What issues matter to you most going into 2008?

[Ban my account ffs!]

What economic issue matters most to you?
What social issue matters to you most?

Economic: Long term energy.  While health care, education, and social security, as well as quality of life are all very important to me, nothing can move forward without a secure, sustainable source of energy to draw from in the future.  While I understand there must be an ideal to have 100% renewable resources as soon as possible, I cannot leave out other power sources like hydro-electric or nuclear power.  We are in the phase where we should be expanding nuclear, wind, and solar while researching other potential sources as well as improving current sources to become more efficient.  For transportation, hydrogen, ethanol, and electric need to be researched and improved upon so that we can move away from hydrocarbons.

Social:  No one issue really stands out, so I will say individual freedom.  Our country has been hijacked by a group of narrow-minded, if well intentioned fundamentalist Christians that believe a top-down approach to morality is necessary for the country to thrive.  I am completely at odds to this approach.  I believe "morality" is a relative term, and that choices regarding morality are best left up to the individual with laws governing only those actions that can harm others.

You cannot force patriotism or religion upon somebody, as that person will simply revolt and you will never see them become religious or patriotic again.  I believe that "to each his own" is a good policy when it comes to individual social choices.  Some like nothing better than a good set of rules and regulations to follow, and we have the freedom to follow that lifestyle, but we cannot expect everybody to live that way.  We are a free country, and the most basic tenets of true freedom come first with individual liberties.

[Person Man]

What economic issue matters most to you?
What social issue matters to you most?

Economic: Long term energy.  While health care, education, and social security, as well as quality of life are all very important to me, nothing can move forward without a secure, sustainable source of energy to draw from in the future.  While I understand there must be an ideal to have 100% renewable resources as soon as possible, I cannot leave out other power sources like hydro-electric or nuclear power.  We are in the phase where we should be expanding nuclear, wind, and solar while researching other potential sources as well as improving current sources to become more efficient.  For transportation, hydrogen, ethanol, and electric need to be researched and improved upon so that we can move away from hydrocarbons.

Social:  No one issue really stands out, so I will say individual freedom.  Our country has been hijacked by a group of narrow-minded, if well intentioned fundamentalist Christians that believe a top-down approach to morality is necessary for the country to thrive.  I am completely at odds to this approach.  I believe "morality" is a relative term, and that choices regarding morality are best left up to the individual with laws governing only those actions that can harm others.

You cannot force patriotism or religion upon somebody, as that person will simply revolt and you will never see them become religious or patriotic again.  I believe that "to each his own" is a good policy when it comes to individual social choices.  Some like nothing better than a good set of rules and regulations to follow, and we have the freedom to follow that lifestyle, but we cannot expect everybody to live that way.  We are a free country, and the most basic tenets of true freedom come first with individual liberties.

Yes. Though I put a slightly heavier approach on technological research (stem cells, NASA) and health care.

I think we should be revive our nuclear energy plans, and start thinking of sace ad genetic engineering industries. So, I am more interested in long-term economic leadership ad quality of life.

[Eraserhead]

Foreign policy issues matter most to me.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Taxes & Illegal Immigation (Terrorism's best buddy).

On a presidential level - add judidical appointments.

[Jake]

Energy and Health care.

[Person Man]

Taxes & Illegal Immigation (Terrorism's best buddy).

On a presidential level - add judidical appointments.

Energy and Health care.

Foreign policy issues matter most to me.

Can we be more specific?

Jake- maybe you are thinking about physician tort immunity and domestic drilling?
GM- maybe you are thinking about abortion, income tax and immigration bans?
EH- maybe you are thinking about leaving Iraq?

[DownWithTheLeft]

Abortion, Stopping UHC, Illegal Immigration, and not aiding Darfur in no specific order

I would put drug legalization but no one talks about it, it would jump to Number 1

[Boris]

Iraq

[Frodo]

1. Iraq, and the War on Terrorism

2. Energy Independence (and gradually weaning the United States from its dependence on fossil fuels in general, using nuclear and renewable energy sources as a short- and medium-term solution).

3. Health care reform (and I would like someone -Bono or John Dibble in particular, but anyone would do- to provide more information on the health care systems in Austria and Switzerland that they often like to tout as the more desirable alternative to what the Democratic presidential candidates are offering -Google isn't exactly helping me out here...)

[Person Man]

Of course begining the orderly rotating out of Iraq and into Afghanistan is important...as well as keeping close eyes on Iran.

[bullmoose88]

Economy, Energy/Environment, Education

Basically the Es.

[Richard]

Taxes and privacy.  The latter includes smaller government and getting rid of things such as the Patriot Act.

[Friz]

I'm going to have to go with foreign policy since it's currently the issue effectively destroying the most lives.

[DownWithTheLeft]

I'm going to have to go with foreign policy since it's currently the issue effectively destroying the most lives.

That would be abortion actually

[Gabu]

I'm going to have to go with foreign policy since it's currently the issue effectively destroying the most lives.

That would be abortion actually

Only if you assume that abortion is murder, which you have done, successfully proving my point in that other thread.

[DownWithTheLeft]

I'm going to have to go with foreign policy since it's currently the issue effectively destroying the most lives.

That would be abortion actually

Only if you assume that abortion is murder, which you have done, successfully proving my point in that other thread.

Which thread?

[Lief 🗽]

Economic: Implementing universal healthcare. Also the growing divide between the rich and poor in this country.

Social: Restoring our civil liberties.

Foreign: Not starting a war with Iran.

[Gabu]

I'm going to have to go with foreign policy since it's currently the issue effectively destroying the most lives.

That would be abortion actually

Only if you assume that abortion is murder, which you have done, successfully proving my point in that other thread.

Which thread?

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=65815.0

[Person Man]

....and how isn't he a fundie?

[dead0man]

Economic-Stop trading with countries that abuse the civil rights of their citizens.  Save/fix the dollar.  No handouts to jackasses with bad home loans.  Get the Fed out of 90% of the things they have their hands in (education, medical, science).

Social-More liberty for the citizenry.  The Fed shouldn't be involved in any social issue not specifically spelled out in the Constitution.  Social issues should be left up to the various states.  If somebody is going to tell me I can't get high or play with guns, it should be my state, not the Federal govt.

[Jake]

I'm going to have to go with foreign policy since it's currently the issue effectively destroying the most lives.

That would be abortion actually

Only if you assume that abortion is murder, which you have done, successfully proving my point in that other thread.

"Destroying lives" is accurate for abortion no matter where you fall on the "abortion is/is not murder" continuum. It is by definition destroying life.

[CultureKing]

1) The Environment
2) Income Disparity
3) Foreign Policy
4) Health Care

[Verily]

I'm going to have to go with foreign policy since it's currently the issue effectively destroying the most lives.

That would be abortion actually

Only if you assume that abortion is murder, which you have done, successfully proving my point in that other thread.

"Destroying lives" is accurate for abortion no matter where you fall on the "abortion is/is not murder" continuum. It is by definition destroying life.

To be semantic about it, one of the essential aspects of life is being able to survive on own abilities. In any case, the counter that banning abortions destroys lives can also be made (though here "destroy" is being used in a different way). Hey, people destroy their lives arguing for and against abortion.

To be sure, I couldn't care less. Abortion is pretty much the lowest on my list of political priorities.



As for the question at hand:

1. Corruption
2. Education
3. The Economy
4. National Debt
5. Foreign Policy

[Marokai Backbeat]

1. Foreign Policy.
2. Energy Independence.
3. Healthcare.
4. (Which sort of ties into 2 and 4) Domestic infastructure spending.
5. Debt/Deficit.
6. Education.

[opebo]

1) social issues - legalization of prostitution and drugs

2) income disparity - huge tax increases on the powerful and a generous dole for the commoners.  Top rate should be around 70%, dole say 1,500/month.

3) health care - free for everyone, single payer, etc.

4) general economic management - apply more Keynesian push through wage-increasing mechanisms such as unions, and stop relying on the ridiculous interest rate mechanism.  Oh I suppose they think the collapsed dollar will provide a 'push' in leiu of wage increases, but that's nonsensically small.

5) education/infrastructure, etc. - the State roles abdicated by the Right.  Free education for all through PhD level, and at least triple spending on infrastructure, focusing on public transport/high density development.