Three issues most important to you in candidates

[Klippy]

As the elections draw closer and candidates establish their platforms more clearly, what three issues are most important to you in a candidate? What three things are your focus in the 2016 election cycle and what things matter even less?

 

[Crystal Berry]

I want a candidate who will create more jobs. I want a candidate who will raise taxes on the 1% and decrease our taxes. I want a candidate who fights for women's rights, and racial justice. I know that's 4.. lol

 

[Rogue planet]

Not taking a dig at your thread, but just had to say this

I think one of the biggest problems with politics is how simplified it has become in the eyes of the voter. Narrowing a politicians views to a few "key points" is a bad approach. A party might have some really good ideas on your three key areas, but could be doing some awful things in the "minor" parts.

Your favourite candidate might be having some great ideas for the economy, but meanwhile there's some not so great things elsewhere. I think it's gotten to the point where people "settle" for a candidate because they agree on just a couple of things and figure that it's going to be impossible to get anything better. If someone's doing something good for schools or jobs then you might as well vote for them because that's as good as it gets. It's a sad reality of how warped democracy (aka. two party system) has become.

 

[Castaigne]

I want a candidate who will create more jobs. I want a candidate who will raise taxes on the 1% and decrease our taxes. I want a candidate who fights for women's rights, and racial justice. I know that's 4.. lol

too bad presidents are unable to do any of those... lol

In terms of a presidential candidate, I want someone charismatic who can build alliances at home and abroad. The primary purpose of the president is a unifying factor, not a Super Saiyan who can "save" the economy. What does that even mean??? The economy is like the weather. The president can't make it sunny on command but he can prepare for hurricane season in advance. That's really the limit of the levers we have for the economy. Especially considering we've exhausted our bag of financial tricks.

The real organ of change in the US is Congress, which is pretty unfortunate considering they're a bunch of screaming children.

 

[Crystal Berry]

too bad presidents are unable to do any of those... lol

In terms of a presidential candidate, I want someone charismatic who can build alliances at home and abroad. The primary purpose of the president is a unifying factor, not a Super Saiyan who can "save" the economy. What does that even mean??? The economy is like the weather. The president can't make it sunny on command but he can prepare for hurricane season in advance. That's really the limit of the levers we have for the economy. Especially considering we've exhausted our bag of financial tricks.

The real organ of change in the US is Congress, which is pretty unfortunate considering they're a bunch of screaming children.

I know and I agree with you.

 

[twocows]

In order:

1. Supports a fairer political system with less potential for abuse. This includes things like:
   • Term limits for any elected position (I don't include the courts in this at the moment)
   • Ending corporate financing of political campaigns (PACs) and other forms of legalized political bribery, as these take power away from individual voters and give it to corporations
   • Ending or reducing the effects of gerrymandering by implementing independent redistricting committees, as gerrymandering takes power away from individual voters and gives it to incumbent politicians
   • Supporting a constitutional amendment overturning the Citizens United SCOTUS ruling
2. Supports the elimination of laws and practices that unfairly favor or target certain individuals or groups over others based on factors beyond their control. This includes things like:
   • Eliminating affirmative action programs and quotas
   • Eliminating hate crime laws and allowing these crimes to be prosecuted the same as any other crimes would be
   • Ending government-sponsored financial incentives based on race, heritage, or sex/gender in favor of incentives based purely on existing financial standing and/or personal merit or achievement
   • Not interfering with the ability of employers to set pay rates based on factors such as education, merit, and experience
3. Supports protecting the free and open operation of the internet and cracking down on the abuse and corruption present in the telecommunications industry. This includes things like:
   • Opposing the TPP
   • Supporting network neutrality
   • Supporting common carrier status for ISPs
   • Working with the FCC to protect consumer interests in the telecommunications sector

The first point is by far the most important to me, as it should be to anyone. Keeping our political process free from abuse and corruption so that the power remains with the people should be the single most important issue to anyone who supports the democratic process.

I think the second point is important because the government should not (and legally cannot) make distinctions between people based on who they happen to be at a genetic level. Affirmative action programs and other laws and ideas along the same lines may be well-intentioned but they (a) give people special legal privileges on the basis of their genetics and (b) reinforce the assumption that these genetic differences make them different or inferior and that they need our help to be on the same level as everyone else. The former is unfair to those not advantaged by these programs, the latter is unfair to those who are. These sorts of laws are discriminatory by their very nature and should not exist; you do not fix discrimination by being discriminatory, you fix it by not discriminating.

Regarding the third, I think the internet is possibly the greatest invention ever made by mankind and that we need to protect it for everyone's sake. The role it plays in the free exchange of ideas and furthering our understanding of the issues that affect us on a daily bases is of utmost importance, followed closely by the role it plays in developing new ways to save and enhance our lives. We can't allow corrupt, selfish goons to jeopardize the most important system ever devised by man.

Honorable mention
In no particular order, I'm also big on: copyright reform, protecting fair use, patent reform, not banning guns entirely, legalizing certain drugs, making sure government organizations don't abuse their authority (read: NSA), making welfare requisite on working/seeking work/seeking work training or education, lower costs for higher education (free tuition would be great if it's workable), keeping government and education secular, investing in technology and research, and ensuring all people (citizens or not) who are prosecuted by the US government are given fair trials

No comment
There are also some controversial issues that I have concrete opinions on but that I don't really care all that much about (e.g., abortion, immigration) and other such issues that I simply don't think I'm qualified to talk about due to a lack of relevant field knowledge or experience (e.g., macroeconomics, international relations).

 

[Keiran]

1) Taking big money out of politics
2) Racial justice (which only Bernie Sanders has a platform on)
3) Budget. Reducing military spending/increasing education budgets vastly

A close 4th is immigration reform.