What issue(s) is most important to you?

[Ibanez]

Which are important to you and why? If you have something that isn't on the poll, please tell us.

[Col Hogan]

I selected two, but they are so closely tied they could be one...

Energy Policy and National Security...

Because of our lack of a true energy policy (all the Dems want to do is stop drilling in the Arctic...all Reps want to do is drill in the Arctic) we are dependent on oil, and most of it comes from areas that we need to defend (National Security)...

If we spent money and/or gave tax breaks to develop alternative energy, instead of tax breaks to oil producers/drillers...we could get away from oil and into energy sources we control...eliminating a big National Security risk...

On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy (a visionary) issued a daunting challenge...to put a man on the Moon and safely return him...before the end of the century...

If we had visionary leadership today...a daunting challenge would be issued...to reduce our dependence on oil by 75% by 2018...with real funding to accomplish this goal...

I think properly channeled, our scientific brain power could do this...

But, it won't...because of politics...and NIMBYs...

[MrTitleist]

I said energy policy because these gas prices are fricking unbelievable, we have no viable alternative fuels out there, global warming is at an all-time high, and I'm paying out of my nose to heat my apartment and yet I'm still f##king freezing!! Energy needs to be dealt with.. I'm not going to put up with many 20 degree winters with the heater off because we can't afford it.

Second, I said healthcare. I work in the healthcare industry.. well, I work at a hospital on the IT staff and I can tell you that health care sucks. Working for a hospital you'd think I'd have decent insurance.. it's okay at best. Not great. Many other people can't even afford this much.. like my significant other who is without right now because of the cost.

National security doesn't concern me much because I live in Montana and I don't see the Canadians coming to invade anytime soon.. or blow shit up. Plus I have a rifle under my bed that says I'm secure. However, we've gotta do something about these assholes that come in and steal our airplanes and fly them into buildings.. but I think in the future the problem is going to be from within, terrorists born here and bombing here.

I also said wages/national debt.. we need to get this national debt down. Taxes won't be going down until that thing does.. that means we need to start collecting on services rendered, quit saving everyone from everything, and start looking out for ourselves. With this "recession" that we seem to be in, I'm starting to get a little irritated at the wage/cost of living ratio. I'm tired of the rich seeing the biggest tax breaks and being able to "write off" everything they do. It's bullshit. You make the most, you get taxed the most. Simple math. Stop making the middle class pay for it. The cost of living is going up in many areas, yet wages are still deplorable in those areas. Cost of living can't go up 7% a year and I only get a 2% raise at most. That doesn't help close the gap.

Rant off.

[Appaholic]

I chose Illegal Immigration and National Security because they are one in the same. As a Libertarian, think our Federal Government's primary role in society is National Security......all the other stuff is just extra tax dollars being wasted onissues that the states could and should provide.....If our fed govt can't secure our borders with the current defense appropriations, then how can we trust them to manage healthcare, provide schools, etc......let the states do their job