A lot of people don't realize that there are literally thousands of ...

[WCGreen]

issues and emotions that compel people to supporter and vote for a certain candidate.

Where is the point when you say that this is my candidate?

Me? Well I always look at the core beliefs expressed by the actions and demeanor of each candidate.

Then I ask these questions.

For instance, does this candidate resist the temptation to slide into demagoguery?

Does this candidate have what it takes to stay steady and calm during a national disaster?

Can this candidate control their emotions when the pressure is at a crushing level?

Is this candidate disciplined and is this candidate running a disciplined campaign?

Does the candidate ever appear to be reckless in views or actions?

Is the candidate surrounded by people that I feel comfortable with?

Does the candidate hold the core ideal that there is a balance to be struck between individual rights and the tendency of commerce to overreach and is this a balance I can accept?

Does this candidate have a record on which to run on? Not just elected office but charitable work, education, chosen profession and service to their community.

And perhaps most important of all, for me at least, does the candidate shy away from flirting with such dangerous behavior as pandering to try and convince intractable voters to vote for him/her?

But the deal breaker always comes down to this, for me at least, is the candidate must be a Democrat?

These are just some of the ways I appraise and then select a candidate.

It's taken me decades to develop my cobbled together list like "litmus" test.

It would interest me greatly if you could offer yours...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. You've given this a lot more thought than most, I suspect.

I do some of what you have on your list.

But not all, by any means.

Some of what you require is not readily available to the public and must be searched for.

And most people are just too lazy or unmotivated to do that search.

K&R

[WCGreen]

2. Most of all it is just ayig attention to what they say and do...

[2Design]

3. I used to look at all that - and do during primaries but in the end

I vote blue no matter what - I know the republicans don't care about people and the dems get a consciousness once in a while - both sides obviously don't care about people or the health care bill with health plan like congress would have already been passed and instituted many years ago - instead they spend huge amounts of money on bullets, bombs, and WMDs to keep what little economy we have left funded by orders for WMD's - I liked Dean the Best then Dennis - the rest well they were dems - Grayson is someone I got excited about and when I had the chance I voted for him - BUT most people I vote for never make it to office - the Milquetoast candidates do or they get there and become incapable of doing what is good for the people.

[WCGreen]

5. Very rarely does one get the chance to vote in a contested primary

for congress. I had the chance to run in a contested primary and saw at first glance how hard it is to go against the entrenched wishes of the party loyalists, if you are nice, and party hacks, if you are realistic.

[DJ13]

4. My litmus test is very simple, but its never met by ANY politician

Does he/she make the vast majority of their decisions on whether the law/bill/executive order passed is good for the bottom 90% of Americans?

In every politician I've seen so far in my 50+ years, from Kennedy through Obama ........the answer is a resounding NO.

The moneyed interests must be served, and if something actually helps the average American its only by happenstance.