Mazie Hirono 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 right (+5 points on Social scale)	Endorsed by EMILY's List for pro-choice women: Strongly Favors topic 1 Provide emergency contraception at military facilities: Favors topic 1 Require pharmacies to fulfill contraceptive prescriptions: Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 Focus on preventing pregnancy, plus emergency contraception: Favors topic 1 Teach teens about both abstinence & contraception: Favors topic 1 NO on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Affirmative action is as important now as it ever was: Strongly Favors topic 2 Recognize Juneteenth as historical end of slavery: Strongly Favors topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for women's equal rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ratify CEDAW (Discrimination Against Women): Strongly Favors topic 2 Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination: Favors topic 2 Investigate deportation of Japanese during WWII: Favors topic 2 Afghan laws violate women's human rights on sex & divorce: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	No Constitutional bans on same sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays: Favors topic 3 Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays: Favors topic 3 Prohibit sexual-identity discrimination at schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Favors topic 3
Neutral on topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (0 points on Social scale)	Encourage more character education in schools: Favors topic 4 Sex Ed including both abstinence and contraception: Opposes topic 4
Neutral on topic 8: Death Penalty (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Opposes topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (+5 points on Social scale)	Mandatory sentences are ineffective use of money: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 YES on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society: Opposes topic 9
Neutral on topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	Single-payer plans are viable starting points: Strongly Favors topic 5 MEDS Plan: Cover senior Rx under Medicare: Favors topic 5 Require insurers to cover breast cancer treatment: Strongly Favors topic 5 Establish a public insurance option via healthcare Exchanges: Strongly Favors topic 5 Expand the National Health Service Corps: Strongly Favors topic 5 Make health care a right, not a privilege: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on giving mental health full equity with physical health: Favors topic 5 YES on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on repealing the "Prevention and Public Health" slush fund: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Favors topic 5 YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Favors topic 5 YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility: Favors topic 5 YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare: Favors topic 5 YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: Favors topic 5 YES on regulating tobacco as a drug: Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Reject privatization; don't raise the retirement age: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-5 points on Economic scale)	Life long learning, “P through L”: Opposes topic 7 $25B to renovate or repair elementary schools: Opposes topic 7 NO on reauthorizing the DC opportunity scholarship program: Strongly Opposes topic 7 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale)	Ratify Kyoto; raise CAFE and apply to SUVs: Strongly Favors topic 18 Increase solar power; wean ourselves from oil: Strongly Favors topic 18 Extend through 2016 the renewable energy tax credit: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 NO on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on investing in homegrown biofuel: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets: Favors topic 18 YES on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Favors topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (+2 points on Social scale)	Allow rehabilitated drug convicts get student loans: Strongly Opposes topic 19 YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Favors topic 19
Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+2 points on Economic scale)	Grants for faith-based groups to teach English: Strongly Favors topic 20 Public jobs on community-based public interest projects: Favors topic 20 YES on instituting National Service as a new social invention: Opposes topic 20
Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-3 points on Economic scale)	Eliminate tax breaks for the richest 2%: Strongly Favors topic 11 Tax policy to spur growth: Favors topic 11 American People's Dividend: Give $300 to every person: Favors topic 11 Reduce the concentration of wealth & wage inequality: Favors topic 11 YES on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income: Opposes topic 11
Neutral on topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Protect workers & environment in new trade agreements: Opposes topic 13 Review free trade agreements biennially for rights violation: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 No MFN for China; condition trade on human rights: Neutral on topic 13 YES on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Opposes topic 13 NO on promoting free trade with Peru: Opposes topic 13
Strongly Opposes topic 15: Expand the armed forces (+5 points on Social scale)	Pre-emptive strike should not be basis of foreign policy: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Establish a Department of Peace and Nonviolence: Strongly Opposes topic 15 YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-5 points on Economic scale)	Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge: Strongly Favors topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Strongly Favors topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+5 points on Social scale)	YES on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on retroactive immunity for telecoms' warrantless surveillance: Favors topic 14
Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (+2 points on Social scale)	Opposes Iraq war & would have opposed war vote in Congress: Strongly Favors topic 17 Unilateral actionin Iraq hurt our world reputation: Strongly Favors topic 17 No contact & enforce sanctions on Iran until threat is gone: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Boycott & sanctions against Iran for terrorism & nukes: Opposes topic 17 NO on removing US armed forces from Afghanistan: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval: Opposes topic 17 YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Favors topic 17