| Question |
Answer |
VoteMatch results
|
| |
|
|
Below are the summary results of our VoteMatch 20-question
political quiz, with analysis of the responses in terms of Bush's & Gore's
stances from the 200 elections (when this data began being collected). Click on
the links below for excerpts on each topic, or click for a summary of
Gore's VoteMatch answers and
Bush's VoteMatch answers, with headlines evidencing how we concluded
their answer to each question. Click on the "analysis" link to see background
and details about the question.
|
|
Abortion is a Woman's Right |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: 61%
agree with Gore's pro-choice
stance, and only 35% with
Bush's pro-life stance. This issue has the fewest people answering "no
opinion" of any VoteMatch issue (only 4%), which reflects the fact that it is
overwhelmingly the issue with the most voter interest (as indicated by our
viewership statistics). Click for all candidates' headlines on
abortion or for background
information.
|
|
| |
|
Require Companies To Hire More Women/Minorities |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: Gore
supports Affirmative
Action but without quotas, Bush supports
Affirmative Access with more focus on process than outcome. Note that
our question specifies REQUIREMENT: 35% support that, and 51% oppose it. Click
for all candidates' headlines on Civil Rights or
for background information.
|
|
| |
|
Sexual Orientation Protected By Civil Rights Law |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: 58%
agree with Gore's
pro-gay stance, and 32% with
Bush's leave-it-to-the-states stance. The response pattern indicates a
divisive issue: both "strongly" bars are larger than their corresponding
non-strong bars. Click for all candidates' headlines on Civil
Rights or for background
information.
|
|
| |
|
Organized Prayer In Public Schools |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: It's
difficult to decode the candidates's stances on religious issues, since both
are wary of issues of separation of church and state, and neither wants to be
seen as anti-religion. But Bush is considerably more willing to federally fund
values education, which the results above would imply are supported by
38% of voters. 50% oppose school prayer, which implies a closer match to
Gore's voluntary-only prayer. and 35% with Bush's stance. Click for all
candidates' headlines on Education or for headlines
on Values.
|
|
| |
|
Death Penalty |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: Both
Gore and Bush support the death penalty, but Bush is
more fervent about it; such strong support is backed up by 31% of
voters. Gore's more
cautious support is backed by 17% of voters, for an overall split of
47% support to 43% opposition. Click for all candidates' headlines on
Crime or for background
information.
|
|
| |
|
Mandatory "Three Strikes" Sentencing Laws |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: Both
Bush & Gore support mandatory sentencing, which is unsurprising given the
lopsided voter preference: 66% to 25% in support. Gore agrees with tougher
penalties, but prefers
more police. Bush is again more fervent, in favor of
"Two Strikes" and limited parole, including minors. Click for all
candidates' headlines on Juvenile Crime or for
background information.
|
|
| |
|
Absolute Right To Gun Ownership |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: The
Gun Control issue rounds out the Big Three issues in terms of viewer interest,
behind Abortion and Education -- all the other issues are very distantly
behind. Voters are split on the issue: 49% agree with
Bush's pro-gun rights stance, while 45% agree with
Gore's pro-registration stance. Click for all candidates' headlines on
Gun_Control or for background
information.
|
|
| |
|
More Federal Funding For Health Coverage |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: This
is the most lopsided of any response: 68% in favor, versus only 23% opposing.
Accodingly, Bush has been promoting various spending programs, such as
prescription drugs and health care tax credits. But health care is
generally seen as a Democratic issue, favoring Gore's more fervent stance of
incrementally reaching universal coverage. Click for all candidates'
headlines on Health Care or for
background information.
|
|
| |
|
Privatize Social Security |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: Only
29% agree with Gore's stance to keep Social Security
within the federal government, while 56% agree with Bush's stance of
privatization. Social Security until recently was called the "Third
Rail" of politics -- touch it and you die -- but clearly the voters are ready
for a change. This question is perhaps the most skewed by demographics -- our
viewers are all Internet users, and hence are younger and more affluent than
the general population. Click for all candidates' headlines on
Social Security or for
background information.
|
|
| |
|
Parents Choose Schools Via Vouchers |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: 42%
agree with Gore's stance to fund
public schools only, and 47% agree with Bush's stance to
fund vouchers for private schools. Education is primarily a non-federal
issue, with 93% of funding and most decisions occuring at the state and local
levels. But education is solidly second in voter interest (behind abortion, as
measured by our viewership statistics), so the candidates are obligated to make
their views known despite the limited power of the presidency on this issue.
Click for all candidates' headlines on School Choice
or for background
information.
|
|
| |
|
Spend Resources To Stop Global Warming |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: The
environmental issue is the most lopsided issue on which the candidates sharply
differ; this is a particularly sharp difference because the question is worded
in terms of spending and not just a call for vague action. 61% agree with
Gore's stance that
global warming is a serious threat, and 25% with Bush's stance
opposing the Kyoto Protocol. Click for all candidates' headlines on
Environment or for background
information.
|
|
| |
|
Drug Use Is Immoral: Enforce Laws Against It |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: 53%
support the Drug War, while 37% oppose it. This has not been much of a campaign
issue because Bush & Gore in large part agree: Gore would maintain the Drug
War but focus on treatment and
prevention, while Bush would maintain the Drug War by focusing on
stronger penalties. Click for all candidates' headlines on
Drugs or for background
information.
|
|
| |
|
Allow Churches To Provide Welfare Services |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: Both
Bush & Gore once again agree with a strong voter consensus: 60% favor
welfare services by faith-based organization while only 23% oppose it. Gore
favors
Charitable Choice, and Bush favors
church-based solutions for most social issues. Click for all
candidates' headlines on welfare & charity
or for background
information.
|
|
| |
|
Make Income Taxes Flatter and Lower |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: 65%
agree with tax cuts and only 26% oppose; another consensus on which the
candidates largely agree. However, tax cuts are generally seen as a Republican
issue, so this consensus favors Bush despite Gore's tax cut plans. Bush favors
a $1.3 trillion tax rate
reduction; Gore favors $500
billion in targeted cuts. Click for all candidates' headlines on
Tax Reform or for background
information.
|
|
| |
|
Immigration Helps Our Economy - Encourage It |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: Immigration
holds the dubious distinction of the issue with the most viewers answering "No
opinion", at 18%. And the results, 38% in favor and 44% opposed, indicate a
lack of voter consensus as well. Bush has mixed views, calling for
a friendlier INS but more border guards. Gore is less ambiguous,
calling for
more & easier immigration. Click for all candidates' headlines on
Immigration or for
background information.
|
|
| |
|
Support and Expand Free Trade |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: Free
Trade has the smallest strong opposition of our 20 issues (5%, despite the very
visible protests throughout the campaign), as well as a strong consensus in
favor: 65% to only 22% opposed. This consensus is an important reason why
Nader's and Buchanan's campaigns have failed to gain steam, since they have
both made this issue central to their candidacies. Nader & Buchanan agree
in opposing free trade based on the dangers of "globalization", with Buchanan
focusing on
Economic Nationalism, and Nader focusing on
corporate power. Bush & Gore agree in supporting free trade, with
Bush promoting the
free market, and Gore occasionally mentioning
fair trade. Click for all candidates' headlines on
Free Trade or for
background information.
|
|
| |
|
More Spending On Armed Forces Personnel |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: This
is another strong voter consensus; 62% in favor with only 27% opposed, despite
that the wording says MORE spending, not just MAINTAIN spending. Bush &
Gore outdo each other in pledging better military pay; they differ only on what
else they would spend on, with Bush focusing on a
general military buildup and Gore focuing on
technological effectiveness. Cheney's calls for
better readiness tend to reinforce this as a Republican issue. Click
for all candidates' headlines on Kosovo or
Defense in general, or for
background information.
|
|
| |
|
Reduce Spending on Missile Defense ("Star Wars") |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: This
is the only issue of our 20 questions which came out a tie: 42% favor, and 42%
oppose. Bush & Gore agree that we should build some sort of national
missile defense; Gore proposes a
less powerful version, and Bush a
full-scale version. Click for all candidates' headlines on
Defense, or for background
information.
|
|
| |
|
Link Human Rights To Trade With China |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: 60%
favor restrictions on China trade, with only 24% opposing. This is the only
issue of our 20 questions where Bush & Gore both strongly disagree with the
voter's preference -- Gore has pushed for
China in the WTO; Bush agrees and would
add Taiwan as well. Their agreement is not surprising, since both
President Clinton and the Republican Congress also agree on this issue. What is
surprising is the strong public consensus against it, which only
Nader and Buchanan
acknowledge, and even they have not come out strongly on this issue. Click for
all candidates' headlines on China or for
background information.
|
|
| |
|
Continue Foreign Aid to Russia, Israel, Others |
Strongly Support
|
|
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
No Opinion
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
Strongly Oppose
|
|
| Analysis: 55%
favor foreign aid and 31% oppose it. Bush & Gore agree in general in
favoring foreign aid, although Gore is more
internationalist and interventionist abroad, while Bush more cautiously
combines
internationalism and isolationism. Click for all candidates' headlines
on Foreign Policy or for
background information.
|
|
|
Explore The Results
Take
the VoteMatch Quiz |
More Issue Results |
How It Works |
Quiz Comments
The above analyses reflect data collected from March 2004 through October
2004. Sample size is well over 100,000 viewer sessions. The margin of error is
well under 1%, but the data represents a "self-selected sample" of people who
use the Internet for political information.
|
