What issue are you personally concerned about most?

[jorno67]

I only have ten slots so please list any others I left off.

[lonestarnot]

1. Economy then justice then education and you can't separate war from economy.

[jorno67]

3. I think you can if you have a loved one in harms way

[lonestarnot]

6. And if all of them are loved ones? Then what?

[jorno67]

16. they are all loved ones but in the context of the OP

Which is most important to you personally...you can have a child fighting and not be that concerned about the economy. I'm not saying this is typical, just that they should be given their own consideration. It is noted that for you they are linked.

[theophilus]

2. We can fix the economy by doing Green jobs that will also help the environment.

It's not that hard to see what should be done but our "leaders" are just listening to the top 1%.

[Johonny]

4. I see these issues as linked

to pay to fight our never ending war(s) and tax cuts for the rich, average Americans are being told they have to give up school quality, Social security benefits, medicare benefits, environmental standards etc...

The war, tax cuts, the budget and the economy are all linked. Me I think we can give up the war and tax corporations and the rich. Our president and congress apparently want to fight war forever while compromising the reasons I want a government.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

18. Exactly.

They truly are all connected.

[socialist_n_TN]

45. Everythng on that list is connected to economic justice

Without that, NOTHING works in a progressive manner. That's why I'm a Marxist.

[snot]

5. Election reform, media reform (esp. net neutrality), campaign finance reform.

W/o those, solutions to other problems are built on sand.

[canoeist52]

23. Election reform first - best answer.

[Festivito]

48. Yes. I put media first. It would be the most expedient way out of our descent. /nt

[ZombieHorde]

7. Wow, tough call. War, human rights, and education are my top three.

Everything on the list is so important, except for gun control. Gun control is nothing compared to everything else on list.

[jorno67]

22. Agreed - I only put Gun Control on there because that is one of the items

that is on "the evil liberal agenda". How many times have we heard that the libs are going to go door to door taking everyone's guns?

[rurallib]

8. I think the most immediate is the debt ceiling

looks like the repugs are willing to chuck the 'full faith and credit of the United States' right down the old shitter.
The ramifications of this scare me to my bones.

[kctim]

9. Individual rights

[Raschel]

10. Jobs. Not for me but for the unemployed, the upcoming generations, and for the future of our country

If we don't bring back decent paying jobs we're screwed.

[LiberalAndProud]

11. Sophie's Choice

Some issues are interrelated and inseparable. I'm glad I don't have to choose just one.

[robinlynne]

12. That is too hard to asnwer. I can't pick just one.

[XOKCowboy]

13. Lindsay Lohan obviously!!

:sarcasm:

[defendandprotect]

14. It's not really about an "economy," however -- it's about corporate theft and government collusion..

Unregulated capitalism is merely organized crime --


People feel the impact of joblessness -- and no medical care -- very harshly.

15% unemployment when we add in long term unemployed -- citizens with NO benefits!


Americans are suffering great pain -- homelessness -- while our elected officials

ignore it all --


And, still, Global Warming is the #1 issue --

Many Americans are also suffering its impact --

Incidents of chaotic weather conditions are increasing in number and severity --

creating harsh conditions for many in those areas.

From fires to floods, to storms and tornados.

[Armstead]

24. Yes, that ties much of it together

The corporate takeover of our economy, society and government -- and the resulting concentration of power and wealth -- make all the issues much more difficult to deal with

[tosh]

27. The corporate takeover gets my vote.

It has so many implications.

[defendandprotect]

31. The implications are the same as trying to figure out ....

how to respond to fascism because corporate fascism is fascism --

And we have never figured out yet how to respond to and/or control the

violence of the few among us -- that has always been the question.

But there is only one way that the right wing can rise and that's via political

violence -- assassination -- and we've had 50 years and more of it --


Accompanied by right wing propaganda and theft of elections by computer since

the late 1960's -- and great corporate wealth to pay for all of it and the fake

movements and organizations to cover it --

Look at the wealth of ExxonMobil, for instance --

[pinqy]

50. Recheck your facts

15% unemployment when we add in long term unemployed

There is no time limit for the unemployment rate. In fact this year the collection changed...before people were counted as "2 years or more", but now the actual length is collected up to 5 years (then it's "5 years or more"). Didn't change anything except the mean duration of unemployment.

To get up to 15%, you have to add to the unemployed people who aren't currently trying to get a job but did try in the last year and say they want a job and would theoretically take one if offered. And you'd have to include people who have jobs but whose hours have been cut or can't find a full time job.

[PassingFair]

15. Health Care and Jobs equally.

Since having a job MEANS having health care in
most situations.

If we had a National Health Care program, we could
do without corporate "jobs" and get back to our
entrepreneurial roots.

[dkf]

17. Peak oil / lack of transition to renewables.

Our energy policies are ridiculously short sighted. No one will take this seriously til we crash and burn.

[Terry in Austin]

39. +1

Conspicuously absent from the OP list.

[rucky]

19. The Environment

is directly tied to jobs, hunger, healthcare and human rights

[Lucky 13]

32. +1

[Lorien]

38. Exactly. It's sad that many here don't understand that. nt

[Raine]

41. Yes, EXACTLY

I get so frustrated that environmental issues are barely paid attention to even by progressives. :argh:

[SalviaBlue]

20. More jobs and improvement of the economy will not help

when you get sick. The for profit health care system will take all you gain.

We need health care security.

[lpbk2713]

21. My grandchildrens' future.

And right now their prospects don't look so great no matter what I might try to do for them while I can.

[cbdo2007]

25. I vow to purposefully ignore any "distracting" issues in the 2012 election.

I won't mention which issues I find so distracting so I don't get attacked.

[Marrah_G]

26. Really all of them

[DefenseLawyer]

28. Wages and income inequality

That's what has us headed off a cliff.

[felix_numinous]

29. Corporate takeover

Repeal corporate personhood and make it illegal to have any ties to the legislative, judicial or executive branches of government, military or our free press.

They are creating a privileged class who get away with murder while our lives are more and more restricted.

[Wait Wut]

30. Voted US Econ/Jobs, but would have voted "All of the Above"

I'm not an agenda specific person. However, I suppose you could judge me on my charitable contributions. Most of which go to abused, orphaned or distressed children. Next in line would be Democratic candidates so they can fix everything else.

But, yeah...all of the above.

[OhioChick]

33. US Economy/Jobs n/t

[slackmaster]

34. Our ongoing refusal to join the rest of the world by fully adopting and embracing the Metric System

[chowder66]

35. Government Corruption/Culture

The money, the lobbyists, the corporations, the bribery or strong-arming, the culture that steals our elected officials away from everyday citizens and their rights. The election process, the abuse of congressional processes. The lack of regulations and oversight. The lack of accountability.

If all of these were addressed I think the issues that this nation faces could be better represented.

[a la izquierda]

36. The environment.

We keep fucking up the planet, none of the other issues will matter too much.

[Lorien]

37. So how great will the economy be when we can't grow food, have massive floods

and droughts, and start more wars over dwindling resources? What happens to our planet effects EVERYTHING.

[GeorgeGist]

40. Interesting that Climate Change ...

didn't make the cut.

[Raine]

42. That would go under environment

I would assume, at least I hope so because that is ABSOLUTELY THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE OF ALL. Without a good environment NOTHING ELSE is going to matter.

[jorno67]

43. you are correct - I thought that was pretty clear.

[mochajava666]

46. Absolutely right.. Global climate change will affect everything.

Add peak oil, overpopulation, and lack of clean water, economic and social stability will be impossible. Democracy will be hard pressed when borders are overrun. Without a stable environment, refugees spilling across borders will destroy civilization as we know it.

[Raine]

44. ABSOLUTELY the Environment

nothing else matters so much because nothing else can exist without a clean decent environment. Just wait till Global Climate Change really takes hits and all the wars there will be!

[BOHICA12]

47. Private Sector Jobs ....

without them and Corporate Profits to tax - the rest is mute.

[yellowwood]

49. $1,211,273,194,960

The cost of our militarism is the elephant in the living room. It is literally draining us. Can't fix the other issues without money. We are making our choice to use our mney for wars.

Since I began to write this, the cost has gone up to


$1,211,273,771,086

Edited for link:
http://costofwar.com/en/