What do you consider to be the most serious issues facing the nation?

[Nuclear Unicorn]

Without making references to candidates or their positions what do you feel are the top issues facing the US?

Education
Gender equality
Minority rights
LGBT right
Income inequality
Crime
Terrorism
Domestic militarism
Climate disruption
Fiscal policy
Job creation
Other?

Edited to add -- please feel free to list more than one

[LiberalEsto]

1. Limitimg the power of corporations

and climate change.

[Scuba]

2. Other.

The lack of a party representing anything even a tiny bit left of center.

Right-wing politics is responsible for almost all the other problems.

[Agnosticsherbet]

3. 1 Civil Rights (minority/gender/LGBT) 2 Climate 3 Education 4 Infrastructure (highway's, bridges,

power grid)

[Jackie Wilson Said]

28. at 24 mins after the hour you are the ONLY one to say this...tells us about

who is on DU and their priorities.

I dont think anyone else even mentioned minority rights, let alone in an order other than the OP.


Wow.

[Agnosticsherbet]

37. We have made advances, but events the last years shows we are no where near a point

where minorities, women, LGBT folk are accepted openly anywhere. Civil rights should always be our top priority.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

38. There wont be an economy or a society to reside in if the fascists get their way

[Agnosticsherbet]

39. That is why I have a anti-facist policy when it comes to voting.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

43. Good, then there is no way you wont vote for the Dem in Nov.

Listening to my liberal talk radio right now and my guy is arguing with a Bernie or Bust person and it is so aggravating.

[metroins]

4. Economy

Always economy..

It determines almost everything else.

[onehandle]

5. Trump. nt

[Initech]

6. #1 - income inequality

Everything else on that list can be traced back to #1.

[scscholar]

7. Lack of spending in general

We're not spending enough to help the people live in general. It's no one issue.

[NickB79]

8. Climate change trumps all. No debate is possible on this.

Given how fast we're now progressing towards a civilization-crushing future, all other issues fall behind it.

And given how little attention it's gotten this election cycle makes me pessimistic we stand a snowball's chance in hell of getting through this in one piece.

[broiles]

11. Climate change, no question.

[snooper2]

14. climate change doesn't matter if people are too stupid to understand- IE Education

[NickB79]

18. Yet even educated nations that accept climate change is science do far too little to make changes

There isn't a single nation on this planet, even ones where the populace is highly educated and accepts the scientific validity of climate change, that is actually doing enough to put the brakes on the mass extinction event we've set into motion. Even the Paris Accords, the most adventurous attempt we've made so far to address climate change, doesn't even come close to keeping out planet out of the danger zone.

My fear is that even when people accept that climate change is real, when asked to make the sacrifices needed to stop it, they will say "No, it compromises my standard of living too much, fuck the future generations."

[Vincardog]

32. stupid or smart everyone will be just as dead

[skip fox]

9. Climate distruption by far.

Even though is imperatives are not as immediately shrill.

[NobodyHere]

10. Mmmmm

Jobs (and by extension wages)
National Debt
Privacy Rights
Access to medical care
Pollution

[CrispyQ]

12. Climate change is the number one global issue.

Of course, you couldn't tell by the amount of action to combat it.

We're so fucked.

[snooper2]

13. Education and the final last full push by fundies before they are completely marginalized

[lagomorph777]

15. Election corruption

Not a single one of the other problems can be solved if we don't have a functioning democracy.

[Euphoria]

27. +1

[KG]

16. 2-party political system.

[alittlelark]

17. I didn't see anything involving our crazy gun laws....

I would consider looking at that to be a precursor to change.... a Gun-crazed society is in no way ready for a REAL discussion of 'Problems Facing Our Nation' without looking in the mirror.

[Rebkeh]

19. They are all interconnected, I don't make much of a distinction between them

Unlike most people, I'm not as focused on policy as much as I am on cultural change.

If I had to choose one, I'd choose climate disruption or racism because the interconnections are more obvious with these and getting to the crux of the problem covers all angles. Or most of them anyway.

For example, you cannot effectively address income inequality without addressing racism. One hand washes the other.

You cannot effectively address climate disruption without addressing fiscal policy.

You cannot address crime without addressing job creation/unemployment.

Gender/minority/LGBT rights and education.

Good luck addressing racism without addressing education ... and round we go.


* note - I left out domestic militarism and terrorism because it's redundant and solutions involve addressing all of the above, and then some. It's more complex and beyond the scope of policy focused solutions.

[mike_c]

20. right now, income inequality and climate disruption/environmentalism to my list....

We need to restore economic justice and insure an inhabitable future first, IMO. Then we can work on the rest of the list.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

21. Driverless cars.

[jberryhill]

30. Beat me to it

[Throd]

22. Debt. National and personal.

[Vincardog]

36. What about the Corporate debt? You know derivatives that took down the economy in 2008 - 9. The kind

that is going to take down national banks next time around,

[HuckleB]

23. Climate change (related to science denialism, which leads to the rest) ...

[Bonhomme Richard]

24. The Economy/Income Inequality...every other problem has at its roots....

an economic cause.
All the other problems are just symptoms.

[GOPblows431]

25. Healthcare is our #1 priority IMO

it's a disgrace that we are the only developed country without universal healthcare. A real shame.

[haikugal]

26. Climate and Corruption.

[Kip Humphrey]

29. 1st before all else? election fraud. 2nd, corruption. 3rd, globalism. 4th, climate change.

[Thirties Child]

31. Environment

If we lose the earth, we've lost everything. Nothing else matters.

[KamaAina]

33. Bob Schieffer?

[JoePhilly]

34. Republicans.

[Populist_Prole]

35. Income inequality n/t

[Katashi_itto]

40. Climate Change. Everything else is pointless as Mankind faces extinction.

[AngryAmish]

41. Public and private debt.

Ease of family formation

[auntpurl]

42. In approximate order: Gun violence

Minority, women's, and LGBT rights
Climate change
Job creation
Improving the ACA
Campaign finance reform
Building strong alliances with foreign powers