Ed Case 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)
Strongly Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (+5 points on Social scale)	Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record: Strongly Favors topic 1 Emergency contraception for rape victims at all hospitals: Favors topic 1 Pro-choice, according to PVS survey: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: Favors topic 1 NO on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on allowing human embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1
Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Shift from group preferences to economic empowerment of all: Neutral on topic 2 YES on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale)	NO on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 NO on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman: Strongly Favors topic 3
Strongly Opposes topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (+5 points on Social scale)	Rated 8% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 4 NO on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Opposes topic 4 NO on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4 YES on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care: Favors topic 5 Rated 100% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Favors topic 5 NO on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Favors topic 5 NO on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Favors topic 5 NO on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay: Strongly Favors topic 5
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)	Oppose Social Security privatization, lockbox the trust fund: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Create Retirement Savings Accounts: Favors topic 6 Rated 80% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice: Opposes topic 7 Rated 100% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly Opposes topic 7 PVS:Federal education standards in all states: Strongly Opposes topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+5 points on Social scale)	Diversify tourism to include educational & eco-tourism: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Rated 90% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 8 NO on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Neutral on topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology: Opposes topic 10 NO on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-3 points on Economic scale)	Bush tax cuts unaffordable; targeted middle-class cuts ok: Strongly Favors topic 11 Rated 29% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Favors topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project: Strongly 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 YES on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Opposes topic 13 NO on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Favors topic 13 NO on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13
Favors topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (+2 points on Economic scale)	PVS:No nuclear weapons for hostile governments: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on reforming the UN by restricting US funding: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Favors topic 14
Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 100% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 15 PVS:Don't cut defense to balance budget: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses: Favors topic 15
Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+2 points on Social scale)	Only 8% of my campaign money comes from PACs: Favors topic 16 PVS:Regulate campaign donations from corporations: Favors topic 16 YES on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Opposes topic 16
Strongly Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-5 points on Social scale)	Oppose a timetable of troops withdrawal from Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence: Favors topic 17 PVS:Air support and more intervention in Mideast: Strongly Opposes topic 17 YES on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date: Strongly Opposes topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 Establish greenhouse gas tradeable allowances: Strongly Favors topic 18 PVS:Fund renewable energy like wind and solar: Strongly Favors topic 18 PVS:Regulate greenhouse gas emissions: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore: Strongly Favors topic 18
Neutral on topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Neutral on topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)