So after watching these past two debates this election season I decided to come up with my own list of 20 questions I would like to hear the candidates respond to. I fear that many, or possibly none of these questions will be asked in a nationally televised debate. But these are the questions I wish to ask.
(After lurking for many years and commenting occasionally, I decided to write my first DailyKos diary. I composed this today and posted it to Facebook just now, and it occurred to me, maybe this would make a good DailyKos post. So below the squiggly here I go.)
I have divided the questions into five categories:
National Security
Economy/Healthcare
Energy/Environment
Democracy at Home
Criminal Justice
National Security
1. How do you define the War on Terror? If it was a response to 9/11, in light of the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden, should it continue? When does the War on Terror end? Is America now and for the foreseeable future in a permanent state of war?
2. What is your opinion on America's use of predator drone strikes? Do you believe the civilian casualties of these attacks are as low as the Obama administration claims, despite the reporting to the contrary? Why did the Obama administration only admit to the use of drones in Pakistan this year when it has been going on for several years now? What other countries are we hitting with drone strikes? Is the targeted assassination of suspected terrorists preferable to detaining suspected terrorists in prisons such as Guantanemo? Does America have the legal right to kill suspected terrorists in whichever
country they may be?
3. America spends over six times more than China on the military and twenty times more than the spending of the next twenty countries combined. How much military spending is enough? How much is too much?
4. What is your stance on habeas corpus as it relates to the ability to detain American citizens indefinitely without charge as described in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012? For Obama: This section of the law was ruled to be unconstitutional by U.S. District Judge last month. Why did your administration appeal that decision?
5. Do you support the continued warrantless surveillance of American citizens?
Economy/Healthcare
6. What is your opinion on the Occupy Wall Street protest movement that blossomed last fall? What is your understanding of what their message is? Do you agree with that message? If so, what action can be taken to address it?
7. Do you believe criminal actions of fraud were committed by any financial institutions leading up to the financial crisis of 2008?
8. In light of the financial crisis, do you believe the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act during the Clinton administration was wise? Would reinstating Glass-Steagall improve the security of our economic system?
9. In the past 30 years the income gap in America has increased dramatically. We now rank 64th in the world in terms of economic equality, well behind most other developed nations of the world, and at about the same level as countries like Uganda, Rwanda, Guyana, and Nicaragua. What do you believe are the causes of this increasing inequality. What do you believe are the effects? Is it a matter of concern to you?
10. Do you know what the current federal minimum wage is? Do you know what you would make in a year on the minimum wage? Do you know when the last time it was increased? Do you think the minimum wage is too much, too little, or just right? How would increasing it effect the economy? How would decreasing or eliminating it effect the economy?
11. Among the healthcare systems of the developed countries of the world, our system stands alone in being driven by for-profit private insurance corporations (with the exception for the elderly and the poor, who have access to Medicare and Medicaid respectively). Why is this a necessary and/or beneficial component to providing access to healthcare in America? Why does every other developed country reject this system?
Energy
12. In recent months the Arctic Ice Sheet has receded to a record low and the US experienced a summer filled with record breaking temperatures. The overwhelming majority of scientists who study the earth's climate have claimed that the observable evidence indicates that the average temperature of the earth is rising, that global climate change is a dangerous threat, and that it can be directly linked to human activity. Do you accept the scientific consensus on climate change? If not, why not? If so, what must be done to address it?
13. Do you support the extraction of natural gas through the process of hydraulic fracturing, also known as "fracking"? Do you believe this process poses any risk to the nation's water supplies? Are you concerned by the recent string of minor earthquakes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area?
14. Just this week three miles of oil slick was detected in the gulf and confirmed as being from the 2010 BP oil spill, indicating that the effects of this environmental disaster are still continuing to this day. How can you assure Americans that this kind of tragedy will not happen in our country again? Is deepwater drilling worth these kinds of risks?
Democracy
15. Who are the top financial contributors to your election campaign? Do you think they expect anything in return for the money they donated to you? Do you think the large contributions that you accept from corporations or unions create any conflicts of interest in your policy making?
16. What is your opinion on the Supreme Court's ruling in the Citizens United case? Do Americans benefit from the current system of campaign finance? Do you think elected representatives would be more responsive to the needs of their constituents if raising money for election campaigns was not a concern?
17. Do you think the electoral college system of electing a president as outlined in the Constitution is still the best course for America? Would you support a change in that system so that the winner of the national popular vote wins the presidency? Why or why not?
18. Roughly 60% of eligible voters participate in presidential elections. Why do you think so many Americans don't vote? If you think it would be better for more people to vote, what do you think can be done that would lead to greater turnout?
Criminal Justice
19. The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world. We have less than 5% of the world's population, but over 23% of the world's prison and jail populations. Why are so many of our citizens behind bars when compared to the rest of the world? Is this a matter for concern? Nearly 40% of inmates are black, a minority that comprises only 14% of the general US population. Why do you think african americans are so disproportionately incarcerated?
20. About 40% of Americans have tried marijuana at least once in their lifetimes, including a number of recent occupants of the White House. Why is marijuana illegal? Is marijuana more or less dangerous than alcohol? Is marijuana more or less dangerous than tobacco? Do you support legalizing marijuana?