Bill Thomas on the Issues (original) (raw)

VoteMatch Responses
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VoteMatch Question & Answer
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Based on these stances:
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Opposes topic 1:
Abortion is a woman's right
(-3 points on Social scale)

Rated 10% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 1
YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1
YES on banning partial-birth abortions: Opposes topic 1
NO on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Favors topic 1
NO on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes: Favors topic 1
NO on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info: Favors topic 1
YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother�s life: Strongly Opposes topic 1
YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: Opposes topic 1
YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions: Strongly Opposes topic 1
YES on allowing human embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1

Strongly Opposes topic 2:
Require hiring more women & minorities
(+5 points on Economic scale)

YES on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions: Opposes topic 2
NO on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Opposes topic 2

Opposes topic 3:
Same-sex domestic partnership benefits
(-3 points on Social scale)

NO on banning gay adoptions in DC.: Favors topic 3
YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3
YES on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman: Strongly Opposes topic 3

Strongly Favors topic 4:
Teacher-led prayer in public schools
(-5 points on Social scale)

Rated 76% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-family voting record: Strongly Favors topic 4
YES on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer: Strongly Favors topic 4
YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror: Strongly Favors topic 4
YES on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Favors topic 4
YES on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4
NO on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4

Strongly Favors topic 8:
Death Penalty
(-5 points on Social scale)

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)

Rated 29% by CURE, indicating anti-rehabilitation crime votes: Strongly Favors topic 9
NO on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.: Strongly Favors topic 9

Strongly Favors topic 10:
Absolute right to gun ownership
(+5 points on Economic scale)

Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record: Strongly Favors topic 10
YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Favors topic 10
YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10

Strongly Opposes topic 5:
More federal funding for health coverage
(+5 points on Economic scale)

Rated 11% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record: Strongly 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
NO on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Opposes topic 5
YES on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Opposes topic 5
YES on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Opposes topic 5
YES on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay: Strongly Opposes topic 5

Strongly Favors topic 6:
Privatize Social Security
(+5 points on Economic scale)

Rated 0% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record: Strongly 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
YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Favors topic 6

Strongly Favors topic 7:
Parents choose schools via vouchers
(+5 points on Economic scale)

Rated 17% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes: 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

Strongly Opposes topic 18:
Replace coal & oil with alternatives
(+5 points on Economic scale)

Rated 15% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 18
NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: Strongly Opposes topic 18
NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels: Strongly Opposes topic 18
NO on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR: Strongly Opposes topic 18
YES on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Opposes topic 18
YES on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Opposes topic 18
NO on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore: Strongly Opposes topic 18

Favors topic 19:
Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it
(-3 points on Social scale)

NO on subjecting federal employees to random drug tests: Strongly Opposes topic 19
YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Favors topic 19
YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Favors topic 19

Strongly Favors topic 20:
Allow churches to provide welfare services
(+5 points on Economic scale)

Limit welfare to 2 years & cut welfare spending: Favors topic 20
YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Favors topic 20
YES on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Favors topic 20

Strongly Opposes topic 11:
Make taxes more progressive
(+5 points on Economic scale)

Phaseout the death tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Rated 62% by NTU, indicating "Satisfactory" on tax votes: Neutral on 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
YES on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11
YES on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11
YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Opposes topic 11
YES on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 11
YES on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Opposes topic 11
YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11

Favors topic 12:
Illegal immigrants earn citizenship
(+2 points on Social scale)

Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration: Strongly Favors topic 12
YES on more immigrant visas for skilled workers: Favors topic 12
YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12
NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Favors topic 12
YES on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project: Strongly Opposes topic 12
YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12

Strongly Favors topic 13:
Support & expand free trade
(+5 points on Economic scale)

Rated 44% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on 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
YES on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Favors topic 13
YES on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Favors topic 13
YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Favors topic 13
YES on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Opposes topic 13
YES on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Favors topic 13

Strongly Favors topic 15:
Expand the armed forces
(-5 points on Social scale)

Rated 22% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record: Strongly Favors topic 15
No US troops under UN command; more defense spending: Favors topic 15
YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Favors topic 15
YES on deploying SDI: 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

Opposes topic 16:
Stricter limits on political campaign funds
(+2 points on Economic scale)

NO on banning soft money and issue ads: Opposes topic 16
YES on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Favors topic 16
NO on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Opposes topic 16
YES on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Opposes topic 16

Strongly Opposes topic 14:
The Patriot Act harms civil liberties
(-5 points on Social scale)

YES on making the PATRIOT Act permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 14
YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Strongly Opposes topic 14
YES on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant: Strongly Opposes topic 14

Strongly Opposes topic 17:
US out of Iraq & Afghanistan
(-5 points on Social scale)

YES on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17
YES on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date: Strongly Opposes topic 17