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 right (+5 points on Social scale)	Roe v. Wade was the right decision: Strongly Favors topic 1 1993: allowed abortions on overseas U.S. military bases: Strongly Favors topic 1 Let women decide with their doctor and their God: Strongly Favors topic 1
Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Help minority- and women-owned businesses compete: Strongly Favors topic 2 Affirmative action: mend it, don’t end it: Favors topic 2 Shift from group preferences to economic empowerment of all: Neutral on topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	1993: Issued gays-in-military policy ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’: Strongly Favors topic 3 End Discrimination Against People With AIDS: Favors topic 3 First President to appoint open gays: Favors topic 3 Focus National Efforts on an AIDS Vaccine: Favors topic 3 Include sexual orientation in Hate Crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+2 points on Social scale)	Need not leave religion at the schoolhouse door: Favors topic 4 Private student prayer OK; but no official school prayer: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Favors topic 8: Death Penalty (-3 points on Social scale)	Death penalty for 60 violent crimes: Favors topic 8
Strongly Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-5 points on Social scale)	Crime has dropped, but US is still not safe enough: Favors topic 9 Three Strikes and You’re Out for violent criminals: Strongly Favors topic 9 More police, punishment, & prevention: Strongly Favors topic 9 Get tough on youth violence and gangs: Favors topic 9
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	Background checks have prevented 179,000 illegal gun sales: Opposes topic 10 Support Brady Bill, oppose assault weapons: Strongly Opposes topic 10 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)	Universal coverage would reduce bureaucratic costs: Favors topic 5 Loosen eligibility for disability benefits: Favors topic 5 Do more for health insurance: Favors topic 5 Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care: Favors topic 5
No opinion on topic 6: Privatize Social Security (0 points on Economic scale)	Proposed a small portion of Trust Fund be in mutual funds: Favors topic 6 Safeguard retirement plans and minimize risk: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Create Retirement Savings Accounts: Favors topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-5 points on Economic scale)	Expand public school choice and public charter schools: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Reward best public schools; redesign failing ones: Opposes topic 7 Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	1997: Signed Kyoto Protocol on global warming: Strongly Favors topic 18 Climate change: more biomass, more efficiency: Strongly Favors topic 18 False choice between economy and environment: Favors topic 18 Need binding treaties on global warming: Strongly Favors topic 18 Much left to do on clean air, water, & environment: Favors topic 18 Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18
Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-3 points on Social scale)	$195M National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign: Favors topic 19 Drug strategy to reduce both supply and demand: Favors topic 19
Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+2 points on Economic scale)	End welfare as we know it: Favors topic 20 Address Homelessness via federal, state, & county govt: Opposes topic 20 Welfare-to-work, instead of welfare as a way of life: Favors topic 20 Welfare reform includes states, communities, & businesses: Opposes topic 20 Finish welfare reform by moving able recipients into jobs: Favors topic 20
Strongly Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-5 points on Economic scale)	Most millionaires don’t mind less tax cut to protect the US: Strongly Favors topic 11 My tax cut is the sacrifice of all of us: Favors topic 11 Cut the deficit to lower interest rates: Neutral on topic 11 Target tax cuts on IRAs, education, & families: Favors topic 11 Across-the-board tax cuts are irresponsible: Strongly Favors topic 11
Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+2 points on Social scale)	Reduce immigration backlog while maintaining quality: Favors topic 12 Opposed Official English; strengthen bilingual education: Strongly Favors topic 12 Strict enforcement against illegal immigration: Opposes topic 12 We are richer for the energy & ideas of immigrants: Strongly Favors topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	On balance, trade creates jobs: Favors topic 13 Support NAFTA & GATT: build bridges, not walls: Strongly Favors topic 13 Build a rule-based global trading system: Favors topic 13
Opposes topic 15: Expand the armed forces (+2 points on Social scale)	Strategy: strength, peace, and open trade: Neutral on topic 15 Decrease force size but increase quality: Opposes topic 15
Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-3 points on Economic scale)	1993: Proposed (and failed at) campaign finance reform: Favors topic 16
Favors topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+2 points on Social scale)	Torture must only be hypothetical exception, not US policy: Favors topic 14
Strongly Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq (+5 points on Social scale)	Claims he opposed Iraq war from the beginning: Strongly Favors topic 17 Bush’s unilateralism strains international partnerships: Strongly Favors topic 17 US must not disentangle itself from the world: Strongly Favors topic 17 Support Wye River Accords & other peace talks: Favors topic 17 Combat terrorism; contain Iraq; develop oil: Favors topic 17 Engagement over escapism and isolation: Favors topic 17 Support forces of reform in Russia: Strongly Favors topic 17 Devise NATIONAL policy, not foreign vs. domestic: Favors topic 17 Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence: Favors topic 17