Democratic Party 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)	Strongly and unequivocally support Roe v. Wade: Strongly Favors topic 1 Invest in stem cell and other medical research: Favors topic 1 Pursue embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 Support right to choose even if mother cannot pay: Strongly Favors topic 1 Put science ahead of ideology in research and policymaking: Favors topic 1 Choice is a fundamental, constitutional right: Strongly Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Enable disability access; plus 100,000 federal jobs: Strongly Favors topic 2 Racial and religious profiling is wrong: Favors topic 2 Support affirmative action to redress discrimination: Strongly Favors topic 2 Police should have zero tolerance of racial profiling: Neutral on topic 2 Democrats lead fight for ERA and equal employment: Strongly Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale)	Equal treatment under law for same-sex couples: Strongly Favors topic 3 Keep marriage at state level; no federal gay marriage ban: Strongly Favors topic 3 Pass hate crime legislation including gays: Favors topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-5 points on Social scale)	Support fatherhood via faith-based groups: Favors topic 4 Partner with faith-based organizations to serve the needy: Strongly Favors topic 4 Character education is an important aspect of education: Favors topic 4 Harness power of faith-based organizations PLUS govt: Favors topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	No arbitrary insurer cancelation; yes pre-existing condition: Strongly Favors topic 5 Preserve promise of Medicare; don't privatize or voucherize: Strongly Favors topic 5 Make sure everyone has access to affordable health care: Strongly Favors topic 5 Expand coverage and cut healthcare costs: Favors topic 5 Every American should have affordable health insurance: Strongly Favors topic 5 Add prescription drug benefit to Medicare: Favors topic 5
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)	Preserve promise of Social Security; don't privatize: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Protecting the promise of Social Security is absolute: Strongly Favors topic 6 Oppose privatization and oppose raising retirement age: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Strengthen Social Security for Baby Boomers: Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	OpEd: anti-school choice policy alienates Hispanics: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Turn around struggling public schools; expand public options: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Charter schools OK, vouchers not: Favors topic 7 Democrats are the party of public education: Strongly Opposes topic 7 U.S. needs public school accountability, not vouchers: Strongly Opposes topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: EPA regulations are too restrictive (+5 points on Social scale)	Restore wilderness & watersheds for generations to come: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Reject choice of healthy economy vs. healthy environment: Opposes topic 8
No opinion on topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (0 points on Social scale)	Death penalty must not be arbitrary: Favors topic 9 Reduce racial disparities in sentencing for drug crimes: Opposes topic 9 Fight crime with prevention, community police: Opposes topic 9 Tougher punishments, including the death penalty: Strongly Favors topic 9 DNA testing & post-conviction reviews in death penalty cases: Opposes topic 9
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	Right to own firearms is subject to reasonable regulation: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Reauthorize assault weapons ban, close gun show loophole: Opposes topic 10 Strengthen gun control to reduce violence: Strongly Opposes topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Cut taxes for every working family, but not millionaires: Strongly Favors topic 11 Cut taxes for middle class, not the wealthy: Strongly Favors topic 11 G.O.P. creates debt, Dems create surpluses: Neutral on topic 11 Democrats will eliminate publicly held debt by 2012: Favors topic 11 Cut taxes for working families, not richest 1%: Strongly Favors topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	DREAM Act for now; comprehensive reform next: Strongly Favors topic 12 Path for undocumented aliens to earn citizenship: Favors topic 12 Reform the INS; reduce immigrant backlog: Favors topic 12 Protect immigrants from exploitation by employers: Strongly Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Double our exports by 2015 with new trade agreements: Strongly Favors topic 13 Create jobs that stay in America: Opposes topic 13 Knock down barriers to free, fair and balanced trade: Opposes topic 13 Free trade with safeguards will benefit all: Favors topic 13
Opposes topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (-3 points on Economic scale)	US leadership at UN, including respectful disagreement: Opposes topic 14
Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale)	Excessive use of our military breeds more terrorists: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Add 40,000 new soldiers and keep military all-volunteer: Favors topic 15 Equip military for new threats and missions: Strongly Favors topic 15 Encourage military careers with better pay & benefits: Favors topic 15 Prepare military with advanced military and technology: Strongly Favors topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Curb the influence of lobbyists; no to Citizens United: Strongly Favors topic 16 Your vote should count; no voter ID laws: Favors topic 16 Meaningful campaign finance reform to restore public trust: Strongly Favors topic 16 Support McCain-Feingold bill for campaign finance reform: Favors topic 16
Strongly Favors topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (+5 points on Social scale)	No US forces in Iraq; no US bases in Iraq: Favors topic 17 Bring our troops home from Afghanistan by 2014: Favors topic 17 New vision for America: strong at home, respected abroad: Favors topic 17 Internationalize Iraqi military and political presence: Favors topic 17 Granting open-ended authority for Iraq war lost '02 election: Favors topic 17 Forward Engagement must guide proactive foreign policy: Strongly Favors topic 17 Work to close gap between richest and poorest nations: Favors topic 17 Commitment to Israel is unshakable: Strongly Favors topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Preserve ANWR but explore for oil responsibly elsewhere: Favors topic 18 Transfer billions in oil & gas subsidies to alternative R&D;: Strongly Favors topic 18 We cannot drill our way to energy independence: Favors topic 18 Develop renewable energy and efficient vehicles: Favors topic 18 Invest in technology & transportation friendly to earth: Strongly Favors topic 18 Encourage open space and rail travel: Strongly Favors topic 18 We do not have to choose between economy and environment: Favors topic 18
Favors topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (-3 points on Social scale)	Join Central American governments to combat narco-traffic: Favors topic 19 Crack down on gangs and drugs: Favors topic 19 Bring to justice those bringing drugs to America: Favors topic 19 Drugs in prison: get clean to get out: Favors topic 19 Dry up drug demand via more enforcement plus more treatment: Favors topic 19 Fight drugs and economic hopelessness that fuels it: Favors topic 19
No opinion on topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)