What should Republicans be debating?

Photos

Voter Voices

see larger image

uploaded by YankeeJim

Voter-driven topics

According to this survey:

Economy                                                             80%

Health Care                                                        67

Government Ethics                                         65

Taxes                                                                    60

Social Security                                                   60

Education                                                            60

Immigration                                                       49

National Security/War on Terror               48

War in Iraq                                                          24

War in Afghanistan                                          19

Rasmussen Survey

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/importance_of_issues

YankeeJim Views

1.       The economic model for the United States needs to be aligned to address a sustainable economic system supported by economic policy that optimizes return on national resources.

2.       Americans need and want affordable healthcare such that when they get sick they are well served and the medical expenses do not drive them to bankruptcy.

3.       “Government ethics” begins with changing the laws such that Corporations and Political Action Committees are not treated as citizens. The current lobbying practices undermine the American Political System and one-person, one vote. Corruption is rampant in government contracting in which the Military Industrial Complex is too intertwined with politics.

4.       Taxes – voters want what they perceive as fair treatment. They believe that too many wealthy people and corporations are not paying their fair share. The code requires revamping and simplifying.

5.       Social Security is a government obligation. There may be different and more effective ways to provide it, involving more control by citizens over their investments, but in the end, all risks must be shared.

6.       Education is a cornerstone for future economic development. Education must be factored as part of #1, above.

7.       National Security is a huge subject that is driven by foreign policy. National security has two elements: 1) economic security and 2) military security and two dimensions 1) domestic and 2) foreign. Including the topic: War on Terror – this is a subset of a much more comprehensive requirement. War on Terror requires global reach and is dependent on power projection to the sources of terror.

8.       Afghanistan remains a hot war.

9.       Iraq is in a state of close down. Surely, Iraq will become internally volatile.

Missing from the list are Iran and North Korea and the huge population explosion in India. Missing also is the perpetual problem in the Middle East represented by conflict between Israel and Arab States.