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 Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (+5 points on Social scale)	Fund Planned Parenthood; protect abortion providers: Strongly Favors topic 1 Support embryonic stem cell research but not cloning: Favors topic 1 Support a ban on partial-birth abortion: Opposes topic 1 Continue promising stem-cell research: Favors topic 1 Provide emergency contraception at military facilities: Favors topic 1 Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Access safe, legal abortion without restrictions: Strongly Favors topic 1 Keep federal funding for family planning clinics: Strongly Favors topic 1 CC:Oppose strict Constitutionalist judges: Favors topic 1 CC:Publicly fund abortions: Strongly Favors topic 1 CC:No parental notification for abortions by minors: Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 Emergency contraception at all military health facilities: Strongly Favors topic 1 Endorsed Endorsed by EMILY's list for pro-choice Democratic women: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP: Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1 NO on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions: Favors topic 1 NO on restricting UN funding for population control policies: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	FactCheck: Akin's female staff are not paid as much as men: Strongly Favors topic 2 Women shouldn't get paid less simply because they're women: Strongly Favors topic 2 Recognize Juneteenth as historical end of slavery: Strongly Favors topic 2 Endorsed by The Feminist Majority indicating a pro-women's rights stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 More funding & services for victims of domestic violence: Strongly Favors topic 2 Enforce against wage discrimination based on gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale)	Supports gay marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 Government should not limit marrying who you love: Strongly Favors topic 3 2005: No amendment; existing law prohibits gay marriage: Favors topic 3 Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays: Favors topic 3 Let states recognize same sex marriage: Favors topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (+2 points on Social scale)	Women were exploited in 2000 BC, not just from 1960s: Opposes topic 4
Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-3 points on Economic scale)	Protect coverage of pre-existing conditions: Strongly Favors topic 5 Keep options open, instead of single-payer: Opposes topic 5 Opposes annual limit on federal Medicare spending: Strongly Favors topic 5 Expand Medicare for people, not for drug companies: Strongly Favors topic 5 Negotiate for lower Rx prices and reimportation: Favors topic 5 Religious exemption from ObamaCare individual mandate: Opposes topic 5 Keep healthcare mandate, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 5 Preserve access to Medicaid & SCHIP during economic downturn: Strongly Favors topic 5 Disclose payments from manufacturers to physicians: Favors topic 5 NO on allowing tribal Indians to opt out of federal healthcare: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium: Opposes topic 5 NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Favors topic 5 YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Favors topic 5 YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility: Favors topic 5 YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare: Favors topic 5 YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: Favors topic 5 YES on regulating tobacco as a drug: Favors topic 5
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)	Opposes privatization of Social Security and VA: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Diverting revenue to private accounts eliminates guarantee: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 83% by ARA, indicating a mixed record on senior issues: Neutral on topic 6 YES on establishing reserve funds & pre-funding for Social Security: Favors topic 6
Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-3 points on Economic scale)	Expand pre-school and Head Start: Opposes topic 7 Scholarships to fill science & math slots in public schools: Opposes topic 7 Education dollars wasted on bureaucracy: Favors topic 7
Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+2 points on Social scale)	Limit EPA farm regulations, but no EPA cuts: Opposes topic 8 Enforce the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act: Opposes topic 8 No EPA permits required for forest road runoff: Strongly Favors topic 8 Sponsored no permits for legal pesticide runoff into lakes & streams: Strongly Favors topic 8 Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting: Strongly Opposes topic 8 YES on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems: Opposes topic 8 NO on prohibiting eminent domain for use as parks or grazing land: Opposes topic 8
Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-3 points on Social scale)	1980s: Specialized in prosecuting arson & sex crimes: Favors topic 9 Increase sentences for repeat violent criminals: Favors topic 9 Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 Permanent crime database for volunteers with kids: Favors topic 9 Facilitate recovering crime victim restitution fees: Strongly Favors topic 9 Rated 64% by the NAPO, indicating a moderate stance on police issues: Neutral on topic 9 YES on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program: Opposes topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Supports background checks and assault rifle ban: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Restrict right to bear arms, according to CC survey: Opposes topic 10 YES on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets: Strongly Opposes topic 10 YES on prohibiting foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership: Favors topic 10 NO on allowing firearms in checked baggage on Amtrak trains: Opposes topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Ad-Watch: Supports middle-class tax cuts, not all tax cuts: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Estate tax repeal takes care of millionaires: Strongly Favors topic 11 Restore College Tuition Tax Credit as middle class tax break: Favors topic 11 Minimum tax rate of 30% for those earning over $1 million: Strongly Favors topic 11 CC:Reverse federal income tax cuts: Favors topic 11 CC:Keep the inhertiance tax: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset: Favors topic 11 NO on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax: Strongly Favors topic 11
Opposes topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (-3 points on Social scale)	Opposes border wall; also opposes path to citizenship: Favors topic 12 Building a border fence is a first step: Opposes topic 12 No amnesty for illegal immigrants; no guest workers: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Opposes more border security, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities": Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on eliminating the "Y" nonimmigrant guestworker program: Neutral topic 12 YES on declaring English as the official language of the US government: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on comprehensive immigration reform: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Opposes Trump's tariffs on China: Strongly Favors topic 13 Supports fair trade which avoids shipping jobs overseas: Opposes topic 13 Rated Voted FOR reauthorizing Ex-Im Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 75% by the USAE, indicating support for trade engagement: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on promoting free trade with Peru: Opposes topic 13
No opinion on topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (0 points on Economic scale)	Two-state solution despite Israeli settlements on West Bank: Favors topic 14 Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror: Opposes topic 14 Allow travel between the United States and Cuba: Opposes topic 14 YES on requiring FISA court warrant to monitor US-to-foreign calls: Opposes topic 14 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14
Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale)	Economic sanctions against Iran’s nuclear program: Strongly Favors topic 15 Talk to North Korea to renounce nuclear program: Opposes topic 15 Extend reserve retirement pay parity back to 9/11: Favors topic 15 Improve mental health care benefits for returning veterans: Favors topic 15 Exempt Veterans Affairs from federal hiring freeze: Favors topic 15 YES on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months: Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Opposes voter ID requirements: Strongly Favors topic 16 Ban lobbyist gifts to root out corruption: Strongly Favors topic 16 Require Internet disclosure of all earmarks: Favors topic 16 Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures: Strongly Favors topic 16 Matching fund for small donors, with debate requirements: Favors topic 16 Statehood for the District of Columbia: Favors topic 16 Public financing of federal campaigns by voter vouchers: Favors topic 16 Repeal automatic Congressional pay raises: Favors topic 16
Favors topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (+2 points on Social scale)	Supported treaty limiting Iran nuclear capability: Opposes topic 17 US should create respect abroad, not just fear: Strongly Favors topic 17 Define a plan for success in Iraq with a clear exit strategy: Favors topic 17 No troop surge: no military escalation in Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Iran must accept long-term intrusive nuke inspection: Opposes topic 17 CC:Keep alliance with Israel: Opposes topic 17 YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq by March 2008: Strongly Favors topic 17 NO on redeploying non-essential US troops out of Iraq in 9 months: Opposes topic 17
Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-3 points on Economic scale)	Subsidize alternative energy, but build Keystone Pipeline: Opposes topic 18 Energy independence by 2020 via alternative fuels: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 YES on factoring global warming into federal project planning: Favors topic 18 NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on addressing CO2 emissions without considering India & China: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on requiring full Senate debate and vote on cap-and-trade: Opposes topic 18 YES on protecting middle-income taxpayers from a national energy tax: Opposes topic 18 NO on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Opposes topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Supports medical marijuana & alternative drug sentencing: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Early advocate of drug courts: Opposes topic 19 National leader in the war on meth: Favors topic 19 Rated C by NORML, indicating a mixed record on drug reform: Neutral on topic 19 Require chemical resellers to certify against meth use: Favors topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports federal infrastructure investment: Strongly Favors topic 20 Raise the minimum wage: Strongly Favors topic 20 Rated 86% by UFCW, indicating an anti-management/pro-labor record: Favors topic 20 Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016: Favors topic 20 CC:No Balanced Budget Consitutional Amendment: Favors topic 20 YES on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million: Strongly Favors topic 20 YES on additional $825 billion for economic recovery package: Strongly Favors topic 20 YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending: Strongly Favors topic 20