Now that the Presidential election and other elections for legislative offices, both federal and local, are suddenly upon us, it is time to look at the forgotten campaign issues.
1. Crime. In past elections crime was at the top of the list and now the issue has slipped towards the bottom as an important problem in our society. It is a legitimate issue wide open for discussion and solutions. Yet, there has been very little or no discussion by the presidential candidates, and the local candidates. Do these people believe or want us to believe that crime does not exist ? Some carefully prepared statistics may conclude that crime is decreasing. Every day on our local television stations there are numerous reports of criminal acts at or near our vicinity. Arrests are made and the jails are overcrowded leaving convicted criminals at large. There certainly are solutions but politicians do not present any. The press has done nothing to pursue crime as a legitimate issue and almost never ask candidates for their viewpoints. We deserve more.
2. Immigration. The issue of immigration was a political football during the presidential primaries and has now been on a leave of absence since the primaries ended. Maybe all candidates have adopted a "do nothing" attitude, and if so, we need to hear from them loud and clear. When the election is over will there be a non-partisan approach to viable solutions.? I think not. There are laws that are not enforced and laws that are not enforceable. We are a nation of laws and our elected officials have a duty to create laws that all men/women that are created equal can live with.
3. Military Service. We keep hearing that the USA has the best military in the world. But, how long will the voluntary military last? And of course, can we afford it? Because there is no choice but to have the best military in the world we need to carefully determine where these people will come from. Volunteers are volunteers and can we depend on them in the future? There have been some hints at some type of national or government service but no specific plan has been brought forward. Every other country knows that we abandoned the draft and that military service in the USA is on a volunteer basis. We need to show the world more to have respect.
4. Social Security and Health Care. There have been so many plans and programs that the good and deserving citizens are by this time totally confused. Unless there is a good faith non-partisan effort made and solutions developed that are in the best interests of the citizens these critical systems will make the "Wall Street" debacle look like a picnic in the park. Time is of the essence to fix these systems.
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