The issues....

[PrincessFiona]

What are important issues for you in this campaign? For me, the big issues are some sort of universal healthcare (more of a democratic stance) and tax relief (more of a republican perspective). I'm not sure why, but the war in Iraq isn't really center stage in my mind anymore. :huh: I have a feeling that regardless of who gets elected we'll continued drawing down and getting out...and the debate over whether it was right/wrong to go there in the first place is sort of...irrelevent now that Bush will not be in office.

How about you? What sort of issues are on your radar?

Kris

[DCJenn]

Re: The issues....

Energy- research and development into alternative energy resources which also dovetails into environmental concerns and issues. My feeling is we can drill all we want but that's an extremely short-term solution that causes a lot of other problems along the way. We have lots of other resources in this country and I'd like to see us use the same drive that got us to the moon to invent ways to light our lights and heat/cool our homes with renewable energy sources.

the Federal Deficit. I would like to know how exactly we pay this off. No one is talking about it (maybe because there aren't any good solutions). I'm not very comfortable with other countries owning the majority of our debt.

I agree that the federal tax situation is ridiculous. They need to scratch the entire code and start all over again and make it simple. and accept that seriously, 45k is NOT middle class anymore. and people who make less than 30k really are poverty level. I never could figure out what was wrong with the flat tax proposals. Even flat tax w/ some kind of leveling system.

Iraq is a done deal. We're there, we'll be there. It's like Korea and Germany (among others)

I'll be honest, because my health care situation is a non-issue for me, and because my husband has no plans to practice civilian medicine and therefore have to deal w/ it in his daily world, I'm interested, I think it's important but it's not MY #1 issue.

Jenn

[Vanquisher]

Re: The issues....

Right now my huge issue is not having that Sarah Palin wacko a hairs breadth from the presidency.

It's all about freedoms to me and rights as American citizens. Health Care is a huge issue, but I don't know the right solution, so how am I supposed to pick between them?

[Sheherezade]

Re: The issues....

Federal Debt load
How we deal with the coming pay-outs to SS and Medicare as we face an aging population (includes healthcare!)
Tax Code re-vamp (probably necessary to deal with the first two)
More focus on individual financial lives and less on corporate needs. (These bailouts are killing me)


Foreign policy - improve relations with allies, deal with Afghanistan and Iraq, participate in world politics via UN
Improving the US intelligence community and communication there-in (if they were to blame for misleading us on Iraq)
Energy policy (strong push to alternatives a la the moon landing would be ideal. )

Reactivating government
Restoring trust/faith in leaders
Getting the people more involved in politics through action.
End to culture wars. At least a cease fire.

[Rapunzel]

Re: The issues....

Well, the libertarian candidate comes closest to my own stance on the issues.

So, my vote will actually be a strategic one. I wish I could vote purely on the issues. But, there are no viable choices for me based on the current realistic possibilities.

[Meenah]

Re: The issues....

1. Supreme Court

2. Healthcare

3. Education

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: The issues....

1. Terrorism/national security

2. Supreme Court

3. Domestic fiscal policy

[MDPhDWife]

Re: The issues....

1. Energy

2. Healthcare

3. Foreign Policy

4. Supreme Court

[Amiens]

Re: The issues....

Really the biggest issue for me is protecting the Constitution as laid forth by our founding fathers, but I know that isn't going to happen given the choices in front of me. Other things on my mind-

1. Economy, and not the global economy- our own economy
2. Energy
3. National Security

[ladymoreta]

Re: The issues....

Here are the ones I'm interested in:

1. Health Care - I don't want national health care, but I think veterans should have much better facilities, and more funds should be made available for preventative medicine/education for the poor.

2. Taxes - Kind of selfish, but I just don't want them raised. Who likes giving the government more money when you know how much they waste?

3. Smaller Government - If they can't be trusted with what they have now, I don't really want them to control more.

4. National Debt - This is already hurting us, and it's only going to get worse if we keep getting more into debt. I know I won't get any social security by the time I retire, but I've paid quite a bit in, and I'd at least like to see my parents have enough.

5. Economy - I hope the government doesn't get too involved, unless it's to set up jobs, like the CCC in the depression. I think, as much as it will hurt, it's good to let the recession run its course. We'll end up stronger in the long run. Too much intervention keeps weak companies/industries around when the market is trying to correct itself. I also don't think the government should bail out people who are defaulting on mortgages. House prices need to be corrected, and people need to be responsible for their decisions.

6. Energy - Anything we can do to get away from oil will also protect us from terrorism, and hopefully the alternative will be better for the environment.