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)
Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (+2 points on Social scale)	Would probably not sign federal ban on all abortions: Opposes topic 1 Ultimate decision by woman, her conscience & her doctor: Strongly Favors topic 1 Allowing choice keeps government out of people's lives: Favors topic 1 Encourage adoptions; ban partial-birth abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Pro-choice; no ban on partial-birth abortions: Strongly Favors topic 1
Opposes topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (+2 points on Economic scale)	1990s: City jobs cuts fell disproportionately on black staff: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Dismantled affirmative action program for NYC contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Supports affirmative action: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	Supports domestic partnerships, but not same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 Opposed Pres. Bush's ban on gay marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 Pro gay rights: Favors topic 3 Extended all city benefits to same-sex couples: Strongly Favors topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+2 points on Social scale)	Opposes prayer in school: Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 8: Death Penalty (-5 points on Social scale)	Prefers death penalty for 9/11 conspirators: Strongly Favors topic 8 Would personally execute Bin Laden for attacking NYC: Strongly Favors topic 8
Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-3 points on Social scale)	Need DNA Lab to Combat Crime: Favors topic 9 Crime cut in half in NYC: Favors topic 9 Risk cannot be eliminated, but take security seriously: Favors topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Government can impose reasonable regulations on guns: Opposes topic 10 2nd Amendment gives people the individual right to bear arms: Strongly Favors topic 10 Supported nationwide licensing & assault weapons ban: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Things you do in NY about guns may be different than TX: Favors topic 10 NYC sued two dozen major gun manufacturers and distributors: Strongly Opposes topic 10 All gun owners should pass written test: Opposes topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (+5 points on Economic scale)	$15,000 tax deduction for health savings accounts: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Switch from employer decisions to individual choices: Strongly Opposes topic 5 96,000 NYC children insured via HealthStat initiative: Favors topic 5 No socialized medicine; give vouchers to the poor: Strongly Opposes topic 5
Strongly Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+5 points on Economic scale)	Supports adding private accounts for Social Security: Strongly Favors topic 6 Get a consensus behind private accounts: Strongly Favors topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (+5 points on Economic scale)	Let parents be the deciders on their children's education: Strongly Favors topic 7 All parents want more control & choice over kids' schooling: Strongly Favors topic 7 Revolutionize public education by allowing for choice: Strongly Favors topic 7 Empower parents to decide parochial, charter, or home school: Strongly Favors topic 7 Supports vouchers and supports using the word vouchers: Strongly Favors topic 7 Privatize failing schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 Charter Schools create competition: Favors topic 7 Voucher program for New York City: Strongly Favors topic 7 Experiment in NYC with school vouchers: Strongly Favors topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (+5 points on Economic scale)	Signing Kyoto would just move CO2 emissions to China & India: Strongly Opposes topic 18 No new energy tax; focus on alternatives instead: Opposes topic 18 Nuclear power is dangerous, but nobody's died from it: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Develop energy-independent technology, but not wind power: Favors topic 18 Got to expand nuclear and do clean coal: Strongly Opposes topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-5 points on Social scale)	AdWatch: Got tough on drugs like meth in Massachusetts: Favors topic 19 Drug policy should be an integral part of foreign policy: Strongly Favors topic 19
Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+2 points on Economic scale)	Welfare offices as job centers: Favors topic 20 Govt stabilizes business; businesses provide jobs: Favors topic 20
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (+5 points on Economic scale)	Cutting anti-competitive taxes raises more revenue: Opposes topic 11 I am a supply-sider; and I actually made it work: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Reduce corporate tax from 35% to 25%, to increase revenue: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Reducing taxes is a way to raise MORE money: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Claimed 90s NYC tax cuts reduced deficits: Strongly Opposes topic 11 First day as mayor: reduced sales tax from 6% to 5%: Opposes topic 11 NYC tax reductions of $10.4B through 2003: Opposes topic 11 Supports Task Force to continue reduce taxes: Opposes topic 11
Favors topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+2 points on Social scale)	Declared NYC a sanctuary city, and crime fell: Strongly Favors topic 12 Allow immigrants to work, with tamper-proof ID cards: Favors topic 12 Let illegals' kids go to school, or they'll be on streets: Favors topic 12 Supports Senate guest worker plan & path to citizenship: Strongly Favors topic 12 We should erect a fence along the border: Opposes topic 12 NYC services for illegal aliens: Favors topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	Good deals pending with Peru, Colombia, Panama, South Korea: Strongly Favors topic 13 Balance foreign debt by selling more things overseas: Favors topic 13 Take advantage of globalization--market US healthcare abroad: Strongly Favors topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-5 points on Social scale)	Democrats don't support military the way Republicans do: Strongly Favors topic 15 We're right and terrorists are wrong--as simple as that: Favors topic 15
Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-3 points on Economic scale)	Ardent supporter of campaign finance reform: Favors topic 16 Debates on campaign finance reform miss the point on honesty: Favors topic 16
Strongly Opposes topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (-5 points on Social scale)	President must be free to defend nation with surveillance: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Interrogation & surveillance: do legally but aggressively: Strongly Opposes topic 14 The Patriot Act, Afghanistan and Iraq wars: all very good: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Fervently supported reauthorization of the Patriot Act: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Strongly Opposes topic 17: US out of Iraq (-5 points on Social scale)	The Iraq war was worth the price in blood and treasure: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Winning in Iraq is one battle in overall terrorist war: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Withdrawal from Iraq encourages future terror attacks: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Iraq: More inspections; counter OPEC’s oil production cuts: Favors topic 17