Which issue should the next president tackle first and what action should he take?

Iraq. make a plan to bring our troops back asap and safely. i think once the war ends, some things will become easier to tackle too, such as the economy.

The Iraq war, the petroleum issue, he has to take care about foreing policy, specially with the other countries in the region… he’s got huge job ahead!

In an ideal world, the next president would find some way to unify the country. Ever since the Clinton years, and dramatically exacerbated by the Bush/Chenney/Rove years, there has been such a bitter split between people that you can’t even have a reasonable conversation anymore with someone with a different political viewpoint. Oddly enough, I can’t even talk politics with my identical twin brother. He has become such a staunch Republican that we can’t even have a civil discourse about important issues. Perhaps its because I have lived the last 15 years in an urban environment, while he gravitated to the suburbs. I don’t know how to explain it, but I wish it didn’t feel like I wanted a separate country from the Red States.

I agree with PnL.

After the Iraq fuck up is dealt with health care for every citizen should be at the top of the list. We can afford war but the huge growth in my moms head took jumping through massive hoops to pay for it getting it removed.

edit :: Pnl and Shilolo shouldn’t have had to pay for school. If you want to be a doctor or do research your education should be free. We need more doctors.

@shilolo Good thought. I hate the current environment of polarization. I am not sure how that can be mended, but I would love to at least see it modeled by a president.

The economy.
And not some stupid check from the government, a real plan that would include energy, spending cuts and stimulating all businesses (not just large corporations). Along those same lines, I’d also love to the see the next president recognize that knowledge workers are going to be the next factory workers who help drive our future economy. Increasing technology funding to schools and taking the time to really understand how the internet works (and creates jobs!).
Pipe dream…know.

1. Iraq 2. Illegal immigration 3. economy

@Marina. I think a President who honestly and intelligently laid out our problems, and then suggested realistic fixes would go a long way towards unification. Every American has dealt with personal problems, and (I hope) realizes that there are no quick fixes. I for one would readily accept hard choices (like raising taxes or cutting programs) if I knew that there was an actual long term plan in place, rather than short term plans to invigorate special interests.

For example, a President might say, “I know I have to raise taxes to create a national health plan. You may not like it. But, freeing our companies from the burden of having to provide health benefits will make them much more competitive, allowing more people to have higher paying, productive jobs, rather than shipping out those jobs to foreign countries. In addition, a healthier workforce is a more productive workforce, so this is a win-win situation.” I think people would accept being spoken to in that way.

1. Get us out of Iraq and stop pouring money & lives down the drain
2. Get with the smartest economic advisors and do whatever it takes to get the economy back on the right track and away from the deficit
3. Repair relations with the international community

Lower these god damn gas prices.

1. Iraq
2. Health care
3. Economy

@Beast. I doubt highly that the President can, by himself, lower the gas prices. These have been the prices in Europe for years. We are just catching up. Most likely, these prices are here to stay.

How come prices in Mexico are half of ours? PEMEX is a third world Goverment owned and operated distributor so, don’t answer my question with with that. WHY?

Easy. The Mexican government highly subsidizes the cost of gasoline. The US government could do the same thing, but I imagine conservatives would scream and howl at yet another government handout. Free market, free market… Ironically, even Iran subsidizes its oil prices heavily.

The environment, global warming.
Health care.
The economy.
Iraq.

economy!

Iraq War
Economy -Housing Market, keep lending institutions accountable
R&D Alternative fuels to reduce foreign oil dependency
Stop job outflow overseas, set up a plan more attractive for companies to keep jobs in US
Review US external policy to avoid countries becoming extremists and turning against us
Cut down “red tape” in Health Care Insurance

Iraq, economy, healthcare, affordable education.

Iraq war… so we can divert some of the billions spent per week there into helping to reduce global warming and energy problems. The US has the manufacturing capability to produce alternative energies and fuels, and once we get them working and they’re efficient, it would help boost our economy because we could sell it everywhere.

Gas prices won’t go down, get over it. Drive less or find another solution.

Well I see people talking about the economy, Iraq, and health benefits. So I would have to say that leaving Iraq would Improve the economy and maybe we would have money left over for health benefits. I mean an extra 500 billion dollars not flushed down the toilet would make any country better, but that’s just me. (And just to clarify, I don’t mean that paying all the Marines, Navy, Army, and the Air Force is a waste of money. It’s just that when you don’t know when it’s going to end it gets a little frustrating spending money we don’t have. Credit only lasts so long.)

@caijerseyboi I just wanted to say Thank You for your service to us. I see by looking at your profile that you went to Iraq.

1. Health Care
2. Health Care
3. Iraq War/ Economy

Immigration.