What issues do you care about most?

[Stinky The Clown]

I believe we all share pretty much the same core values. I also believe we all care about pretty much the same issues. I dare say, however, that when asked to list them by personal priority, the differences become quite dramatic.

This is a question that has no right or worng or even suspect answers.

What, for you personally, are the five most important issues?

[Demeter]

1. Sanity, and Revenge

I think the two are inextricably linked: unless this crime cabal is broken, stripped of assets, and all its significant members incarcerated for life, there will be no justice, and a lot of crazy people on both sides running around without any support structures to rein them in. And the cycle will repeat, just as this is a repeat of Reagan/Bush I/Cheney/Rumsfeld, which was a repeat of Nixon/Watergate.

[mike_c]

2. my five....

1) ending the war against Iraq
2) changing American foreign policy
3) protecting the environment-- before corporate profits
4) reforming health care
5) living wage and other worker protections

[stevedeshazer]

3. The economy, followed by

The economy.

I kind of like that Constitution thing, too.

Freedom is in there.

Okay, forget the economy, freedom is #1!

[Monkeyman]

4. Five

1 Veterans Health Care
2 Jobs
3 Protecting the homeland
4 Education
5 impeaching the whole lot

[Lerkfish]

5. tough question...since they're all important

but here goes:
1. Ending torture: This is not only horrific on its face, but also is an insidious moral cancer the longer any regime practices it.
2. (related to 1) Bushco needs to be tried internationally as war criminals. If that does NOT happen, then there is a double standard in international law, which only furthers our vulnerablility
3. (related to 1 and 2) GET OUR TROOPS HOME NOW. They aren't solving the problem in Iraq, their continued presence has become the problem in and of itself.
4. Remove all tentacles of the "unitary executive" and restore balance to the system of checks and balances, until this occurs, WAY too much implicit power in the office of one man, regardless of party
5. (related to 4) return us to fair elections, so that we might wrest the mantle of power away from the powermad corrupt current structure.


there's lots more, but i think those are my top issues.,

[1932]

6. The massive transfer of wealth from working people to the wealthiest that

has made this society so bloated at the top and weak everywhere below that we are in peril of watching it topple over, just as it did during the Great Depression, and the fear that we won't have a modern FDRs and John Kenneth Galbraiths and JFKs willing to protect Democracy by all means necessary.

That's one issue, but all my other issues are subsets of this issue.

[FormerDittoHead]

18. FDR: "Necessitous men are not free men." n/t

http://www.worldpolicy.org/globalrights/econrights/fdr-econbill.html

...As our nation has grown in size and stature, however—as our industrial economy expanded—these political rights proved inadequate to assure us equality in the pursuit of happiness.

We have come to a clear realization of the fact that true individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. “Necessitous men are not free men.” People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.

In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all—regardless of station, race, or creed.

Among these are:

The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;

The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;

The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;

The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;

The right of every family to a decent home;

The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;

The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;

The right to a good education.

All of these rights spell security. And after this war is won we must be prepared to move forward, in the implementation of these rights, to new goals of human happiness and well-being.

America’s own rightful place in the world depends in large part upon how fully these and similar rights have been carried into practice for our citizens.

[1932]

22. Thanks. That's it exactly.

[nealmhughes]

7. Just wage, globalization, universal health care, peace, and Enlightenment

values. And a return to morality over money in politics and society.

[femmocrat]

8. Here's mine...

1. Ending Republican rule for the next 500 years.
2. Fair, honest, and accurate elections.
3. Restoring the Supreme Court.
4. Retirement and health care.
5. Public education.

[Thickasabrick]

9. This is good - sometimes you forget to talk about what you're

"for" because you are so busy freaking out at what the other side is doing that you're "against".

1. Restore America's image of being the world's champion and protector of human rights for all people.

2. Become the world's leader in environmental innovation and protection.

3. Restore our social safety net so that all people in this country will have access to food, shelter and medical care.

4. Invest in our country's future by making college available to everyone who wants to go.

5. Demand accountability and transparency from our leaders.

I'm not asking for much.

[Mz Pip]

10. Winning

After we win we can sort out the issues: getting out of Iraq, finding Bin Laden, health care, ending torture, restoring honor and dignity to Washington.

Gotta win first.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[Skittles]

11. mine

1) the f***ing war
2) outsourcing
3) health care
4) global warming
5) choice

[OhioBlue]

12. treat others as you would like to be treated

to me, this applies to wars of choice, helping people in third world nations, providing adequate opportunities for all in the areas of jobs, health care, education, etc. a woman's right to choose, minority rights, etc.

#2 - we are judged on how we treat those least able to care for themselves in our society - to me, this means, we have to be sure that the very young, the elderly, the disabled are all provided with the means to live an adequate life.

and #3 - leave the world and our country in a better place than when we inherited it. This goes to the environment, opportunity, providing the impoverished a helping hand, the deficit, etc.

these are pretty much my thoughts on why I am a democrat. Issues can be argued - but these are my positions. I believe we as a country should treat others as we would like to be treated, ensure the security of those that cannot provide for themselves and leave the world and our country in a better position than we inherited it.

[Stinky The Clown]

13. For me:

1) Establish a Minimum Standard of Living for ***every*** American. And mean it. It includes all aspects of a sound and healthy life - health care, education, retirement security, personal security, housing, wages, etc., etc.

2) Address our standing in the world to establish us as a superpower for good, and who will never again wage a pre-emptive war. Unilaterally destroy all our nuclear weapons and pressure every other nation to do the same.

3) Establish the country as energy independent within 5 years and exceeding Kyoto (and similar) standards in 10 years.

4) Remove all money from politics, except for the parties and for the primaries. All general elections (from dog catcher to president) will be publicly funded. No third party commercials, including those funded by the parties. Work out the 'freedom of speech thing - where there's a will there's a way. Part and parcel is fair, open, honest elections. Make lobbying for money a crime. make giving or taking money from lobbyists a jail term offense for a first offense.

5) Break up the corporate hold on our country. The fairness doctrine, updated to today's realities, is reinstated. No media conglomeration - draconian measures to simply bust 'em all up. Tax codes should be revised to encourage good behavior and **severely* punish bad behavior.

[AtomicKitten]

14. good question

environment
right to choose
union/worker's rights
closing corporate loopholes
social services (poor, etc)
social equality (marriage, etc)
sane foreign policy

[NMDemDist2]

15. top five in order, the Environment, the War, Transparent Elections

which includes fundraising reform, the Economy and the high cost of Health Care

[auburngrad82]

16. Honesty

And we won't see much of that until the GOP is a historical footnote.



Liberal bumper stickers

[Armstead]

17. Concentration of Wealth and Power

Over the last 30 years, we have allowed almost every sector of rthe economny to become more consolidated and monopolistic, with a few powerful corporations absorbing its former competitors, and moving into other areas of activity.

This has had ramifications for every other issue, because it has placed the very mechanism of democracy in the hands of the higheest bidder. It has negatively affected our standard of living, quality of life, the environment, freedom of expression, level of intelligence and creativity, our spiritual and secular values and every other sphere of life.

This we have to address this at the core. Al,l other issues stem from that -- including the so-called social issues.

We need to 1)Dismantle the infrsatructure of this Oligarchy and 2)restore basic values of common sense and common decency.

[Seedersandleechers]

19. Fair elections

Fair elections
Fair elections
Fair elections
Fair elections
Fair elections

[Tyo]

20. I second this.

And also campaign finace reform. Paper ballots and public financing. All things flow from fair elections free from the influence of big business and other special interests.

[HamdenRice]

21. 1. Drastic cuts in military spending 2. Universal health care

1 makes all things possible -- including forcing an end to this war and future wars, and funding all the things that need to be done, like 2

[No Exit]

23. 1. End war in Iraq & do not start another unnecessary war.

2. Medical care and health insurance.
3. Stop privatization. It is the mother of all scams.
4. Find a way to live without relying on oil. Added bonus: may even be able to live w/o relying so much on automobiles.
5. (And I guess this probably should've been No. 1...) Do something quick about the legalization of torture and the legalization of detention (w/o habeas corpus) of Americans and others. Otherwise, we'll soon have people "disappeared". In fact, we've ALREADY had people "disappeared".