What issue/s hit you right where you live? Meaning that they directly affect you

[blondeatlast]

or a close member of your family or a very, very close friend? How important are they to your support of a candidate?

For me:

Expanded stem cell research--I've been insulin dependent virtually my entire life and am on a wait list for an islet cell study (LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG wait--and likely not going to come within my lifetime).

Health care: I want universal access to health care and have been advocating for it for almost 10 years, but even an incremental change now will be a vast improvement for me. I have a supposedly "good" employer-sponsored plan, and yet my out-of-pocket expenses each year would likely make your jaw drop (I'm not kidding). Prescription prices are the killer here, FWIW--we need to be able to negotiate prices and re-import.

Education: I have a son turning 11 next month and I want to see the end of standardized tests (even though he does very well on them). I found out yesterday that he has science ONCE A WEEK--and that's his favorite subject. It's simply because the school is forced to teach to the test and science isn't a priority. :mad::mad::mad:

Since I know any Dem candidate will improve funding for SCR, that isn't a priority in my choice of candidates, but access to health care is--and I'm willing to take a GOOD incremental approach for now in order to get UHC soon. I know many in my position feel the same--some of us need SOMETHING as soon as possible; I know far too many people in my shoes who have no coverage whatsoever and am far too familiar with the creative ways they've found to deal with it. I consider myself quite fortunate, really.

PS: I have chosen a candidate going into my Super Tuesday primary, so no need to go there, thanks.

[Fierce]

1. Labor and education.

And they're very important when I support candidates. Makes it easy to winnow it down, I'll tell you that.

[Fresh_Start]

4. priorities

1) childrens health, education, food/shelter, and future (like why the hell are we saddling them with this debt)
2) elderly health, education, food/shelter
3) equal rights
4) restoring the Constitution
5) restoring Americas honor

....
999) getting revenge on Bushco

[ellenfl]

9. me, too. currently, however, none of these directly

affect me or my family. however, they affect a lot of others and could conceivably affect me or mine in the future . . . that's why i vote for the party of inclusion. we ARE all in this together.

ellen fl

[Fresh_Start]

14. I'm not at risk personally

but I have 3 children and I have elderly parents and relatives.
And I can see US trading its future away to India and China which will harm all of us.

In caring about the children, I care about the environment.
I understand the vehement anger about the rape of America by Bushco.

[Fierce]

11. When I say "Labor,"

I mean "right to organize, jobs, economy, health care and pensions, child care, retirement and equal pay/equal rights" all in one. It's awesome that way.

[Fresh_Start]

16. your right, its awesome when you put it that way

but when I say children, I don't mean childcare. I mean protecting them and their future.

[Fierce]

38. Yeah, I'm not arguing with you.

I always feel that people can worry about others when they've taken care of their own needs. I can't do much to help my neighbor find a job if I'm looking for a job and worrying about myself. And I can't work to help the future if my own present is a mess.

Just different ways of approaching the same problem. I like hearing how other people come at these things. :hi:

[Warpy]

2. Health insurance, I've done without it for 20 years now

and I'm fucking sick of it. I can't get health insurance at any price in this country. I want all the CEOs of all the major insurers lined up against the wall first come the revolution.

I'll be leaving the country within the next couple of years because of it. I don't think either party is prepared to deal with this issue honestly or compassionately. Money trumps people every single time.

[blondeatlast]

8. I know so many insulin dependent diabetics who have no coverage--they make too

much for our state plan (I know others who don't work at their full potential to get AHCCCS). I also know the ugly reality of how they deal with it. It's horrifying in many cases--quite literally.

It would be a real wake-up call to most Americans to have to spend one month with a chronic ailment and NO health care--yet millions do it every day.

[VelmaD]

3. reproductive freedom

I really like having control over if/when I have children. I am a single, 30+ year-old, child-free female and I have every intention of keeping it that way. I flat out will not vote for a candidate who doesn't support access to birth control, abortion, and comprehensive sex education. Equal rights is my number one priority and the only way for women to be truly equal is for us to be able to control our own fertility.

[Hoof Hearted]

22. You plan to remain in your 30's? Pa dum pum.

If you figure it out, PLEASE let the rest of us in on it too, K? Just a few dozen thousand of your closest friends on DU.

[VelmaD]

25. no...

but I figure I will continue to be 30+ until I figure out how to age backward.

[jwirr]

5. Health care and education are personal and I also am very interested

in green issues.

[slackmaster]

6. The single biggest one here would be military funding

I live in San Diego.

[TwilightGardener]

7. War. My husband is career military. I believe in a strong defense

and a well-funded military, but it must be used judiciously. That we're still in Iraq, and haven't finished Afghanistan, is insane to me.

[Justyce]

10. The outsourcing/free trade problem is most important to me

because we won't be able to accomplish any of the other things if our economy completely collapses. Also, health care, the tax cuts for the wealthy & corporations, social security, etc etc etc....

[Jackpine Radical]

12. Health insurance, the environment (I'm an outdoors person),

the war (I'm a VN vet & every tragedy I learn of in Iraq brings me anguish), the economy...everything, I guess. Anyway, I see it all as interconnected and due to the same source: Corporate greed.

[LeftCoast]

13. For me it's healthcare and marriage equality

I'm on the front-lines of healthcare. Any changes will have a big impact on me, I'm sure.

[Echo In Light]

15. Health care, and the ones involving the govt illegally spying on whoever they want. Loss of habeas C

"Free Speech" zones at political rallies, etc

MILITARY COMMISSIONS ACT:
http://www.aclu.org/safefree/detention/commissions.html

[Kali]

27. oh yeah that Constitution thing...

[Echo In Light]

32. Yeah, kind of a 'nutty' side issue, isn't it? lol

[readmoreoften]

17. Labor, Healthcare, Homophobia, Sexism--all intertwined. /nt

[Kali]

18. Healthcare and world opinion.

Gosh that seems sort of selfish and superficial in a way, but it really isn't.

[blondeatlast]

21. Neither one is selfish--quite the opposite, really.

As I mention above, I've got a "good" plan. Yesterday I took my son to the orthopedist for a badly broken toe and there was a father and son there who had no coverage but were waiting to get on our state sponsored plan.

I just couldn't help thinking "What if they don't manage it?" Without it, they are stuck with the cost of X-Rays, treatment, follow-up. If his income is low enough he passes the pre-screen for our state's indigent care plan, if he doesn't get it for some reason, that's just traumatic. He might have to sell his car or his house--just for his toddler's broken arm.

It really touched me.

As for your other issue (also one that hits with me), world opinion is tied up in foreign relations--and our record under this administration has sucked big time. The B@L family travels outside the country a lot, especially mys husband, so it's very concerning how we relate to the rest of the world. Right now, we suck in their eyes--and they aren't altogether mistaken. :shrug:

[HughBeaumont]

19. Job offshoring, ending unbridled corporatism, ending the war, health care for ALL Americans.

In that order.

Guess which one of the major candidates is strongest on ALL of these issues?

[Steven_S]

20. Stem cell research....

I'm living with ALS. And probably not for very long. It may be too late for me but for many others, maybe they would have a chance if they can ratchet up stem cell research. My MS friends and Parkinson's and Altheimers people too maybe could benefit from stem cell research.

I don't wish ALS on anybody - not even Bush.

[blondeatlast]

24. My heart goes out to you as one who shares a chronic ailment and shares in the hope

that others will see the miracles I've been promised were "right around the corner" my entire life.

ANY Democrat will increase SCR funding--that alone gives me hope.

Take care, my friend and keep in touch.

[Solly Mack]

23. Iraq/Afghanistan, human rights/equality, health-care, a return to science,

education,food/housing,labor

to name a few

[raccoon]

26. Health care. I haven't had group insurance since the early 90's.

Had to go without insurance for years, because I couldn't possible have afforded it.

I have an individual policy now, very high deductible and won't cover 2 pre-existing conditions.

Medicare for all!

[Kip Humphrey]

28. One to rule them all... Our rigged, stolen elections

[WilliamPitt]

29. Ding

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2629749&mesg_id=2629749

[blondeatlast]

33. I fully credit you for the inspiration.

:applause:

It seems that those of us who really are impacted by certain issues are more willing to take something over nothing and I thought that others ought to see why it matters so very much even if our pet issues are very different..

[Viva_La_Revolution]

30. Iraq, the economy, global warming, no health care

Those are the immediate things.

My son is scheduled to deploy in 1 year. If a republican is elected, he will have to go. If a dem is, then he might not. That is all I can hold on to.

I've had to file unemployment for 4 out of the last 8 weeks, while food prices are soaring. Gas will be $3.50 here by spring. I don't see any change coming in the near future, unless you count change-for-the-worse.

I've had a lot of free time on my hands to notice the strange things going on with Mother Nature. I noticed the tree buds were swelling in mid-dec. Some are already starting to leaf. Daffodils 2-3 inches tall. Ducks have paired off. Food supplies world-wide are dwindling, clean water is disappearing. We will be so screwed if we don't find some way to manage what's coming.

In the midst of all this, I've got to get in to a doctor about a few diffent things... but until they start killing me, I can't afford to.

[fed-up]

31. the war because I have a 19 YO son and it steals money from every other issue nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

34. Childcare; funding for higher ed

[robbedvoter]

35. Stolen elections. Peace. Education. Civil rights. Separation church-state.

I guess the first trumps all - because without taking care of voting rights, everything else is just talk..

[youthere]

36. My list in no particular order:

Healthcare. Number one. I have one child that is diabetic, one with asthma, and one with ADD.My husband and I both have chronic health issues as well. Our out of pocket expenses are ridiculous, and it keeps going higher, while our coverage keeps going down. I'm thankful of course that we even HAVE insurance because many are not as lucky, but the simple truth is that the healthcare system in this country is broken....badly.

Education. Again...three children in school. No Child Left Behind...I don't really need to say more than that, but I will. Shrinking budgets, increased class size, reduced federal funding, vital programming cuts, overburdened teachers and faculty, and an antiquated education system. Combine that with skyrocketing college costs and how in the HELL are we ever going to give our kids a chance?


IRAQ, I have two nephews serving, as well as several of my friends children. I want this shit OVER and I want them kept safe until it's over.

Economy. Something has to be done. The burden on families is too much. My husband and I make twice as much as we did ten years ago and we have less to show for it. The increase in costs is just too much. I buy basically the same groceries which, used to cost $50 every two weeks...now its over $200. Our fucked up foreign policy is making us hemorrhage domestically, and the American people cannot hold out much longer.

[shadowknows69]

37. Health care hits me where I live

Because, frankly, I'm not going to live much longer without it. Geez that's a shitty realization to come to lol.

[Stinky The Clown]

39. Health Care and retirement with dignity

[midlife_mo_Jo]

40. Personally? Healthcare. Outsourcing & HB1 visas. Corporatism

[blondeatlast]

41. Kick. nt

[RB TexLa]

42. Where I live? I live on Earth. Opening trade and making the world a more integrated

economy and place over all most affects everyone.