Ok, so the Presidential Race has it all: ageism, racism, sexism. Now, let's change the subject.

[panAmerican]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080416/ap_on_el_pr/murtha_mccain">John Murtha has just announced McCain is too old.

Since each Presidential candidate can claim some sort of discrimination against them, let's talk about how their policy plans that will actually affect us when one of them becomes president.

War and Peace - how do we get out of Iraq safely? Is it possible to get out completely and rebuild what we broke? Once we enter a period of reconstruction and humanitarian response in Iraq, will we not need some troops to protect those efforts? How do we handle refugees so that there isn't another "right of return" problem in the Middle East?

Predatory Lenders - too often, we enact forward-looking policies that allow predators to get away with past infractions. How do we penalize them without hurting victims of their fraud?

Education and outsourcing - we do well compared to other nations in that we provide free basic primary and secondary education. However, "ChIndia" beats us when it comes to higher education, and providing a collaborative workplace which helps newbies learn on the job. The collaborative atmosphere in offshore offices is not government-mandated. How can we create buy-in for such a model in corporate America?

Healthcare alternatives - Controlling the cost of medical school; part of the problem is that many subspecialties produce too few alumnis who later on donate to the school to endow those programs. How can we deploy more doctors to rural areas? How can we recoup cost of government investment in bio/pharma research. Can we make a big dent in health care costs by training a greater number of Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners?

Energizing the Electorate - How do we keep voters engaged in the political discourse, not just during the election process. I think the Obama Fellows program is a great place to start, but how can people other than recent college grads with 6 weeks of free time be trained to do likewise? Should existing programs like the Peace Corps be expanded to give ordinary citizens (not just those who can afford to live on the meager stipend) a chance to see the world, appreciate other cultures, and contribute to a greater sense of global responsibility?

I'd like to hear everyone's opinions on these issues.