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)
Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (-3 points on Social scale)	Partial birth abortion is infanticide: Opposes topic 1 No Medicare funds for abortions; OK to fund privately abroad: Neutral on topic 1 No funding for abortion; but don’t criminalize it: Favors topic 1 First trimester abortion OK; partial birth not: Favors topic 1 YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortions: Opposes topic 1
Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Work for better future rather than reparations: Opposes topic 2 Racial profiling is not needed to keep NYC streets safe: Neutral on topic 2 Racial preferences OK in college admissions: Favors topic 2 NO on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions: Favors topic 2
Opposes topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (-3 points on Social scale)	Ban gays in the military: Strongly Opposes topic 3 No gay adoption or marriage; domestic partners OK: Opposes topic 3 Endorsed by Log Cabin Republicans; supports gay rights: Favors topic 3 YES on banning gay adoptions in DC.: Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (-5 points on Social scale)	Blame Hollywood; maybe post Ten Commandments: Favors topic 4 OK: Day of Prayer; religious memorials; monitor persecution: Favors topic 4 YES on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer: Strongly Favors topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 8: Death Penalty (-5 points on Social scale)	Limit death-row legal challenges: Strongly Favors topic 8 More prisons, more enforcement, effective death penalty: Favors topic 8 NO on replacing death penalty with life imprisonment: Strongly Favors topic 8 YES on making federal death penalty appeals harder: Strongly Favors topic 8 NO on maintaining right of habeas corpus in Death Penalty Appeals: Favors topic 8
Strongly Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-5 points on Social scale)	Law enforcement is a fundamental govt responsibility: Favors topic 9 More prisons; stricter sentencing; death penalty: Strongly Favors 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
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Require criminal background checks at gun shows: Opposes topic 10 For Brady Bill & trigger locks; no fans at NRA: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Against gun registration; for sportsmen’s rights: Favors topic 10 Ban assault weapons; maintain federal gun restrictions: Strongly Opposes topic 10 YES on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Favors topic 10
Opposes topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (+2 points on Economic scale)	Lazio: Hillary’s proposals would destroy teaching hospitals: Neutral on topic 5 Patient rights include access but not unlimited lawsuits: Opposes topic 5 Hillary’s universal health care is “an abysmal disaster”: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Focus on prevention; patient rights; more coverage options: 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
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Invest Social Security funds; privately or via Trust Fund: Favors topic 6 Reduce taxes on Social Security earnings: 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
Strongly Favors topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (+5 points on Economic scale)	Immoral to force kids to stay in bad schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 Vouchers help the poor escape failing schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 Vouchers for private school tuition: Strongly Favors topic 7 Supports limited vouchers & charter schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on vouchers for private & parochial schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on allowing vouchers in DC schools: Favors topic 7
Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-3 points on Economic scale)	Allow experimenting for voluntary greenhouse gas reductions: Favors topic 18 Balance prosperity and conservation: Favors topic 18 More emission controls; more air & water standards: Favors topic 18 More grazing & mining fees; promote pollution credits: Favors topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-5 points on Social scale)	Vote helped pass crime bill, drug courts, community police: Favors topic 19 Supports Weed and Seed anti-drug program: Strongly Favors topic 19 Stricter penalties for drugs; more funding & border security: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Favors topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+5 points on Economic scale)	Promote responsible fatherhood via faith-based institutions: Strongly Favors topic 20 Tax incentives & vouchers to reduce homelessness: Favors topic 20 Continue welfare-to-work & block grants: Favors topic 20 Limit welfare to 2 years & cut welfare spending: Favors topic 20 YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Favors topic 20
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (+5 points on Economic scale)	Supports a “significant tax cut”: Opposes topic 11 Limit tax burden: 38% is too high: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Marriage is sacred event, not a taxable event: Opposes topic 11 Repeal marriage tax; cut middle class taxes: 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
Strongly Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+5 points on Social scale)	More aid for immigrants; more high-tech immigrant visas: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on more immigrant visas for skilled workers: Favors topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	Supports NAFTA; GATT; WTO; Fast-Track: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on 'Fast Track' authority for trade agreements: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Favors topic 13
Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-3 points on Social scale)	Ensure the best-trained and equipped military: Strongly Favors topic 15 Supports F-22; ensure best technology for future wars: Strongly Favors topic 15 No US troops under UN command; more defense spending: Favors topic 15 NO on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Opposes topic 15 YES on deploying SDI: Favors topic 15
Opposes topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (+2 points on Economic scale)	Public financing of elections is welfare for politicians: Strongly Opposes topic 16 Public financing of elections is welfare for politicians: Strongly Opposes topic 16 No soft money; yes full campaign disclosure: Favors topic 16 YES on banning soft money and issue ads: Favors topic 16
Neutral on topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq (+5 points on Social scale)	Embrace our role as a world leader: Strongly Favors topic 17 Israel: Supports strong partnership: Strongly Favors topic 17