Which issues are most important?

[DrJimiJon]

In the final run-up to the primaries, which issues should we focus on? How could we refine and refocus our message so that it has the strongest impact? Economy, war, immigration, national security, free-trade, jobs, healthcare, education, taxes...

[cswake]

Other - to me a lot of those are intertwined.

[Kregener]

Other.

ALL of those combined into one, big, Fascist ball...

[forsmant]

The collapse of the economy could lead to a world war.

[DrJimiJon]

I guess what i am asking is which one of these issues will have the most impact in terms of getting voters turned out to the primaries.

[Kregener]

Oh...

Then I say war.

[forsmant]

The economy will get people out to vote. The sub prime mess will spill into prime and USA will have to address the debt consumption cycle. A new wave of sub prime foreclosures will begin in March. Automobile loans and credit cards will default. Lenders will tighten their standards, including foreign countries who lend to the biggest sub prime borrower, the Federal Government.

[Abobo]

Everything relates back to the economy and taxes. To fix the economy we need to end the war, fix social security, stop the welfare state, fix education, fix health care, and stop giving things to illegals.

( By fix I mean let the free market do its thing and get the government out of the way )

[LibertiORDeth]

Oh...

Then I say war.

yep.

[ggibson1]

Other (Corruption)

Clean up our own house and alot of the other problems disappear.

[forsmant]

Everything relates back to the economy and taxes. To fix the economy we need to end the war, fix social security, stop the welfare state, fix education, fix health care, and stop giving things to illegals.

( By fix I mean let the free market do its thing and get the government out of the way )

We are already on the downward slope of the business cycle. There will be no fixing the depression. The fed is attempting to ease the effects of the recession, or avoid it altogether. Their efforts are pointless (or nonexistent depending on how much you believe in the conspiracy). No one likes a recession and it could be used to further expand government or cause a war. If Dr. Paul wins before the recession is a major news story, he could be blamed, and capitalism could end forever. :(

[Shink]

ECONOMY. Remind fuckers out there that OIL is over $100 dollars a barrel, yet a gallon of MILK is more expensive than a gallon of GAS! THAT'S A WAKEUP CALL! I wish Ron would start saying that.

[Alex Stern]

deleted

[Abobo]

We are already on the downward slope of the business cycle. There will be no fixing the depression. The fed is attempting to ease the effects of the recession, or avoid it altogether. Their efforts are pointless (or nonexistent depending on how much you believe in the conspiracy). No one likes a recession and it could be used to further expand government or cause a war. If Dr. Paul wins before the recession is a major news story, he could be blamed, and capitalism could end forever. :(

Business cycles are a creation of the Fed and their manipulation of the money supply. Yes things will probably get pretty bad, but the influx of hundreds of billions of dollars in saved revenue from overseas should help things. The ability of millions of people like myself to be able to get out of Social Security will free up more money and allow it to be invested back into the economy. The removal of the income tax will put billions back into the economy.

So, yeah, I agree that the fake sense of security we have now will begin to crack but all the improvements by RP will, at least partially, counteract it.

[forsmant]

Business cycles are a creation of the Fed and their manipulation of the money supply. Yes things will probably get pretty bad, but the influx of hundreds of billions of dollars in saved revenue from overseas should help things. The ability of millions of people like myself to be able to get out of Social Security will free up more money and allow it to be invested back into the economy. The removal of the income tax will put billions back into the economy.

So, yeah, I agree that the fake sense of security we have now will begin to crack but all the improvements by RP will, at least partially, counteract it.

Business cycles are not created by the FED. We have had many depressions without having a central bank. The Central banks have a lot of control over interest rates, so their actions can cause bubbles, but so does over speculation. Hand in hand these two can produce nightmarish busts.

America did not have a central bank from 1837-1913. We still had a business cycle. The treasury did have some affect, but it was not like a central bank.

[Abobo]

Business cycles are not created by the FED. We have had many depressions without having a central bank. The Central banks have a lot of control over interest rates, so their actions can cause bubbles, but so does over speculation. Hand in hand these two can produce nightmarish busts.

America did not have a central bank from 1837-1913. We still had a business cycle. The treasury did have some affect, but it was not like a central bank.

I'm not going to argue about something when Mises has already done that for me: http://mises.org/

[Bittle]

I voted "National Security", because to me that includes ending the War on Terror, securing the borders, etc.

[MGreen]

Student VISAs.

<_<
>_>

[niall]

I voted for "economy," but what I am referring to is our central banking system (would like to see that as a choice).

Thoreau said, "There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root." In my opinion, the Federal Reserve system is the root of all political ills. It provides a blank checkbook for government spending -- an unlimited and little understood means of taxation.

The other issues are all symptoms, let's focus on the cause.

[voytechs]

You forgot the most important one. Corruption which is the cause for all of the above.

[parke]

The whole damn list. Nobody else is addressing anything with a plan!!! Unless of course it costs us a ton of money. Then they have big plans.

Nobody else is addressing the war realistically.

NOBODY ELSE IS TALKING ABOUT OUR RIGHTS!

[mconder]

I voted economy, but had the Federal Reserve been an option I would have selected it specifically.

[pahs1994]

I say Taxes and Economy because they tie into everything else on this poll.. By fixing the economy Dr. Paul will end the war and cut spending in most of those categorys. and we will have more civil liberty and national security because of it

[Cinnaboo]

People are stupid. Don't lead with something as nuanced as economics.

The Iraq war is Ron Paul's most crucial, unique stance. More importantly, and unlike economic theory, it draws people into discussion. You're armed to the teeth with facts, and the counter-argument (the inevitable bloodbath) inherited its credibility from those retired Bush slogans and a yellow fish that's peeling at the edges. If we're still afraid of losing votes over Iraq (in any demographic), this race is already over.

[coboman]

Other. A big government that does not abide its constitutional limits.

[Cyclone]

Ending statism.

[DrJimiJon]

So it would seem that the general consensus would be;

* Economy

*WAR!

*Civil Liberties

*and General Corruption

Of course a lot of this ties together, ending the war cuts spending, spending cuts taxes helping the economy, and a wealthier middle class is better able to defend their rights!

[DrJimiJon]

bump

[DrJimiJon]

Can we suggest this to the campaign? Get them to make a new ad on these issues with our inputs?

[DrJimiJon]

bump

[loupeznik]

it's hard to choose just one.

[aspiringconstitutionalist]

Economy -- The Federal Reserve is the root of all pork spending, overtaxation, unnecessary war, and the loss of civil liberties that comes with unnecessary war.

[Delain]

Civil Liberties

Everything else flows from those.