Election 2008 - What is Important To You

[Apoptosis]

When it comes to the Presidential Election in 2008 what are the important issues to you? Some of the issues are more complex and usually require more than a 'yes/no' or 'support/oppose' position, but this will give us a peak at what out forum community is looking for.

I picked war in Iraq (because we need to pack up and get the troops home), Illegal Immigration (land mine the border I say) and Embryonic Stem Cell Research because down the road it will improve millions of lives.

[dicecca112]

I say only the war. I want a candidate that finally says, screw it, the government has no need or right to govern my life other than keeping the public safe and getting tax money.

[camaroguy1998]

When it comes to the Presidential Election in 2008 what are the important issues to you? Some of the issues are more complex and usually require more than a 'yes/no' or 'support/oppose' position, but this will give us a peak at what out forum community is looking for.

I picked war in Iraq (because we need to pack up and get the troops home), Illegal Immigration (land mine the border I say) and Embryonic Stem Cell Research because down the road it will improve millions of lives.

I agree with you Apoptosis!
Iraq is a mess and is not going to get any better in the near future!
Give the border patrols the "Shoot to Kill, Ask Questions Later" command! I like the land mine idea!!!!
Future medicine NEEDS Stem Cell Research!

[ibleet]

You forgot an important issue.....Social Security reform. Or is it already a DEAD issue? Most likely is.

[dgood]

can we get national debt and a competence test before being able to hold office i want those added to the list. Well at least the first one. or at least some form of government spending issue. Maybe pruning the executive branches as they are now far overgrown.

[ibleet]

If you want a leader to solve the National debt, then you better seek someone like Houdini or Chris Angel.

[dgood]

Maybe, I but I feel there is definitely a way to reverse our trend and stop just relying on other countries to float our ability to spend unchecked. Also I wouldn't mind being able to check a box about credit reform or something as credit is a ridiculous problem especially in the united states.

[Sovereign]

I opposed the war from the beginning, because I thought it was going to turn into a mess. And sure enough, it has. Whether or not we can win is another matter, because how do you define "win?" It's easy to say "We win when Iraq has a functioning democracy" but then you're stuck on what "democracy" is. Democracy to me isn't just voting for candidates or having "elections", it's a whole mentality and mind-set that is absent from the Arab world, for the most part. It's not because they are "stupid" but I can say they aren't ready.

Read Islam and Democracy: Fear of the Modern World by Fatima Mernissi to see what I mean. It's not just the "West," it's more than that. This particular author has a "liberal/progressive" interpretation of Islam that is compatible with what we know as democracy, but many interpretations of Islam (Taliban, Iran etc) are completely hostile to democracy as we know it.

The War on Terrorism, for this administration, is just something to use to expand the powers of the Executive Branch. George W. Bush makes Lyndon Johnson's imperial presidency look like he had both hands tied behind his back and a gag in his mouth.

My issue that wasn't on that list: You can "support the troops" and "support the fight against terrorism" without approving of the President or how he is carrying out the fight. That and the idea that merely expressing disagreement with the Administration's policies makes one "unpatriotic" or un-American. Presidents have been roundly criticized during wartime ("when troops are in harm's way"). Whether you supported Bosnia, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq or not, there is a common thread: the troops are taking fire and the President is being criticized. But because of some partisan commentators on both sides, somehow it's OK to complain if the Prez is the opposite party of the commentator, but it's unpatriotic to complain if the commentator likes the President. I call bull****.

[Zelig]

war on terrorism - I'm generally satisfied with the current level of terrorism, not really an issue for me.

war in Iraq - The US made the mess, they have an obligation to stay until it's fixed.

Managed Health Care - Not sure what "managed" means. In any case, the US health care system needs overhauling. The US government alone spends more on healthcare per capita than Canada, not counting any private spending, with poorer results.

illegal immigration - Pro choice, freedom of borders for all.

abortion - Pro choice, freedom of cancelling fetal development for all.

Job Growth in the U.S. - The US unemployment rate is fine, no problems here as long as job growth keeps pace with population growth.

homeland security - Doing acceptably.

Embryonic Stem Cell Research - If the government replaces funding for stem cell research with funding for other areas in science, no problem, research is going to continue without government funding anyway.

Guns - Pro choice, freedom of owning killing implements.

Same-Sex Marriage - For consistency, I'd say pro choice here as well, but I don't think the government should have any say in marriage. If I want to tell everyone I'm married to my microwave, good for me, it doesn't affect the government, so they've got no business making laws for or against marriage of any kind.

Keeping in mind that I'm Canadian, so the most important things to me are that the US economy remains strong, and that they keep pumping out useful scientific research.

[stopthekilling77]

If you want a leader to solve the National debt, then you better seek someone like Houdini or Chris Angel.

way easier than anyone would venture to say. we could pay it off in less than 5-8 years if people wouldn't mind a buck or two taken out of their tax returns (if they get anything back, that is)

oh and if the people who complain that they're the only ones helping to pay it off/being abused/its not fair then i say that paying the debt down might incur some kind of minor perk per year they contributed.

it'd be a start.

[Sporg]

...Illegal Immigration (land mine the border I say)...

I've always referred to it as landmine lottery - you make it, then you get citizenship... you don't make it, then, well you get nothing