Tom Vilsack 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)	A Catholic who supports abortion rights: Favors topic 1
Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Declared English as Iowa’s official language: Opposes topic 2 Demand funding for disabled learning: Favors topic 2 Shift from group preferences to economic empowerment of all: Neutral on topic 2 Support principles embodied in the Equal Rights Amendment: Favors topic 2
Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated “B” by National Review on pro-gay issues: Favors topic 3 Hosted Governor’s Conference on LGBT Youth: Favors topic 3
No opinion on topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Death Penalty (+5 points on Social scale)	Against the death penalty: Opposes topic 8 Opposes death penalty in Iowa: Strongly Opposes topic 8
No opinion on topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (0 points on Social scale)	Supports flexible federal block grants for crime programs: Neutral on topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology: Opposes topic 10
Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-3 points on Economic scale)	Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care: Favors topic 5 Maintain Medicare funding of HMO benefits: Favors topic 5 Protect state tobacco settlement funds from federal seizure: Neutral on topic 5
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Create Retirement Savings Accounts: Favors topic 6 Maintain federal Social Services Block Grant funding: Favors topic 6 Maintain long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare: Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-5 points on Economic scale)	We need educational revolution, NOT “No Child Left Behind”: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice: Opposes topic 7 Improve and invest in public schools: Opposes topic 7
Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-3 points on Economic scale)	Need an energy policy tied to environmental conservation: Strongly Favors topic 18 Vetoed a bill without adequate environmental safeguards: Favors topic 18 Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 Replace MTBE in gasoline with cleaner ethanol: Neutral on topic 18 Voluntary partnerships reduce greenhouse gases economically: Neutral on topic 18 Kyoto Treaty must include reductions by all countries: Opposes topic 18 Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025: Strongly Favors topic 18
Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-3 points on Social scale)	Reduced supply of dangerous drugs: Favors topic 19 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)	Finish welfare reform by moving able recipients into jobs: Favors topic 20 Support LIHEAP, low-income heating assistance: Favors topic 20 Promote the next generation of welfare reform: Opposes 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)	Embraces middle-class tax cuts: 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)	Diversity adds to our economic wealth: Strongly 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 Ease Canadian border-crossing rules: Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Build a rule-based global trading system: Favors topic 13 Ease Canadian border-crossing rules: Favors topic 13 Grant fast-track authority to the President: Favors topic 13
Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-3 points on Social scale)	Pay salary differentials for active duty employees: Favors topic 15
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)	America’s real war on terror is fighting poverty & ignorance: Favors topic 14
Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq (+2 points on Social scale)	Get troops out of harm’s way in Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence: Favors topic 17 Include states in anti-terrorism planning: Neutral on topic 17