top topics

CNN poll listed the top topics of 'interest' in the 08 election cycle.

1) Economy. I'm not sure what this means. Most people have no idea what the economy does or how it works, other than that they either have or do not have a job that they like and provides for their lifestyle. There are however several major economic issues that must be either resolved or at least addressed by major candidates. Right now none of the major candidates is proposing any solutions to social security (that have chance of passage, privatization didn't make it with a Republican Congress and President, which doesn't bode well, Dems have no workable solution right now). None of them are offering solutions to the AMT or the tax structure in general. Nobody is discussing the problems of economic instability, such as job transitions, temporary employment, or our massive foreign debt. Outside of the illegal immigrant question, nobody is discussing productivity and strengthening the American labour force. So nobody is talking about the economy basically.

2) Iraq. I guess I can see how this is a major issue, but if people think it's bound and determined to change quickly based on who gets elected they're in for a rude shock.

3) Health care. Again. Nobody seems to be able to address actual problems other than to say more Americans need it. The root issues involve reform over how health care is purchased in this country. Candidates seem to be at least aware of this issue and have a variety of 'plans'. I remain skeptical that any will pass and highly skeptical of any plan that doesn't involve free market solutions with perhaps some tighter regulation or oversight over how insurance companies operate. But that regulation could be done with tougher state laws and a few simple federal laws allowing things like interstate insurance. The idea that we need a socialized health care plan with state funding is ridiculous. HMOs are bad enough.

4) Terrorism. Unless I missed something, outside of Paul and maybe Obama nobody is talking at all about the roots of this problem. Maybe some people are afraid but I stopped paying attention once the Patriot Act passed. I know this anti-terrorist stance is little more than the anti-drug war with a different title and new ways to harass our citizens. Rather than a genuine attempt to reduce and possibly eliminate terrorist threats.

5) Iran. I guess Iran is the second biggest foreign problem after Iraq that we have. I'm not quite sure what we should be doing here because our military capacity to deal with Iran is fairly limited without international support. Which we don't have. And our diplomatic capacity is likewise limited without support. Which we don't have. Maybe they want to talk to us, but I doubt it. We certainly don't want to talk to them it seems.

6) Gas prices. Mostly these are annoying. What people should be worried about is long-term energy policy. Which we don't have. Either we should be trying to find our own energy to reduce the price or we should be trying to get off of gasoline and oil in the relatively near future.

7) Poverty. This is really the economic issue. How do we create opportunity and jobs that provide more opportunity? That really asks how do we provide growth in our economy. It does not ask, how do we take care of poor people. We know and accept this to be a problem that our society shoulders through its charitable nature and public funding. The long term is how to reduce poverty so we don't have to be charitable. Which is an economics problem.

8) taxes. People always whine about taxes. We do have to reform them, especially the AMT. Maybe this can be done, but I'm not hopeful.

9) Immigration. I'm surprised this is so low with all the xenophobic media out there.

Guess what I don't see on here. Education reforms. Energy policy. Foreign trade and labour issues. Maybe these are less important to the common person's mind, but they're high on the list of public needs. I also don't see abortion, gay marriage and 'family values'. Good riddance.