As a Democrat, what is the most important issue to you ?

[kentuck]

Healthcare, the economy, the war on terror, the Patriot Act, jobs, civil rights, the deficit, or ...? Do you have one issue that is more important than any other ? An issue that you feel is most important to our nation? Or to you personally?

[Melodybe]

1. Civil rights and the constitution, both of which are crapped on by Bushco

[politicaholic]

12. I agree w/ you on the constitutional issue...

It seems to me that this administration is trying to derail or circumvent parts of the consitution with the Patriot Act and other policies through branches such as the FCC.

This "War on Terrorism" is much like the war on drugs. An unknown enemy in a war that could go on for the rest of the existance of the United States bothers me to no end. It is a way to avoid the Balanced Budget Amendment, run up huge deficits, and also control, on a federal level, how democracy in America is defined.

It's truely a sad state of affairs.

[LiviaOlivia]

72. Getting Bushites and RW theocrats out of office.

Until these creeps are diminished in numbers or gone nothing will happen.

They have declared war. Polite and civilized negotiation died in the 1980's.

[Horse with no Name]

2. Civil Rights.

That encompasses the other topics you mentioned.

[erichzann]

3. Social and economic justice, Civil and Human Rights.

In other words, the vision and passion of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

[ultraist]

11. ditto

"Social and economic justice, Civil and Human Rights."

[Inspired]

31. ditto

to your ditto

[acmejack]

4. The commoditization of democracy

This pay to play game as evidenced in the bankruptcy bill and corporate give aways are examples. Until the lobbyists are muzzled and the money is removed we the people are sucking hind teat.

[blondeatlast]

10. In the end, this is the issue that trumps them all.

Until the citizens are entitled to the same rights and privileges of the corporations, this is the issue--and it's a slippery slope to the rest of them.

Once we've made headway into corporate socialisma nd governance, nothing else can happen, I'm afraid.

[Mojambo]

5. Corporate control over government and media n/t

[sonicx]

6. Health Care, Education, and Civil Rights

All 3 have been MIA in the last 5 years.

[Tux]

7. For me

Nothing beats the following:

Preservation of Constitutional rights.
Environmental protection.
Stopping outsourcing.
Fair trade.
Creation and protection of unions and pensions.
Ending tax cuts and reduce taxes by removing stupid perks to elected officials.
And
Ending our dependence of oil from OPEC and find alternative fuels/materials.

[soupkitchen]

8. Economic decency; the redistribution of opportunity

[_testify_]

41. amen!

[teryang]

9. Elcctronic election fraud

This issue towers above all others.

[Jane Austin]

13. Election fraud is my top concern, too.

If we don't fix that, we can't do a thing about the other important things.

[leftchick]

24. There are No other issues if that one is not addressed...

Now, Today! :banghead:

[DanCa]

14. Stem Cell Research

I have stage two of young onset parkinsons at the age of 36. I have balance problems and my hands tremble every day. My body is racked with pain, and when its not involuntarily moving, my whole body stiffens and or shakes so bad that I cant even hold a knife or a fork. Those are the good days. The real bad ones start when I first open my eyes and learn that I cannot move my body -n ow that's scary. And I firmly believe that no ones god, religious views, or political party has the right to keep me from finding a cure.
They say ssi is broken imagine the good stem cell can do for the economy. By getting me and people like me who truly want to work but have problems walking and holding things on a hourly basis.
I also wish that my party would adopt a protection of political worship act so that I can worship as how I choose and not to be made to feel guilty over the henious myths and untrues of stem cell research. Its bad enough the repubs want me to be a cripple do they want my faith too?
I am sorry if this isn't a happy message but it's the main reason I am a Dem. The others are equal rights for gblt people and social security.Have fun everyone and be good to each other.

[FinallyStartingToWin]

15. The Responsibility Of Our Pols to Govern For the People, Not for Their

seven sins....

[Just Me]

32. HA! True!

Of course, the basic problem is: how do we address the Pols who create ways to breach commonly understood rules of law (whether by hook or crook or new rules/laws or hocus pocus legalese)?

[sam sarrha]

16. Faschism.............. Link>

http://www.indybay.org/print.php?id=1719333

[patricia92243]

17. Environmental issues n/t

[Ready4Change]

18. Immediate: Economy. Long Term: Energy policy.

Fed needs to balance their own budget to restore consumer confidence. That will perk the economy and get us rolling again.

And we need to set the development of energy alternatives as a national priority. Once off our oil addiction we can spend less militarily and divert some of those funds to correct social ills here at home.

[Just Me]

19. I start with "help one another",....

,...and work my way from that point. The next step from that point is the basics: food, clothing, shelter, medical needs. Then, providing people the chance to develop their potential such that they can contribute to others would be the next biggie (which is truly a "biggie" since it includes education and community development and protection from bullies and so forth) along with the "rule of law" which prevents predatory destruction of all the foregoing.

I keep the basic goal, "help one another", always in mind,...always.

[Mira]

20. We must stop fraudulent elections.

Loud and thorough exposure of what happened, and who did it and how, and punishment, and finding a way to make each vote count in 2006 so I can feel free to go vote again are most important to me right now.

I seriously doubt I will ever get over the 2 stolen elections in a row, and the elimination of checks and balances, Democracy is stomped out at home while we supposedly care about it in the places where they have "our" oil under their sand.

[Jack_DeLeon]

21. The economy, privacy, protecting the bill of rights.

[Sapphire Blue]

22. POVERTY... which encompasses so many others

[MissWaverly]

23. fair elections

one voter = one vote, no dead people, no switching, no excuses = paper ballot which can be counted

[thjay]

49. amen to that

nothing else matters if our votes don't count

[MissWaverly]

66. the stench of corruption is everywhere

From coast to coast and in DC, the stench of mispent dollars and
unethical behavior is everywhere, this is what the electronic non-representational voting has provided us, no accounatability for our
elected officials

[Selatius]

25. Issues of war and peace, and civil rights are the top two right now

It's the most glaring issue today just as it was in the 1960s. It is an unjust war, and I feel sad for every soul that has died as a result of the war. A war in any form should only be fought only out of real self-defense or even self-preservation. This war failed that test on the first day of fighting.

At the same time, the issue of civil rights needs to be addressed as well. States are passing laws that prohibit gay marriage. Not only that, they are passing laws that don't even allow the secular form of it: Same-sex civil unions. When a couple marries, they often get the local church to recognize it, and it's up to the church to recognize it or not. They also apply for a civil union license from city hall. I'm in favor of allowing gay couples, at the bare minimum, the ability to apply for a civil union license and be afforded the same legal rights and protections afforded to every heterosexual couple. The Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, in my opinion, requires it.

[seabeyond]

26. as a democrat, has nothing to do with democrat

i want it to be unacceptable that any party can lie to us as they are blantantly doing and civil rights, our vote, and OUR (yours and my) media

[Cleita]

27. My three most important issues are:

Getting the fascists out of the White House is number one.
Fixing the way we do elections so that they are honest is number two.
Healthcare and getting a single payer system going is number three.

Amazing that number three was number one for me back in 2000. Look how Bush as changed things.

[Hello_Kitty]

28. I was going to say reproductive freedom

But that falls under Civil Rights, doesn't it?

[ultraist]

67. Yes!

Bill of Rights, Right to Privacy, Roe vs. Wade

[cally]

29. Enviromental/energy policy

is probably my top concern. I really believe we are killing the planet and ourselves.

Close behind are civil rights (includes women's issues) and integrity of the voting system.

[librechik]

30. voting integrity--Die, Diebold!

no contest. Without that, we never get any of our issues addressed. We should all drop everything and bang on doors until this is fixed.

[Big Lebowski]

33. Civil liberties/rights

Civil liberties and civil rights are of utmost importance to me. The way that the Bush administration and the Republicans want to curtail these things disgusts me. As someone stated before, the corporate control of the media helps facilitate them in doing this.

[rainman99]

34. Civil liberties.

[rainman99]

35. And separation of church and state.

[idlisambar]

36. Deindustrialization and Energy Independence

I think that the 35 year deindustrialization trend has exacerbated economic problems important for liberals -- poverty, job opportunities, economic mobility, etc. In addition it has impoverished the nation as a whole forcing all of us to fight for pieces of an shrinking pie. The full consequences of this trend have not yet been felt (a collapse in the currency), and that eventuality depends in large part upon the inclinations of foriegn government officials and bureacrats.

Similarly, energy independence is critical for us to reduce our involvement in other nation's affairs, particularly in the Middle East.

[kansasblue]

37. election fraud

[LaPera]

38. Republican owned & operated electronic voting machines!

Nothing comes close.

As they keep putting more and more of these machines in place quietly throughout the nation.

Without fair elections nothing else will get accomplished.

[Pushed To The Left]

39. Civil rights and personal freedom

I think the way for Americans to have the greatest amount of personal freedom is for there to be universal checks and balances: There should be a limit to how much power or control one person or group has over another person or group. I believe that individuals should be free to do what they wish as long as they don't harm anybody else.

[H2O Man]

40. Family & Constitution !!!

I want my children to have the opportunity to grow up in an America where the Constitution is alive and well.

[lonestarnot]

42. Survival of a FREE America.

[Festivito]

43. 1. MEDIA, 2. BBV, 3. Health care.

We will not be elected, ever, unless we overcome the media framing everything we say and do. No one will believe BBV. No will believe ANYTHING unless we reach them either with the media or by going around the media with our own.

[Stinky The Clown]

44. Wow .... there's so much that's important to me personally

I can't honestly say that one issue comes to the top to a degree that separates it from the others. These are all important to me. I'll try to prioritize them, but please understand that the difference from top to bottom is miniscule.

Social and civil fairness - true equality and opportunity for all

International fairness and humility - sorta the same as above, but on a nation to nation basis

Ecological fairness - again as above, but toward our planet

These issues transcend national borders. Its a very small planet with a lot of people. We, each of us, are but one among billions. I care about them all.

This, then, starts to drill down with some specificity

True racial, ethnic, and sexual equality. Unequivocally so.

A sane and caring foreign policy enhanced by a strong national defense (emphasis on DEfense) that is respected, not feared.

A massive and inclusive national movement to alternative energy technology that will allow us to meet our needs far into the future and will allow us to be again at the forefront of an emerging and vital technology. I have no idea what this is, but it might include fusion, solar, wind, geothermal. It should be able to meet the needs of massive urban areas and remote jungle settlements in a an ecologically neutral manner.

Single payer health care. No compromise. No fancy schemes to prop up insurance companies.

Minimum Living Standard laws. We don't need a minimum wage ... we need to establish BY LAW a minimum standard of living that keeps the least of our citizens at a safe level. Housing, health care, food, clothing, education, etc., etc., etc.

All, however, look as pipe dreams unless there's a paradigm shift in this once great country. Simply electing a Dem ... the best Dem anyone can think of, in '08 won't do it. It takes a visionary leader.

[B Calm]

45. Election Fraud along with the National Debt

[retnavyliberal]

46. Environmental issues for me N/T

[Rowdyboy]

47. Far and away-judicial appointments....Has been ever since Nixon

and then Bush stacked the Supreme Court with ideologues.

[FreedomAngel82]

48. To me

it's civil rights, economy, health care and education.

[leftofthedial]

50. the economy--class war--worker's rights--healthcare

it's all the same issue.

All the outrages of the neotheocons are just fronts in the class war

[imaginary girl]

51. A true respect for our constitution (including right to vote), our ....

... citizens, the citizens of other nations, and the source of all of our survival, the natural world. I believe all other issues are contained within those few.

[stickdog]

52. 2) Economic justice - 2a) Civil Rights - 2b) Insane militarization

2c) Out of control health care costs & protecting Social Security

1) Corporate mass media brainwashing and fraud-o-matic voting machines: because it won't get any better unless the people get their hands on the true levers of power.

[enigmatic]

53. So many...

But the top of my list is civil/individual rights.

[webjamn]

54. The environment

If we don't protect the air, trees, streams, mountains,oceans and all other beautiful parts of our world then all the money in the world will cease to be worth a crap. Unfortunately, Chimpy and his minions don't see value in anything unless it can be sold or developed.

[LynnTheDem]

55. Treating ALL PEOPLE, and I do mean ALL, fairly and as HUMAN BEINGS.

And that is one issue the repubs do NOT do.

[WilliamPitt]

56. Winning

Sorry. I know this makes me a bad person. I will live with the pain.

Here's the news: Each and every single issue described above and below is masturbation without winning.

Sorry.

[Piperay]

57. The environment...

if we don't have clean air and water no other issue matters cause we are all going to be dead!

[Lilith Velkor]

58. Both wars (oil and drugs) n/t

[Vyan]

59. Ending the BIRTH TAX!

The Deficit is the number won threat to our future and national security. Osama Bin Ladin does not expect to defeat us militarily, but he does believe that he can topple our economy, just as did the Soviet Economy. Death by a thousand cuts.

Read more--> http://vyan.blogspot.com/2005/04/end-birth-tax.html

Vyan

[newyawker99]

62. Hi Vyan!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[countryjake]

60. Equality!

For all and in all areas!

[DFLer4edu]

61. 1.Education 2.Economy

[JHB]

63. The Economy, and the corporate looting of this nation

[rniel]

64. civil rights and justice for all

n/m

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

65. Jobs and the economy n/t

[Walt Starr]

68. The union of church and state being forced upon us.

I've said for more than a quarter century, if not for the Irreligious Wrong who falsely refer to themselves as "the religious right", I'd probably be a Republican.

[tex-wyo-dem]

69. For me:

Environmental protection and stopping fascism tops my list, but I support basically everything that has been mentioned...they all feed into each other.

In the near term, however, election reform and fraudulent elections via DREs is my biggest fear. Without fixing this, Turdblossom's wish for RW control for decades to come is a "slam dunk."

[Mrs_Beastman]

70. The Economy, Environment, Education and

I haven't seen this on the list yet...but the Food and Drug Administration actually having the people's health in mind first before the lobbyists. I'm worried about the delude of expensive drugs that are being sold at hiked up prices, while there are people in this country who cannot afford basic health care.

Also, our food supply. We have a lot, but it is terrible quality with chemicals that would make your head spin.

[ultraist]

71. I'm not surprised

Most responses are social and economic justice issues : The economy, healthcare, electoral reform (political/social empowerment and rights), reproductive choice, poverty, etc...

Economic Justice: Equal access to goods and services
Social Justice: Civil Rights/Equality

Why are Dems failing to articulate our core values? We will LOSE again if we don't craft a strong message and continue to pander to the Republican's platform.

[tex-wyo-dem]

73. Absolutely agree...

This is the thing that has been killing the Democratic Party (aside from stolen elections). Instead of crafting a clear, consistent and easily recognizable and quotable message, the message has been all over the map.

The Rethugs, on the other hand, have put together such a message while smearing the Dems at the same time and they've done this very effectively.