Without saying who you are voting for, please mention the issues that you are voting on. Which issues will cause you to vote the way you will. I ask this because I think many of us are concerned about issues other than the ones the candidates are focused on.

For me its the economy and the general direction in which the administration is pushing the nation and the administrations attitude in terms of civil liberties and the other nations of the world. Iraq is important, but so are my other two issues.

Remember, this is about issues, not the candidates. Tell us the issues you are voting on, not the candidate you are voting for.

 

Taxation and international relations (terrorism)

 

In no particular order: stem cell research, Roe v. Wade, civil liberties, education, separation of church and state, environment, foreign policy, and the war in Iraq.

Dean

 

Well, since the debates it's been obvious to me that both candidates will continue the Iraq situation pretty much the same way, so no fundamental differences between them in foreign policy in the short run.

So, my hot-button issues are domestic (their relative importance to me changes day to day):

- Social Security, which will collapse if not reformed.
- I don't want a meddler in the economy. It can take care of itself, thank you.
- Civil liberties and freedom in general - both major candidates want to curtail them, just in different areas. I need to decide which areas I treasure the most (kind of like choosing between your own children!)

JonasM

 

I am looking for someone who will NOT continue to divide the country, and isolate us from the World Community. Furthermore, I will NOT vote for someone who will undoubtedly continue the push extreme right-wing conservative viewpoints.

 

-Healthcare reform
-Social Security reform
-Education
-Separation of church and state
-Civil liberties and individual freedom (which I can see potentially being tied to the above item)
-The environment
-Taxes
-Alternative energy research
-Stem cell research
-Transportation - we need to start rebuilding the nation's highway infrastructure, put more focus on public transportation, and work to improve/expand airports to eliminate chokepoints.
-Space exploration

People like Allan Greenspan seem to be able to handle the economy quite well, so that's not an issue for me from a Presidential standpoint. I doubt any sitting president has the influence on the economy that the media and general public credit him with. That said, I don't know much about that sort of thing...

 

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<I had a reply but I just can't bring myself to get into the political threads. I'd probably look like an idiot compared to you guys. It seems like those in the east are much more into all the facets of the candidates. I go on a general overall idea of how the person will change my life and the country, not each individual issue.>

 

^Your opinion is no less valid than the rest of ours regardless of what your basis is. Truth be known, this is the first election that I have given this much scrutiny in thirty years. Usually my feeling is that no matter who gets elected, it's going to be just more of the same old same old, but not this time.

Dean

 

Usually I think that the influence of the President is overrated. But lately events have proven me wrong.

1) We would not be at war in Iraq now if Gore had been President

2) There are at least two Supreme Court positions which are going to open up in the next four years, and the court is currently split 4-4-1 on many "hot button" issues. (Often Sandra Day O'Connor is the swing vote.) This will influence our courts for many years to come.

Other stuff, like social security and taxes, is really in the hands of Congress. Presidential candidates like to talk about their plans for it, but they can't directly control it.

 

Peace and freedom.

Same as Dean.