What issues are important to you?

What proposed change, issue, goal, or idea would help capture your vote?


For me there are 3 different groups I catergorize issues by priority. Group "A", "B", and "C". All issues in "group A" are most important to me, "group B" could swing my vote, and "group C" are issues that have realivance but are NOT going to pressure me towards a certain canidate. The canidate that most accurately follows my beliefs and opinions for all of "A", and a majority of "B" have my vote.

The reason I brought up this topic is because of a conversation I recently had with someone....I found that they wanted to vote for someone based upon an issue in which I would consider on my "C" list, being not on America's top priority. I think many canidates are unfairly using "religious" views to swing votes at election time. Issues that indeed are very important to each citizen individually but not so important to America for the country as a whole. I believe the next president should be elected based on every aspect that they represent, and not because one view that tugs on the voter's heart strings. I find that canidates on each party are using these issues to make the voter have to strictly choose sides based upon this tactic....commanding their vote to be made based on "morals, family values, etc" and not political stragedy.

Keep in mind the following list is only my opinion, and I do not wish that yours is identical. I simply want your opinion what issues make the top of your list!

"Group A"

U.S. Adminastration's foreign policy
U.S. health issues & policies
U.S. Educational issues & policies
Major International crises
U.S. Military
National Security
Nuclear Weapons issues & policies
International Military alliances
The united nations
U.S. administration
U.S. Economic issues & policies
U.S. Immigration & Border control

"Group B"

International trade issues & policies
U.S. Energy issues & policiesa
Social Security
Taxation issues & policies
Sumpreme court
world ecomonic issues & policies
global energy issues & policies
international economic assistance
U.S. Labor Commission
Crime & law enforcement

"Group C"

Civil, legal, and human rights...such as gay marriage, abortion, NRA
U.S, Enviromental issues & policies
Global enviromental issues & policies
U.S. Agriculture issues
U.S. and global population issues & policies
Space exploration
and numerous others I forgot to mention


What issues "take the cake" for you in 2008?

the biggest issue

which i doubt any of them have

is honesty and morality

----------------

and it is good to see you back

bbbbbbbbiiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggggggg ggiaantttttt hugsssssss

Hey you!

first i think we need to take care of the problems we're facing inside our country before we can help people on the outside but the biggest problem is,a candidate might say they are going to do something and then once in office,they might do the opposite of what they said.i think that's the biggest problem with candidates is they do alot of talking to get the votes but they don't back it up once they're president

WOW, can't really think that much this time of morning but I do know this. This country was partly formed from religious backgrounds so of course the religion and the politics are going to be closely tied together.

How a canidate views and votes is going to sway certain people to vote in a certain way depending on their religion. Don't really see how you can have total separtation unless you are an athiest. I am babbling without even knowing what I am saying as to fatigue so I will stop......lol

To better describe my conversation I had...basically this person followed a majority of a certain party's beliefs but will not be voting for that party for one exception....a "religious or moral" issue (Abortion). So now they are voting against the majority for what they stand for.

I think throwing in such strong sided views such as abortion, gay marriage, etc. is unfair to the voter. In my opinion, keeping our nation safe from terrorists, war,economic decline, etc....should come before gay marriage,and abortion rights. Though these issues ARE important...they should not be the ONLY deciding factor. <Which I have been finding IS.


Thanks for your opinion!

(Im tired too)

I think jt said a whole mouthful

Good to see you again, Twilights. I agree with most all of what you said. We must tackle the most serious problems facing our country before we go and police the rest of the world. It is also unforunate that too often votes are swayed based on something that is more of a personal belief, and not pertinent to the well being of our country, or our system of government. I think that unless major changes can be made in the next 20 years or so, things will continue to deteriorate because people in office have limited power to change things alone, and others in power are simply greedy and only out to feather their own nest.

Hey shutter
I see your point & jt's...I just dont think the U.S. can take a "personal leave" for self improvement sort of speak. Global issues do play a key role in everyday life here in the U.S. from our economy, trade, safety and well being. We are simply another gear in this global machine.

Now off to bed I go...I have sugarplums to dream of.

Anyone else care to add their list?

i'm surprised this topic doesn't already have like 5 pages of replies already

How about the lagging real estate market????

(Just had to add that!!)

well its the holidays

some of the thing we need to take care of in this country is education,parenting and the job market... It seems like people have to work to many hours to live a below average life in this country which make for a nation of kid raising themselves and then we wonder why their into drugs and shooting up malls...something has to be done asap if not God help us...

Well said, Rev

i know,the holidays kind of brings an errie silence to the site

very true, education makes the top of my list, as well as keeping jobs available here in the united states. We do need more effort to invest in our future.

1.) Education system needs another overhaul, it has been getting more and more pathetic over the years, we push kids through school no matter how stupid they are, and not only that, but worse, we have been dumbing down educational teaching. Can blame the teacher unions for a good part of that.

2.) The need for continued high defense spending. A strong defense is necessary as is an ever ready war machine. I do not wish it was this way, but it is very necessary that we remain the most advanced and well-armed military in the world.

3.) Illegal Immigration. It is eating away at us economically and socially and I think more and more citizens are becoming hateful and aggressive towards the issue, on both sides. We must decide one of two things first and foremost. Are we going to follow US law or not? They are here illegally by law, and we cannot be this stupid anymore to do nothing about the border. We simply cannot allow people to walk across freely. Human trafficing across both borders and through ports is huge. Plus, terrorism aside, many people coming across are from all over, mainly from Mexico, but elsewhere as well. If we have a Chinese national, an African national, or anyone carrying a deadly case of TB or some other killer disease, or worse yet, a mutated form of avian flu people are going to drop like flies. And, terrorists don't even need to bring in bombs or men to bring down something, all they would have to do is infect some unknown group of people and send them across the border.

There are so many more, and I don't even think all of these are the top three, but there are some very serious issues at hand and none of them have to do with personal rights of US citizens. Economy is stable still at this point, no sign of a recession as we have surpassed GDP marks every quarter despite the housing bubble popping.

Civil liberties are as high as they've been despite some people thinking we are all ready for FEMA camps yet they've been saying this for years now. There have been no arrests of US citizens because they've talked on the phone or anything of that nature which the paranoids are worried about. There has been no infringement on US civil liberties. So, that argument is dead.

As for people worried about the real estate market I am a Realtor, and it isn't even close to as bad as the market is suggesting. People will always need houses. What is going to happen is some of these real estate companies are going to fade away, the Help-U-Sell types and many of these online and these highly advertised mortgage companies and everything will get back to normal. The whole housing market boom happened way too fast and got way too out of control, but it isn't the first time this has happened and it won't be the last either.

I won't be back tonight probably not around tomorrow so if anybody feels the need to rant or yell at me, or even debate or talk about issues like human beings, I will not be here.

Oh yeah, MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone. Don't stuff yourselves too much :) Turkey and pumpkin pie, can't wait :D

Just curious as to what you think the teacher's unions are to blame for? I think its a miracle they have survived.

Before I get to your questions, do I think teacher unions are necessary? Yes.

However, it is also teacher unions that have caused the 'dumbing down' of grade school education. When teacher unions broker contract deals they also brokered requirements of teaching, certain levels that needed to be met by teachers. Over the years, as teacher unions became more and more powerful with funds that they receive from teachers they also dumbed down education in negotiations. The teachers are also FORCED to give their money to the teacher unions, should they ever hold back funding, ever question why they have to pay so much, they are fed to the wolves. They cannot question the union leaders.

Many teachers do not want to walk picket lines outside schools, they would love to teach even during contract disputes, it is the unions that FORCE them to picket. What does it do anyways? Nothing. It is a ridiculous practice. Unlike in the '20s and earlier when people picketted because they were being paid in pennies and working in mills was like working in a deathtrap, these teachers are forced to picket for more money so the union can get more money.

You will find that unions formed by the workers themselves make for the best working environment and the best health packages and retirement. Toyota does this practice, the workers are their own union, not some power hungry union leader who is out in his own interest.

It is a mircale unions have survived, because they are incredibly outdated and highly unncessary. They have ruined the American Auto Industury at Ford and GM.

And, the teacher unions HAVE dumbed down teaching requirements of teachers, and just as important, they make it IMPOSSIBLE for schools to fire teachers who are simply very bad teachers. The only way a school can fire a teacher is if the teacher touches a student wrongly or the teacher is arrested for some heinous crime. They cannot fire a teacher for any other reason. This is because of the unions, not only did they cause the dumbing down of our public education system but they also prevent bad teachers being fired, and there are MANY bad teachers out there.

It's a damn shame that millions rather trust the federal gov't to help fix their problems than themselves. What happened to personal responsibility? Why do people demand trhe gov't (we the people) take care of their pathetic lives? Makes me sick...

Yes I am in a bad mood.