What is the most important single issue for you during the Mid-Term elections?

[violaine]

http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/factoryfarms/

[Sachita]

Originally Posted by apocalipstic

Every post I read on this thread I keep thiking of more and more issues I am all riled up about!

Sachita, the genetic engineering of food totally creeps me out!

Civil Rights, the environment, health care....on and on and on!

Great thread AtLast! Nightmarish, but relevant!

food has always been an issue with me. I'll be a grandmother in Dec and I'm already neurotic as all hell. I keep thinking how I can grow food year around and make baby food but the baby mama is just not receptive to exploring this.

I have seed banks of non-hybrid seeds
http://www.non-hybrid-seeds.com/sp/s...eed-vault.html

My family thinks I'm nuts but it could very well come to that. Right now i grow things I know i can collect seeds and replant next year. Just keeping it going.

[Apocalipstic]

I really admire that you are growing non hybrid produce. I am so bad with plants, I wish I had that I had the talent to grow things.

I think with huge agribusiness learning to care for ourselves or buying local is the right thing to do. I need to make some changes.

[iamkeri1]

Across the board civil rights for me for all queer folk, and not excluding people of trans persuasion.

Keeping those crazy people out of Congress, so they don't reverse the progress that has been made in the last year.

Third and this was the basis of the whole first (Bill) Clinton campaign It's the economy, stupid

Well heres another third, maybe even 2.5 Development of Alternative Energy sources. I'm quoting myself here, and it's a great quote. On September 20th 2001 when George W Bush made his speech to Congress declaring war on terrorism. He should have made the following speech instead.

In response to the recent acts of terrorism destroying the Twin Towers in New York, and the lives of thousands, we propose the following response. The government of the United State will use all money seized from terrorists and supporters of terrorists to fund a national program to develop new and renewable alternative energy sources. New fuels to fly planes and drive cars New fuels to power trains and boats. New fuels to heat homes, and cool homes, and factories and shopping centers and all other places of business.

Rather than seek revenge through warfare, the government of the United States has decided to fuel the American dream; to further our national goals by assisting the people of the United State of American in their pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I promise the American people that no later that November 1, 2001, I will be presenting suggestions for legislation to the congress that will provide 100 billion dollars of funding for the development of these alternative forms of energy.

The terrorists sought to destroy our economy. We seek to rebuild it. I challenge the people of the United States of America in the same spirit as did President Kennedy when he challenged the people of the United State to "Get a man to the moon within ten years."

At this time of great sorrrow in our nation, I challenge the people of the United States of American to use their sorrow and anger to motivate themselves to excel as they have excelled so many times in the past. We must begin immediately to develop and put in place new types of energy, new types of transportation, new forms of packaging, new products to replace all products having a petroleum base. All "green" products, all born from renewable sources, and to do this BY THE END OF THE DECADE. Not to reduce, but to ELIMNATE our dependence on Foreign Energy BY THE END OF THE DECADE.

We promise to put the genius, the inventiveness, the determination and the freedom of the American people to work to achieve these goals. Develpment of these alternative renewable energy sources will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, right here in the United States, for the people of the United States. Additionall, I promise you that NONE of these jobs will be outsourced by their parent companies to other countries in order to reduce their labor costs.

I promise the people of the United States that In the year 2010, the message being delivered by the then President to Congress will include the following paragraph...

"The people of the United States wish to offer to the people of the former oil producing nations of the world the assistance they need to develop new approaches to agriculture and food production.This will ensure that their people will be fed, now that the income formerly provided by the sale of petroleum products has been eliminated."

My fellow Americans, I offer you comfort and assurance in this your time of need. To do so I use a phrase that many others before me have used. It is a very simple phrase yet deep with meaning. My fellow Americans, I assure you as I assure the world, that in the end the people of the United States of America will triumph by acting according to our own ideals not by duplicating the heinous acts of terrorists. "living well is the best revenge."

[Kobi]

What office is Keri running for? That speech hooked me.

[T D]

There are so many I don't even know where to begin, besides I could never list them all.

I simply cannot come up with just ONE, I just don't have it in me.

* Equality for all - everyone being treated equally and granted their civil and legal rights equally.
* Renewable resources - such as electricity, use of wind turbines, etc.
* Stop offshore drilling - stop drilling for oil offshore and put that money into developing other means of power and AFFORDABLE alternate powered vehicles.
* The Environment - I don't think this requires an explanation.
* The Economy - Again, I don't think an explanation is required.
* Healthcare - Anyone who requires health care should have access to it and in a timely manner. This is an unbelievable situation. People suffering and dying because they can't afford health care!
* Stop saving and feeding the rest of the world and START taking care of our own! People are starving and dying in this country.
* Protect the animals - Stop the unbelievable cruelty to animals, especially those that are used solely as food. It's disgusting how these animals are treated and killed, and the unsanitary conditions in which this is done. Because we eat meat doesn't mean we have to be insensitive, cruel, disgusting examples of humans during the process.

The list could go on and on and on. Like I said, I can't choose just one

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by apocalipstic

Every post I read on this thread I keep thiking of more and more issues I am all riled up about!

Sachita, the genetic engineering of food totally creeps me out!

Civil Rights, the environment, health care....on and on and on!

Great thread AtLast! Nightmarish, but relevant!

This great!!! really, look at all of the things we are wanting to just get done!! I get the nightmare part, as sometimes I get so frustrated with politicians!

[squeak]

As a former homeless girl and someone who just recently has the privelege of insurance (that she can afford) - HEALTHCARE. It's a fundamental need, like water, and shouldn't be structured based on "economic worth."

Also, sustainable agriculture and access to nutrititive food. I may be biased as a vegan, but much more potable water and grain goes to producing a fraction of food for the wealthy that is second-hand. That grain and water could go directly to four times (or greater) the people it goes to now.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell - you may (tenuously) have a choice as to whether or not you want to enroll in the military (would you like to go to college, poor kid?), but your life has the same value as another. Your family suffers the same as any other family and should at least be given the same solidarity, support and respect. Since when has lying and secrecy been promoted as a patriotic and American value? Oh..wait...

xosqueak. No taxation without representation?

[Sachita]

There was a point when i just stop caring about what the government is doing nor do I buy into the whole illusion of an american dream. I use to spend countless hours fighting causes, watching money being wasted on organization with selfish people lining their pockets instead of addressing the agenda.
I stopped watching the news and reading the paper. I watch the weather because thats the only thing I'm really concerned about. If we get attacked by terrorist I won't know about it until after its happened. I have a wind up radio I'll listen to if that happens.

I don't put money in savings, I dont buy stocks any more and I damn sure won't do 401K or any of the other retirement choices. Screw that.

What I did was pay off a large portion of my land. Buy seeds, water filters and things to sustain that doesnt rely on electric. I invested my time and money learning how to live in harmony and survive on the earth. I don't want to be dependent on corporations and government to protect me. I am committed to my causes but work actively in my surroundings. Things I can see, touch and watch. Animals, teaching, environment and people. More grassroots then anything else.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Sachita

There was a point when i just stop caring about what the government is doing nor do I buy into the whole illusion of an american dream. I use to spend countless hours fighting causes, watching money being wasted on organization with selfish people lining their pockets instead of addressing the agenda.
I stopped watching the news and reading the paper. I watch the weather because thats the only thing I'm really concerned about. If we get attacked by terrorist I won't know about it until after its happened. I have a wind up radio I'll listen to if that happens.

I don't put money in savings, I dont buy stocks any more and I damn sure won't do 401K or any of the other retirement choices. Screw that.

What I did was pay off a large portion of my land. Buy seeds, water filters and things to sustain that doesnt rely on electric. I invested my time and money learning how to live in harmony and survive on the earth. I don't want to be dependent on corporations and government to protect me. I am committed to my causes but work actively in my surroundings. Things I can see, touch and watch. Animals, teaching, environment and people. More grassroots then anything else.

You walk the walk, and left the talk behind in the way that suits you best!

[Sachita]

Originally Posted by AtLastHome

You walk the walk, and left the talk behind in the way that suits you best!

Damn right I did!

[AtLast]

I am really having a tough time with the billionare candidates running! Our race for govenor here in CA is just nuts! The GOP candidate (Meg Whitman of EBay fame) has spent more $ trying to be elected out of her own wallet than most of us make in 4 decades!! Maybe more! However, she is in the soup now due to an undocumented house keeper that was in her emply. GOOD! Whitman has never held a public office, nor has she voted most of her adult life.

[Venus007]

I am saddened to say that the single most important issues for me at mid-term elections is to find someone who will uphold the constitution and not attempt to hijack it in order to turn the US into a theocracy.

If I could just find someone to vote for who would respect the bill of rights, I would be ecstatic.

[chefhottie25]

Originally Posted by Nat

My main concern is that extremist bigoted crazy people will have more power.

There are so many issues right now that really scare me but I think the very scariest is the threat to social security - but threats to health care, abortion, separation of church and state, education issues, immigration, the increasing lean towards privatized for-profit prisons, and the fear of losing all the hopes for equal rights for gays - all that too is extremely scary to me.

I'm not the greenest person but I'm also concerned with the earth and what we are doing to it. I dont know that either party is committed to environmental justice. The economy bites too and I think it could bite worse.

i share your concern about the extremist people who might actually get elected. the tea party scares me...eventhough i think we need more than a 2 party election. i am also concerned about the voters who are ready to give up on obama. i didn't initially support him...i was in the hillary clinton camp. i still believe he can make changes and get the country through the current rough time. change takes time and he inherited a major mess. the task he faces is almost insurmountable. things will get better if voters don't throw out the current officials who are making small strides of change.

[AtLast]

The GOP and the Tea Bag Movement NOT making the predicted gains!