Replace "need to know" culture with "need to share". (Sep 2009)
  • Reforms must respect state's rights to select electors. (Aug 2001)
Tom Ridge on Gun Control
Click here for background on Gun Control.
    No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.
Tom Ridge on Health Care
Click here for 3 full quotes on Health Care OR background on Health Care.
  • Guaranteed medical care is not a government responsibility. (Jul 1998)
  • No federal pre-emption of employee health plan regulation. (Oct 2001)
  • Protect state tobacco settlement funds from federal seizure. (Apr 1999)
Tom Ridge on Homeland Security
Click here for 15 full quotes on Homeland Security OR background on Homeland Security.
  • 9/11 reaction: We will find those responsible. (Sep 2009)
  • Nobody knew about Al Qaeda or radical Islam until 9/11. (Sep 2009)
  • Governors must show up at disaster locations. (Sep 2009)
  • Overcome barriers between CIA and FBI. (Sep 2009)
  • Guantanamo holds theological zealots, not POWs. (Sep 2009)
  • Post-9-11 goal: tell Americans specifics about threats. (Sep 2009)
  • Duct Tape Debacle: public mocked our "Ready Campaign". (Sep 2009)
  • Threat advisory system: not politically told "Go to orange". (Sep 2009)
  • 2001: Nation was not equipped to deal with bioterrorism. (Sep 2009)
  • Reinterpreting FISA secretly seems like unauthorized power. (Sep 2009)
  • We will never celebrate a Victory over Terrorism Day. (Sep 2009)
  • No Orwellian oppression, but inconveniences are ok. (Sep 2009)
  • OpEd: Diverted attention to terrorism for political gain. (Sep 2009)
  • Deal with terrorism as a joint federal-state responsibility. (Feb 2001)
  • Include states in anti-terrorism planning. (Sep 2001)
Tom Ridge on Immigration
Click here for 5 full quotes on Immigration OR background on Immigration.
  • No amnesty, but a path to legitimate law-abiding aliens. (Sep 2009)
  • INS is ineffective; US policy is confused. (Sep 2009)
  • New visa interview policy unwisely restricts immigration. (Sep 2009)
  • Share costs of legal immigration between states & federal. (Feb 2001)
  • Federal government should deal with criminal repatriation. (Feb 2001)
Tom Ridge on Jobs
Click here for background on Jobs.
    No issue stance yet recorded by OnTheIssues.org.
Tom Ridge on Principles & Values
Click here for 3 full quotes on Principles & Values OR background on Principles & Values.
  • Religious affiliation: Catholic. (Nov 2000)
  • Member, National Governors Association/Economic Development. (Jan 2001)
  • Member of Republican Governors Association. (Aug 2001)
Tom Ridge on Social Security
Click here for the full quote on Social Security OR background on Social Security.
  • Maintain long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare. (Aug 2001)
Tom Ridge on Tax Reform
Click here for 4 full quotes on Tax Reform OR background on Tax Reform.
  • Cut taxes as governor by $2.6B. (Jan 2000)
  • 60% legislative supermajority for raising taxes. (Jan 2000)
  • No national sales tax or VAT. (Feb 2000)
  • Let states independently determine estate taxes. (May 2001)
Tom Ridge on Technology
Click here for 3 full quotes on Technology OR background on Technology.
  • Install biometric checks at 150 international airports. (Sep 2009)
  • End computer service tax; start R&D tax credit. (Jan 2000)
  • Level playing field for Main Street vs. Internet sales tax. (Aug 2001)
Tom Ridge on War & Peace
Click here for 7 full quotes on War & Peace OR background on War & Peace.
  • Iraq invasion made us less safe in the short run. (Sep 2009)
  • Bin Laden is a master of disguises who moves almost daily. (Sep 2009)
  • Who knew there are 1.3 billion Muslims in 50 countries? (Sep 2009)
  • Woefully deficient in human intelligence in war on terror. (Sep 2009)
  • Traditional hardware of war obsolete against terrorists. (Sep 2009)
  • Saddam did have WMDs, but no relationship with al Qaeda. (Sep 2009)
  • Iraqi invasion justified to overthrow a despot. (Sep 2009)
Tom Ridge on Welfare & Poverty
Click here for 3 full quotes on Welfare & Poverty OR background on Welfare & Poverty.
  • Able-bodied welfare recipients must work 100 hours a month. (Jan 2000)
  • Maintain federal Social Services Block Grant funding. (Sep 2001)
  • Maintain flexibility & funding levels for TANF block grants. (Sep 2001)


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)
Pro-choice: Favors topic 1
Allow abortions, with limits; no partial-birth: Favors topic 1
No opinion on topic 2:
Require hiring more women & minorities
(0 points on Economic scale)
Opposes Affirmative Action: Opposes topic 2
Support principles embodied in the Equal Rights Amendment: Favors topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3:
Same-sex domestic partnership benefits
(-5 points on Social scale)
No special gay laws; no gay marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4:
Teacher-led prayer in public schools
(-5 points on Social scale)
Teacher-led voluntary prayer is OK: Strongly Favors topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 8:
Death Penalty
(-5 points on Social scale)
Supports victim’s rights & death penalty: Strongly Favors topic 8
More prisons; more death penalty: Strongly Favors topic 8
Favors topic 9:
Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws
(-3 points on Social scale)
Stricter penalties; less parole: Strongly Favors topic 9
Supports flexible federal block grants for crime programs: Neutral on topic 9
No opinion on topic 10:
Absolute right to gun ownership
(0 points on Economic scale)
(No votes on which to base response)
Opposes topic 5:
More federal funding for health coverage
(+2 points on Economic scale)
Guaranteed medical care is not a government responsibility: Strongly Opposes topic 5
Protect state tobacco settlement funds from federal seizure: Neutral on topic 5
No opinion on topic 6:
Privatize Social Security
(0 points on Economic scale)
Maintain federal Social Services Block Grant funding: Favors topic 6
Maintain long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare: Opposes topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7:
Parents choose schools via vouchers
(+5 points on Economic scale)
More standards, and make them clear: Favors topic 7
More charters; push for school choice: Strongly Favors topic 7
Vouchers for private & religious schools: Strongly Favors topic 7
Opposes topic 18:
Replace coal & oil with alternatives
(+2 points on Economic scale)
Comprehensive energy policy including nuclear & clean coal: Opposes topic 18
Changed rules & got 350 polluted industrial sites cleaned up: Favors topic 18
Let industries audit themselves & then clean up: Strongly Opposes topic 18
More flexibility in environmental regulation: Favors topic 18
Voluntary partnerships reduce greenhouse gases economically: Neutral on topic 18
Kyoto Treaty must include reductions by all countries: Opposes topic 18
Favors topic 19:
Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it
(-3 points on Social scale)
More federal funding for all aspects of Drug War: Favors topic 19
Favors topic 20:
Allow churches to provide welfare services
(+2 points on Economic scale)
Able-bodied welfare recipients must work 100 hours a month: Favors topic 20
Maintain flexibility & funding levels for TANF block grants: Favors topic 20
Opposes topic 11:
Make taxes more progressive
(+2 points on Economic scale)
Cut taxes as governor by $2.6B: Opposes topic 11
60% legislative supermajority for raising taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 11
End computer service tax; start R&D tax credit: Opposes topic 11
No national sales tax or VAT: Neutral on topic 11
Favors topic 12:
Illegal immigrants earn citizenship
(+2 points on Social scale)
No amnesty, but a path to legitimate law-abiding aliens: Favors topic 12
New visa interview policy unwisely restricts immigration: Favors topic 12
Share costs of legal immigration between states & federal: Neutral on topic 12
Federal government should deal with criminal repatriation: Neutral on topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13:
Support & expand free trade
(+5 points on Economic scale)
Closing borders post-9-11 dealt a crushing blow to trade: Favors topic 13
Increase global connections, even for small business: Strongly Favors topic 13
No opinion on topic 15:
Expand the armed forces
(0 points on Social scale)
(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 16:
Stricter limits on political campaign funds
(0 points on Economic scale)
(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 14:
The Patriot Act harms civil liberties
(+2 points on Social scale)
Replace "need to know" culture with "need to share": Favors topic 14
Overcome barriers between CIA and FBI: Strongly Favors topic 14
Reinterpreting FISA secretly seems like unauthorized power: Favors topic 14
No Orwellian oppression, but inconveniences are ok: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Favors topic 17:
US out of Iraq & Afghanistan
(+2 points on Social scale)
Saddam did have WMDs, but no relationship with al Qaeda: Favors topic 17
Iraqi invasion justified to overthrow a despot: Strongly Favors topic 17
Include states in anti-terrorism planning: Neutral on topic 17

Tom Ridge is a Moderate Libertarian Conservative.
Click here for explanation of political philosophy.
Click here for VoteMatch quiz.

                                                                                                                                                                               
  


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