What is the 1 most important issue to you?

[texasmomof3]

Take away the Democrats and Republican labels and Obama and Romney. What is the biggest issue that makes you vote a certain way this election? Not, I don't like a repub. or I hate Romeny. What is the single most important issue and has that issued changed from 2008? If this vote only came down to one issue for you what would it be? Also, why is that issue your hot button? I'm just wondering if over the course of 4 years most voters might be at a different place in their life or have dealt with something in your world that makes some issues move to the forefront of your list.

If I had to narrow down my biggest issue in the 2008 election was the war. I still feel strongly about our involvement. This time around it really is a tossup between healthcare and the economy. Probably healthcare would win out just due to some personal health issues and having to deal with insurance and the limitations there. By the time the next election rolls around I will have a student heading to college so student loans and opportunities might be more important to me. I just think its interesting how much life can change in 4 years and what becomes either more or less important due to your experiences during that time.

[postulater]

1. Climate change. Absolutely.

[abumbyanyothername]

16. +1 sort of.

climate change/peak oil/impossibility of economic growth.

[limpyhobbler]

26. +1

[beaglelover]

2. Supreme Court (nt)

[JudyM]

22. +1

[lolamio]

3. The Supreme Court...

It's lifetime appointments so whomever is elected has the power to leave their legacy well into the future. Too much is at stake.

[SCliberal091294]

4. Climate Change

Second is fairness in tax and oppurtunity.

[liberalmuse]

5. Supreme Court right now.

Because without a good, liberal USSC, women and gays are screwed.

[ruffburr]

6. #1-

The Social Safety Net

[Journeyman]

7. Supreme Court. Nominations made in the next 4 years will radically effect my granddaughter's life...

[pnwmom]

8. Healthcare. n/t

[Hawaii Hiker]

9. The Supreme Court (as well as other judicial nominations)

ie; District Court & Court of Appeals nominations are lifetime appointments as well...

[Phx_Dem]

31. +1. And trust. Who i trust to make the hard and correct choices.

[uppityperson]

10. SCOTUS

[BlueDemKev]

11. HEALTH CARE REFORM...

...followed by the Supreme Court, Social Security, and Medicare.

[TheCowsCameHome]

12. The mere thought of republicans holding the WH, senate, and congress

fills me with terror.

Even one is too much.

[Mz Pip]

13. Supreme Court

Whoever picks the next couple of justices could affect decades of laws.

[BlueStreak]

18. Problem is, the right-wingers aren't likely to leave in the next 4 years

There is very little upside and a huge downside.

If we say that in the next 4 years there will be 2 vacancies, the most likely one is Ginsburg. No matter whether it is Obama or Romney, her replacement would be a lot more conservative.

From there, if you go by age, that means either Kennedy or Scalia. Getting rid of Scalia would be huge if Obama named the successor. Kennedy, a little less so. But both of those guys would be highly motivated to try to hang on 4 years, and it wouldn't be surprising if they lived another 10 years or more.

So if there are two, one might be a less conservative one that wants to retire and give Obama a chance to name the replacement. That would seem to be Breyer. Once again, Obama would probably name a Justice that is more conservative than Breyer.

[catbyte]

14. Supreme Court

If Romney wins, the SC will be fucked for the rest of my lifetime and beyond.

[BlueStreak]

15. No-brainer. Concentration of wealth and power in the 0.1%. Everything else flows from that.

[taught_me_patience]

17. Ginsburg n/t

[demwing]

19. Scotus

everything rides on the rule of law, it is fundamental to our liberty

[WI_DEM]

20. I have a disabled sister who has Medical Assistance and the cuts in the Ryan Budget would be...

devastating.

[MrSlayer]

21. Jobs.

I need to get back to work. This long term unemoyment sucks ridiculously bad. I believe the President has the better plan but I worry that the asshole congress will continue to thwart every effort.

[kydo]

23. Going Forward

No really thats the issue I feel is most important, to go forward. But on all fronts. Go Forward on the economy. Go forward on health care. Go forward on reusable energy. Pick your issue and go forward not backward. Progress is moving forward and this country has lots of issues. So lets move forward.

[Floyd_Gondolli]

24. Basic fairness

That's why i am a progressive. Not a single issue voter. But if there's one thing that puts a bee in my bonet it's that Republicans would gleefully support insurance companies denying coverage for folks with pre existing conditions and caps on benefits. Even their plebes support this. They think it will never happen to them.

[johnfunk]

25. Resecularization of the government and return to rational, empirical thinking

Time for a Second enlightenment; the survival of the species depends on it.

[shayes51]

27. SCOTUS, Social Security/Medicare/Medicaid, Science

Hard to pick one.

[LP2K12]

28. The support of Veterans & military families...

The next president will face U.S. troops returning from Afghanistan and a continuing budget crisis with veterans benefits under scrutiny.

The quality of health care for vets will suffer should the government privatize benefits under Republican Mitt Romney.

We simply cannot afford cuts to the VA.

Obama has done so much for me as a veteran and he's only going to do more. That's how he KEPT my vote.

[Akoto]

29. Social Security/Medicare/Medicaid/Disability/SSI/EBT

Ever since I was disabled by illness, I've seen from the inside how important these "social safety net" programs are to the very survival of so many people (myself included).

These people are not freeloaders or takers, nor are they usually in a voluntary situation when they seek that assistance. Nevertheless, the Republicans openly talk of slashing and burning the above mentioned programs, either because they're "communist/socialist" or to finance their grand new future (for the rich).

[Grammy23]

30. I'd like to have an election process that I could trust is fair and accurate.

Just for starters....

[NCarolinawoman]

32. Environmental issues. Always #1 for me.

I was polled by quinnipac about a month ago. After asking me about who I was voting for, I was asked what issue was most important to me. The environment was not even included in the choices.

[Tribetime]

33. health care

[forestpath]

34. A woman's right to choose.

[Iceberg Louie]

35. Supreme Court

All other social justice issues (healthcare, equality, women's rights, etc.) fall in line behind who the next SCOTUS appointees are. And the Money Boo Boo has made it (somewhat) clear where that goes if he gets the reins.

[TexasBushwhacker]

38. Far reaching and long lasting effects +1

[NCLefty]

36. Campaign Finance

SCOTUS may be more important, but enough people said that so I figured I'd be different :p

[davidpdx]

37. One issues is very hard

Now I don't live in the US and reside abroad, but am still stay very much involved. I only get information to a certain point. I'm not walking through town everyday seeing how the economy is doing or prices of food or gas so it's difficult to assess things. I visit once every two years and can only gauge from that brief amount of time I'm inside the US.

I would say the economy and SCOTUS. Everyone agrees we have a ways go to in order to bring back the economy given how bad things were. SCOTUS is also important because each appointment has a long lasting effect on the outcome of cases. Obama's second term could help tip SCOTUS back in our favor if the right circumstances occur. He as already appointed 2 justices and I think it would be great if he was able to appoint 2 more. It would be part of his legacy to transform the court (among many other things of course).

[TeamPooka]

39. Ending drug prohibition affects so many other vital issues...

like prisons for profit - c'mon really?
the destruction of families - prison sentences for drugs ruin lives
our budget, debt and deficit - less money out, more money in
foreign relations - we bully a lot of nations over this issue preventing their growth and development
The energy crisis - hemp oil can save the world.
It's medicinal benefits are documented too.

Legalizing drugs like cannabis turns a money pool controlled by cartels into jobs, taxes and a revenue stream that benefit all citizens.

[Calypso0956]

40. Very difficult indeed!

SCOTUS,

Pre-School,

SS/SSI/EBT,

Medicaid/Medicare,

Women's right to choose,

The environment,

Jobs,

Housing assistance- even tho not mentioned- will be considered a handout, a freebie.

Actually, insert any issue which doesn't improve the life quality of our citizens that they want to terminate.

[BainsBane]

41. Public financing of elections

A constitutional amendment requiring public financing of elections and banning corporate money to candidates, parties, super pacs, and everything else. Every other change stems form this. Unless we rid our political system of the influence of big money, we can't have a true democracy and substantial reforms that benefit the population at large.

[Rstrstx]

42. Definitely healthcare

That was the chance of a lifetime, it can't go down now after so much political blood was shed to get it. 2014 can't come soon enough

[Brewinblue]

43. Fair distribution of monetary wealth and natural resources.

Without those, there is really no hope of a true and effective democracy.

[Sognefjord]

44. Global Warming

This has to be addressed first or we lose essentially everything and everyone.

[Quantess]

45. The plight of the middle class and the poorer folk

Middle class on down the ladder.
Economic inequality has worsened in the past 30 years, and Romney is going to increase the gulf between rich and poor to exponential levels.

I have several other good reasons, but that's #1

[politicaljunkie41910]

46. Supreme Court

[Paladin]

47. Supreme Court. (nt)

[moobu2]

48. #1 Supreme Court