Questions For Voters

Several months ago I wrote a series of questions that I would like to see asked of Presidential candidates. In the subsequent months I have encountered people who support their candidate for no definite reason other than something like he's the most likely of the four remaining candidates to "beat Obama"  - as if that's all that matters.

With that in mind I decided that I would like to ask the supporters of all the candidates a series of questions to ascertain why they support whomever it is they support. Most or all of these have no "right" answer since they are largely concerned with future conduct.

1. Which candidate do you think is most likely to appoint judges who will follow the constitution's original intent?

2. Which candidate do you think will be most vigilant in protecting individual rights?

3. Which candidate do you think is most likely to respect the powers of the states?

4. Which candidate do you think is most likely to veto unconstitutional legislation?

5. Which candidate do you think is most likely to say what he actually thinks?

6. Which candidate do you think is least likely to support inflationary policies?

7. Which candidate do you think is least likely to approve rendition and torture?

8. Rank the four candidates, Gingrich, Paul, Romney and Santorum as most likely to act from pecuniary motives - most likely to least likely.

9. Which candidate do you think is most likely to obtain a declaration of war from congress before going to war?

10.Which candidate is most likely to reduce spending?

11.Which candidate is least likely to support detention without charge or trial?

12.Which candidate is least likely to append signing statements to bills?

13.Rank the four candidates from biggest liar to most truthful.

14.Which candidate is most likely to honor the separation of powers between the branches?

15.Which candidate has the greatest grasp of economics?

16.Which candidate seems to attach the greatest importance to oaths?

17.Which candidate is most likely to put American interests before those of other countries?

18.Which candidate is most likely to observe the civil liberties of both people and companies?

19.Which candidate is most likely to eliminate federal departments?

20.Which candidate is most likely to attempt elimination of income tax?

21.Which candidate is least likely to compel a seceding state to remain in the union?

22.Which candidate is least likely to approve censoring the internet?

23.Is it important for a president to be honest?

24.Which candidate is most likely to eliminate the TSA?

25.Which candidate is most likely to remove trade and travel restrictions?

26.Which candidate is least likely to bail out failed banks and other companies?

27.Which candidate is most likely to support an individual right to keep and bear arms?

28.Which candidate is most likely to eliminate immewing protesters in "free speech zones"?

29.Which candidate is most likely to support "money freedom," i.e., competing currencies?

30.Which candidate - if any have read it - has the best understanding of the Constitution?

31.Who do think would be the most conscientious steward of government funds?

32.Who do you consider to have been most consistent in his positions and votes?

33.Which candidate seems to have changed his position most often?

34.Have you read any books by any of the candidates?

35.If your preferred candidate isn't the nominee, will you vote, stay home, or write in?

36 Is it more important to beat Obama or to prevent the Republican hierarchy from rigging things?

37.Would it be better to suffer four more years of Obama or to vote in a Republican almost as bad for eight years?

38.What is more important, beating Obama or putting decent people in the Congress and Senate?

39.Is it likely that a Republican Congress will oppose bad policy from a Republican president?

40.Do you think the Republicans would overturn Roe v. Wade if they could?

41.Which candidate is least likely to bomb another country on his own initiative?

42.Which candidate seems to have the biggest ego?

43.Which candidate do you think the GOP hierarchy least wants?

44.Do you think it's possible that the Republicans are using pro-lifers as political pawns?

45.Do you think that the commerce clause has anything to do with mandating health insurance?

46.Many people talk of "taking back America" or "throwing the bums out," etc. Who is most likely to accomplish this objective?

47.What is the greater threat, an external enemy or an ever-expanding government?

48.What is a bigger threat, debasing the currency or global warming?

49.What is more important for a president, being bound by the Constitution or having the "correct" views on various disputed questions?

50.Has the country been going in the right direction for the past one hundred years?

Questions For Presidential "Debate" Participants

Below are fifty questions that I would like to see asked of the panel of candidates at the so-called "debates."
There could be many more, but this is a start.

1 (a.)All of you who use an income tax preparer, raise your hand.
(b.) If you (who raised hands) can not prepare your own taxes, how do you propose to run the country?

2. If you can not prepare your own tax returns, is it reasonable to hold the average citizen criminally liable for errors?

3. How do you expect to understand bills sent to you for your signature if you can't fill out a tax return?

4. At what point will the national debt be "too high"?

5. What is the case law giving the federal government power to prohibit the possession of drugs?

6. Assuming all of you are against waste, fraud and abuse; what specific programs and agencies do you propose to eliminate?

7. Should any federal departments or programs ever be eliminated, if so, which ones?

8. How many military bases does the U.S. maintain in foreign countries?

9. How many do you propose to close?

10. How much does it cost to keep the above-mentioned bases in operation?

11. If a state chooses to nullify a federal law, what action would you take?

12. If a state were to secede from the union. what action would you take?

13. Do you support repeal of laws compelling acceptance of government-issued money [legal tender laws]?

14. Has the US ever fought an enemy who was honorable? Which ones?

15. Were the attacks on the Marine barracks in Beirut, or the USS Cole, terrorist attacks or attacks on a legitimate military target?

16. What is the maximum amount - not percentage - that anyone should have to pay in taxes?

17. Do you support abolition of the income tax?

18. Why is discrimination prohibited, but is the basis for a progressive tax?

19. Is simulated drowning, or, "waterboarding" torture? If not, define the word torture.

20. Do you support transferring federal lands to the states in which they are located?

21. Hawaii has a large secessionist movement. Do you support Hawaii's right to self-determination?

22. Do you support and would you continue the War On Drugs?

23.(a.) Can you explain the difference between a war, conflict, police action, and kinetic military action?
(b.) Are there other types of military actions other than these?

24. Do you support government control of schooling?

25. In your opinion, who was the worst president, and why?

26. In your opinion, who was the best president, and why?

27. In your opinion, what was the worst decision by the Supreme Court?

28. Do you support government control of the internet?

29. Do you support turning airline security over to the airlines?

30. How can anyone be said to be free when the government has a prior claim on all he earns?

31. Is it possible to maintain  good government when politicians lie regularly?

32. Will you pledge to resign from office if it can be shown that you lied to the people?

33. If you are elected, will you pledge to release all secret information regarding government crimes or unexecuted planned crimes against citizens, such as MK ULTRA, Tuskegee Experiments, Operation Northwoods, Guatemalan Syphilis Experiments, CDC Measles Experiment, etc.?

34. When a person's moral beliefs are in conflict with a legislative edict, what should he do?

35. Do you favor compelling citizens to violate their conscience?

36. How does compelling someone to violate his conscience differ when we do it, from when the Communists, Nazis or Fascists did it?

37. If the federal debt ceiling can be raised, what is it for?

38. Does the Constitution give the President exclusive power over foreign policy? (No)

39. Do you consider people such as Daniel Ellsberg, Bradley Manning and Mark Felt, heroes or traitors?

40. If elected, would you pledge to return to the practice of reporting to congress the state of the union by letter instead of speech?

41. On your second day in office, what agencies and programs do you intend to propose for elimination?

42. What would you do if China, Iran, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, Libya or other countries turned isolationist?

43. Should the US work to reduce its stockpile of weapons of mass destruction? If not, what countries should possess such weapons?

44. Is it immoral to take money by intimidation from one person and give it to another? What if a law says it's OK?

45. Explain the difference between law and legislation.

46. Should people be free to ingest substances without the approval of government? If not, why is government approval needed and how does it change the act?

47. How small does a business have to be before it can't expect a government bailout in bad economic times?

48. Would you support the abolition of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and leave the Indians alone?

49. Would you seek the endorsement of the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service and perhaps have ads featuring this person or campaigning with him?

50, Given the choice of two evils, should a person abstain from voting or vote for the lesser evil?