What is your #1 issue for the GE?

[RememberWellstone]

I would do a poll, but I am curious to find out what everyone's #1 issue is for the November fight? War, economy, environment, health care, education, social security, energy, gun control??

Mine would be the economy. Just curious to see a consensus on the choices.

[2rth2pwr]

1. sexism.

[susankh4]

105. I'm with ya there!

[BeatleBoot]

2. Winning.

[mcctatas]

15. I'm with you...

No principled stand for me, I don't care if the dems nominate a solar powered flashlight at this point, I will vote for whoever the nominee is...except hillary (just kidding, couldn't resist:evilgrin: )

[RememberWellstone]

31. Got to have a plan

to sell to America, just winning won't go over with the moderates.

[Guava Jelly]

42. You beat me to it

:)

[MadBadger]

3. Mine is still Iraq.

[babylonsister]

4. Iraq and getting out. nt

[ClayZ]

96. The War.

[Forkboy]

5. Gummi bears all around!

[RememberWellstone]

46. Nice.

How bout bubble gum too?:bounce:

[Forkboy]

49. Why, you got some?

[flor de jasmim]

6. Bush & Cheney multitasked to destroy, we need a multitasker to rebuild...

they may not have been entirely responsive, but we don't have the time to work on these issues one at a time

[RememberWellstone]

28. Good thought

I have'nt thought of it that way. Hillary would take the machine apart, piece by piece..and take no shit from anyone.

[billybob537]

7. "It's the ECONOMY STUPID" sorry!

[RememberWellstone]

+1

I'm with you! Bush has totally screwed this nation over.

[emilyg]

35. +2

[Yukari Yakumo]

36. +3 {nt}

uguu

[Blarch]

8. national debt.

It's the only thing that can bring this country down.

[Lyric]

9. Civil rights

Equality is ALWAYS my number-one issue.

[RememberWellstone]

52. How so?

How do you or the next POTUS start doing something? What do you suggest?

[Lyric]

70. Well the next POTUS can start by

pushing the Dem Congress to actually ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. That would be a nice way to kick off some "change".

After that, we can move on to special federal loan and grant programs for low-income students from poor families (many of which are minority race families). Give these kids a special interest rate, or better yet, create a new grant program like the Pell Grant that's specifically meant for students from low-income families, welfare recipients who are trying to educate themselves out of poverty, etc.

Push Congress to change the welfare laws so that going to a college or trade school counts as a "work related activity" for TANF purposes (right now it only counts if you're already receiving TANF, and if you meet a bunch of other requirements). That would help minorities tremendously, because so many of them are poor, and can't go to college because they have babies to take care of. This is one of those issues that I have personal experience with on a daily basis. Welfare recipients aren't stupid; they just get stuck in a horrible cycle that they can't break out of. Continuing to pay TANF support while Mom and/or Dad goes to college would do more for fighting poverty than anything else I can think of.

Expand affirmative action to incorporate some of the ideas surrounding the "reparations" debate; invest money in minority scholarships and communities, businesses and social service organizations. Call it "affirmative action", and you can skip the reparations debate entirely.

Make Election Day in November a mandatory Federal holiday (with pay), so that working people have the chance to go vote. Push state legislatures to stop trying to pass these ridiculous "Voter ID" laws, because in the end, they're nothing more than poll taxes.

Universal healthcare. The great equalizer.

Refuse to give federal funding to charities and groups that discriminate, including discrimination over sexual orientation. No taxpayer dollars for groups that discriminate, period. We do not subsidize bigotry, no matter how much "good" those groups might otherwise do.

Get rid of DOMA, DADT, and include domestic partners in the FMLA. Let the federal government recognize same-sex marriages for tax and Social Security purposes.

If any of our SCOTUS justices retire, replace them with youngish justices who are well-vetted and can be counted upon to provide strong progressive voices on the Supreme Court.

All good starting points. Even if the only thing the President can do is give Congress hell, that's at least a start in the right direction.

[LaurenG]

10. Iraq nt

[mac2]

11. Negating the Patriot Act, etc. and bring back the Constitution and Bill of

Rights. Habeas Corpus is the backbone of a free people. Without it we aren't free or a democracy. The government takes all the power from the people.

[RememberWellstone]

29. National security?

Or Homeland security? Is this what you are getting at?

[mac2]

56. Nope...

We can do "Homeland Insecurity" without taking away our rights as Americans. We did it in WWII. What are we fighting for but our way of life and freedoms. Isn't that what we were told!!

[Kajsa]

86. All of the above and abolish NCLB.

It is NOT helping our students
and is taking class time away from
instruction.

[havocmom]

12. The restoration of the US Constitution

We can't fix much else until that is taken care of.

[mac2]

57. I agree.

See post #29 using the Homeland Security crap. We've been told over and over that we can do "security" with it. What kind of security did Cheney and Bush give us on 911? $300 Billion defence budget and there was a stand down. We are spending money over there and don't have secure ports or even control of our borders.

Get real #29.

[havocmom]

63. LOL and I see we posted at the same time

Yep, I am fucking DONE listening to 'secruity' as a defense for destroying the VERY FOUNDATION of our great nation! To see it used at DU is really sad, isn't it?

[patrice]

13. Bush's Fucking War. nt

[Fox Mulder]

14. Health care.

And then the environment.

[Nite Owl]

16. Iraq

but the economy is deeply intertwined with the war expenses. I want us out of Iraq because it is immoral but if the excessive expenditures at the cost of our needs is the reason so be it.

[ColbertWatcher]

17. Accountability!

It doesn't matter what laws are broken, if we don't have accountability, the GOP will work with impunity.

If the issue is election fraud, accountability might not stop the first instance, but it can prevent more.

And on and on...

Accountability, democracy's best friend.

[mac2]

59. Time to stop the frat club that is called Congress from lying

and stealing from us.

[ColbertWatcher]

64. Damn right.

No more republicans, no more Sciafe, no more Moonies, no more Rove, no more Bushes, no more Cheneys, no more Rumsfelds, no more Santorums, no more DeLays, no more Ted Stevens, etc.

[slackmaster]

18. Our ongoing national refusal to adopt and embrace the Metric System

:argh:

[RememberWellstone]

38. ????

I don't think thats gonna be big in the GE.

[slackmaster]

67. It's been my pet answer on polls for many years

I visited Disneyland in 1966 at a time of great optimism about science and engineering.

At Tomorrowland people were assured that by 1980 we would have things like the picture phone, endless cheap nuclear power, flying cars, personal robotic servants, and a 30-hour work week.

It's 2008 and we have just one out of five.

[mac2]

60. Not my top priority but a good thing to do.

I worked in research labs and used it all the time. It is easier to do conversions, etc.

[Cant trust em]

19. The war.

How we're going to get out efficiently and with the most stability.

[gateley]

20. Iraq and our veterans,

although the economy is really beginning to scare me, too.

But as Biden said -- Iraq is the boulder in the road. Until we remove that, we can't directly focus on anything else.

[GodlessBiker]

21. Iraq. It's ruining the economy.

[RememberWellstone]

48. +1

They are definitely intertwined.

[GoldieAZ49]

22. National Security

including securing the border (in AZ it has had a terrible effect on our State)

next would be the economy

[Ichingcarpenter]

32. McCain is big on "NATIONAL SECURITY" and so is Bush

I think you need to move from Hillary to McCain if that is your NUMBER #1 concern.

[GoldieAZ49]

37. Dems are not interested in National Security?

I thought all Americans were.

If we have to start living like Israel there will be no economy to speak of, or anything else that makes much of a difference.

[Ichingcarpenter]

40. The question was your #1 concern.... You answered it

You said it was your #1 concern.... You really are revealing yourself with your comments.

I think you need to vote McCain, he addresses all of your concerns.

[GoldieAZ49]

45. Well yes, it is my number 1 concern, so you are saying neither Dem candidate

is as concerned about national security as McCain?

Well, ok then!

I guess that will be made clear in the GE.

[napi21]

23. Supreme Court FIRST! Then the economy, then the end of war.

If we lose the SCOTUS to 2 or 3 more RWers, you can forget about almost everything else! Corps. will reign supreme, the Prez will be OK'd to do anything he wants, and we'll lose the remaining rights we have as citizens.

[RememberWellstone]

50. Agreed

So, you will be voting on the SCOTUS choices?

[napi21]

55. If you're referring to the primaries, I already voted on super tuesday.

I personally don't care which candidate wins the Dem. primary. MY biggest consern is that a Dem wins in Nov!

I'm getting really tired of all the carping and whining on DU & the TV! Both sides in our party have such thin skins they get offended if one candidate sneezes and the other one doesn't say "Bless you"! I used to spend hours on DU every day, but it's now down to maybe 30 minutes.

[TexanDem]

24. End Iraq -- which will in turn help with economy

[elfin]

25. Constitution - Economy - then Iraq

I figure Iraq will have to wind down no matter who gets in due to the incomprehensible spending there for few results -- but resurrecting our beloved Constitution is fundamental to our common values. The Economy is urgent, and must have its framework as "bottom up" as opposed to "top down" -- the latter of which, never work for very long.

(If McPain gets in - the only way Iraq wil wind down is so he can start something evil in Iran. But Iraq will wind down, nevertheless.)

[mac2]

77. Darn right!!

[mac2]

78. When Mc Pain said he wished the Iraq war would last

100 years. What do you think he meant by that? He's profiting big time personally from his investments, etc.? He'd love killing and destroying things? His children will have a chance to profit many generations, etc. WHAT!!

[ColbertWatcher]

26. The next Supreme Court Justice n/t

[Clovis Sangrail]

27. war

[LSparkle]

30. Iraq/economy -- Obama wove both together well last week

The two are related and those combined issues are #1 in my book.

[ecdab]

33. Iraq and the economy - they go hand in hand.

overall foreign policy, accountability, government reform, undoing the deregulation damage of the GOP, election reform, the SCOTUS, and many more.

That's why I look at supporters of Obama or Hillary that say they wouldn't vote for the other Democrat in the GE and cringe - they clearly don't care about policy issues that effect this nation or the damage the GOP has done to it.

[RememberWellstone]

43. Agreed

I think they are interconnected too.

[Scurrilous]

34. Iraq. n/t

[bluethruandthru]

39. Where to begin?

It's not just one thing. Bush and company have torn this country apart to line their own pockets and protect themselves from ever having to pay for what they've done.

In no particular order - because they're all essential

Restoration of the Constitution
Supreme Court must be protected from another right wing wacko (our spineless congress deserves alot of the blame for the state of the court now).
Universal Single Payer Health Care
End the occupation of Iraq
Environment
Restore America's dignity
Stem Cell Research
Equality for all citizens- no exceptions!

[RememberWellstone]

44. ??on your #1

What or how do you restore the constitution?

[Kajsa]

87. Restore also means 'to bring back to or put back into a former or original state'.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restore


Our Constitution has been shredded, tearing at the fabric
of our democracy.

[TK421]

41. Health Care and the mess in Iraq n/t

[better tomorrow]

47. Economy and Social Security

[apocalypsehow]

51. Iraq, with poverty a very close #2.

n/t.

[XemaSab]

53. The environment.

Which is NOT synonymous with climate change.

[mac2]

62. It is essential to breathe and drink water...

[Tresalisa]

54. SCOTUS eom

[MaineDem]

97. Supreme Court, for sure!

As it has been for me in the past two elections.

[BzaDem]

58. Scotus. That's the one thing that can't be fixed for 20 years if McCain is elected.

[mac2]

61. We gave them this mandate in 2006 but they ignore it.

Hello candidates remember us!! We have memories of your promises, etc.

[RichardRay]

65. Restoring our standing in the international community

In a world where borders mean less and less each day, where it's difficult if not impossible to distinguish between 'our' economy and 'their' economy, in a world where sides are chosen up with little or no regard to political boundaries and where 'non-state actors' are increasingly critical...

In that world I this country needs to work effectively and equitably. We have been going in the diametrically wrong direction for at least 8 years. Give me that and I'll show you an Iraq you won't recognize, an Iran we can work with, people willing to accept at least a zero sum outcome.

The fair solution is the one that makes everyone equally unhappy. If we aren't will to play by that rule we will go on swirling down the drain.

[npincus]

66. defeating McCain.

[RB TexLa]

68. Expansion of trade and more integration of the world economy

You know simply being a good neighbor.

[TheFarseer]

69. economy - without a doubt n/t

[Johnny__Motown]

71. Credibility,,, what good are their stances on the other issues if you cant trust your candidate?

[Catherina]

72. 5 issues

1. This war
2. Avoiding the next planned wars against the ME
3. The economy
4. Sensible health care
5. Workers Rights

[RememberWellstone]

73. Agreed

Very good issues.

[mac2]

81. I'd add accountability. It should be #7 on the list

since we can not allow this corruption to continue without punishment.

Return of our rights and laws under the Constitution should be first #1.

[scheming daemons]

74. Transparency in Govt... after 28 years without it.....

...

[gauguin57]

75. iraq healthcare economy gasprices iraq healthcare economygasprices iraq economyhealthcaregasprice

and stuff

[Mooney]

76. Restoring the constitution and getting out of Iraq. n/t

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

79. I Don't Care. I Just Want The Dem To Win, Period.

[malta blue]

80. The whole package....

A dem MUST win if we are to save the SCOTUS.

The war is a travesty.

The economy is plummeting.

The environment is teetering on the brink of disaster.

Etc., etc., etc.

[Hepburn]

82. Health care....

...IMO, the status of health care insurance and affordable health care for all in the US is absolutely sickening. No excuse for what is going on. Merely as human beings ALL should have access to medical and dental care. This includes eye glasses, hearing aids, etc.

WTF is wrong with a country that has resources like we do...and people are running around with rotten teach and without necessary eyeglasses to say NOTHING about people who cannot afford to even fill an RX for a drug they must take to prevent a life-threatening condition from killing them. Like...why no FREE insulin and other supplies for diabetics? WTF gives with shit like this?

GMAFB.........:grr:

[theredpen]

83. #1 War, #2 Restoring our Constitutional Rights

[Vinca]

84. Healthcare - and neither candidate addresses it to my satisfaction. nt

[nxylas]

90. Beat me to it

The only candidate pushing for single-payer was the Magic Elf, and he's long gone from the race. To me, the only upside to Clinton winning the nomination is that I consider her better than Obama on healthcare, but her healthcare plan is still a long way short of what I would want. I normally try not to let the perfect be the enemy of the good, but goddamit, America NEEDS a single payer system. Anything less falls short in my eyes.

[Vinca]

93. Cheer up, since Hillary has reminded us the elected delegates

can switch to her, we could also try to get them to switch back to Dennis. I favor Obama's plan over Clinton's because of the mandatory thing in Clinton's - mandatory health insurance isn't universal healthcare. You can't get water out of a rock as Massachusetts has learned. In all honesty, I don't think either of their plans will go anywhere.

[futureliveshere]

85. Economy for sure.. both from importance and winnability..McCain is pathetic on economy

[msallied]

88. The Patriot Act and its obliteration.

[shadowknows69]

89. The war

And I seriously don't believe Hillary will do enough to stop it. She's pumped billions into Fort Drum in upstate NY, any time she talks about how many jobs she's brought to upstate that's pretty much it. Civilian military jobs. Our whole city is now one big war profiteer. Too much in bed with the military industrial complex.

[TwilightGardener]

91. Iraq/Iran policy.

[totodeinhere]

92. Taking this country back from the corporate interests.

[uponit7771]

94. healthcare

[kaybea]

95. Energy: its role in the economy, geo-politics, and the environment.

all else is secondary cause/effect of it.

[RememberWellstone]

98. Big issue

It's one that the majority of voters totally ignore. It is about our future, we need to address it now.

[crankychatter]

99. one issue voters are dangerous ideologues

avoid them

[mac2]

102. That mayor from PA who fought against illegals destroying

his town lost the court battle. He is running for Congress as a Republican.

They called for my support since he was broke. I said, I would not unless he ran as an Independent. His one issue of immigration is one I too am concerned over. I asked the person calling if he was going to bring back our rights and Constitution, about globalism,etc.?

I said, Republicans have broken all our laws and seem to want a police state. They used 911 to do so. I wanted an independent investigation of 911. The Republicans can't blame Bush since they gave him all their powers. With a 2/3rds vote with Democrats that could have been avoided.

He seemed frustrated and hung up...thanking me.

[billyoc]

100. Workers' Rights. Period.

Repeal of Taft-Hartley, Taylor Law, Kentucky River decision.
Passage of EFCA.

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

101. If Clinton is the nominee, my number one and only issue worth hoping for is the Supreme Court.

...and I know full well her nominations for it will support military tribunals, FISA, torture, and the death penalty, because she does. I don't, so I'll be left with her support of choice. After that, she's so divisive that there will be nothing left on the table.

If Obama's the nominee, my number one issue will be the war, followed by the Supreme Court, addressing global warming, full restoration of habeaus corpus, closing Gitmo, the economy, health care, reinstalling true diplomacy abroad, fighting poverty, early childhood education...

[Raffi Ella]

103. Supreme Court

:bluebox:

[backscatter712]

104. Hard to pick. They're all interconnected.

Ending the war in Iraq stops flushing trillions of dollars down the toilet, which in turn, improves the economy and makes more money available for health care and preserving the environment.

Improve health care, and people are healthier, and not subject to as many expensive illnesses, which improves the economy, making more money available for Social Security & the education...

It's a complicated web, these issues. To fix one, you have to address many of the others, and if you take action to address all the issues, you get a lot more mileage than just addressing one issue.

So what's my top issue? ALL OF THEM!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

106. health care , the economy, war