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)
Strongly Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (-5 points on Social scale)	Litmus test for judges: only appoint if they'd overturn Roe: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Talk about the unborn as people, because they are: Strongly Opposes topic 1 No tax funding for organizations that promote abortion: Opposes topic 1 Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Rated 100% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-life stance (190 members): Strongly Opposes topic 1 Grant the pre-born equal protection under 14th Amendment: 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 YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Opposes topic 1 YES on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes: Opposes topic 1 YES on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info: Opposes 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 YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions: Strongly Opposes topic 1 NO on allowing human embryonic stem cell research: Opposes topic 1 NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Opposes topic 1
Strongly Opposes topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (+5 points on Economic scale)	Cult of multiculturalism destructive to western civilization: Strongly Opposes topic 2 We're diversifying to death; promote AMERICAN culture: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Rated 19% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Opposes topic 2 NO on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Opposes topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (-5 points on Social scale)	We are just one kooky judge away from homosexual marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Do everything possible to support a marriage amendment: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Opposes "hate crimes" legislation: Opposes topic 3 No "sexual orientation" in Employment Non-Discrimination Act: Opposes topic 3 The state's interest in marriage is procreation: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Rated 0% by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance: Strongly Opposes topic 3 YES on banning gay adoptions in DC.: Opposes topic 3 YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 YES on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman: Strongly Opposes topic 3 NO on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (-5 points on Social scale)	Present scientific facts that support creationism: Favors topic 4 No Fairness Doctrine: no equal time if morally objectionable: Favors topic 4 Should be OK to say "Merry Christmas" at public schools: Favors topic 4 Our students are taught Christian fanatics are the problem: Strongly Favors topic 4 Supports anti-flag desecration amendment: Favors topic 4 Supports requiring schools to allow prayer: Favors topic 4 Rated 100% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-family voting record: Strongly Favors topic 4 Rated 0% by the AU, indicating opposition to church-state separation: Strongly Favors topic 4 Supports a Constitutional Amendment for school prayer: Strongly Favors 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 YES on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4 NO on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 8: Death Penalty (-5 points on Social scale)	Death penalty is appropriate for heinous crimes like treason: Strongly Favors topic 8
Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-3 points on Social scale)	Far too many criminal statutes at the federal level: Opposes topic 9 Rated 30% by CURE, indicating anti-rehabilitation crime votes: Strongly Favors topic 9 Rated 76% by the NCJA, indicating a mixed record on criminal justice: Neutral on 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 YES on expanding services for offendors' re-entry into society: Opposes topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Rated B+ by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record: Strongly Favors topic 10 No United Nations taxation on firearms: Strongly Favors topic 10 Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10
Opposes topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (+2 points on Economic scale)	Oppose mandated health insurance and universal coverage: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Womb-to-tomb health care is not federal responsibility: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Rated 22% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record: Strongly 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 YES on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Favors topic 5 YES on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Opposes topic 5 NO on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Favors topic 5 YES on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay: Strongly Opposes topic 5 NO on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Opposes topic 5
Strongly Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+5 points on Economic scale)	Private Social Security accounts needed to end deficit: Strongly Favors topic 6 Personal retirement accounts allow investing in one's future: Favors topic 6 Invest surplus Trust Fund in market certificates: Strongly Favors topic 6 Rated 30% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record: Strongly 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)	Supports charter schools and voucher systems: Strongly Favors topic 7 Introduced voucher system in Colorado in 1992: Strongly Favors topic 7 Tax-credited programs for Christian schooling: Strongly Favors topic 7 Rated 8% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes: Strongly Favors topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (+5 points on Economic scale)	Drill off the coasts of Florida and California: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Rated 5% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Rated 0% by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence: Opposes 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 YES on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC: Opposes topic 18
Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-3 points on Social scale)	Disallow states from making their own medical marijuana laws: Strongly Favors topic 19 Rated +20 by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Favors topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+5 points on Economic scale)	Ok if church identifies candidates who favor its principles: Favors topic 20 YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Favors topic 20 YES on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Favors topic 20
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (+5 points on Economic scale)	Promise to oppose any efforts to raise taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Takes the oath: no tax increase: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Phaseout the death tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Abolish IRS--replace income tax with national sales tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 84% by NTU, indicating a "Taxpayer's Friend" on tax votes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 17% by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation: Strongly Opposes 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 YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Strongly Opposes topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (-5 points on Social scale)	Amnesty is worst possible public policy you can ever have: Strongly Opposes topic 12 No guest worker program; it creates second class citizens: Opposes topic 12 It's not based on racism--it's about the rule of law: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Enough is enough: timeout on LEGAL immigration: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rescind Bush's order allowing Mexican trucks on US roads: Opposes topic 12 Rated 100% by FAIR, indicating a voting record restricting immigration: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated 100% by USBC, indicating a sealed-border stance: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Declare English as the official language of the US: Opposes topic 12 Declared English the official language of the US: Opposes topic 12 NO on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Opposes topic 12 YES on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	NAFTA has been a disaster for many places, especially Mexico: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Enforce trade & currency rules against China: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Don't diminish sovereignty in hopes of influencing trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13 No NAFTA Superhighway from Canada to Mexico: Opposes topic 13 End economic protectionism: let dairy compacts expire : Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 61% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 NO on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Favors topic 13 YES on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Favors topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated 22% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record: Strongly Favors 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 YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses: Favors topic 15 NO on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Favors topic 15
Opposes topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (+2 points on Economic scale)	Voted NO on requiring 527s to disclose donors & activities: Opposes topic 16 NO on banning soft money and issue ads: Opposes topic 16 YES on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Favors topic 16 NO on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Opposes topic 16 YES on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Opposes topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Strongly Opposes topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (-5 points on Social scale)	YES on making the PATRIOT Act permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Opposes topic 17: US out of Iraq (-3 points on Social scale)	We are in a war with radical Islam; Iraq is one battle: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Opposed the troop surge, but supports the troops: Favors topic 17 Surge opposed by all commanders; we're leaving soon: Strongly Favors topic 17 Begin withdrawal from Iraq, to focus on radical Islam: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 YES on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days: Strongly Opposes topic 17