Voices Question

Aside for putting the budget deficit on the backs of the middle class and poor to pay for and besides supplying additional tax breaks to the wealthy, what other policies might be established to get our country's finances in line with its gross domestic product and also expand employment opportunities to people who want to work.

After cutting all the taxes you propose where will you get the money to pay off the national debt?

I have noticed over the years the number of wealthy Americans has grown as fast as the number of poor middle class Americans. The middle class debt is growing and the work place benefits are shrinking. Putting pensions into the stock markets has made substantial losses in the middle class investments and now retirement for most has been moved several more years beyond what they had originally planned. Getting older workers to retire at 55, 62 or 64 is smart planning for a productive country. If people wish to work until they are 70 years old that is great but for those who want to retire it’s a shame. Early retirement is key for all.

We have a growing and permanent underclass in our country. It is trapped by underfunded schools, crime, disease, un(der)employment and hunger.Do you see this underclass as part of America or only as a tool to play politics? I ask how will you show your humanity to make a difference?

You state over and over again that you believe in "small government". How can you justify supporting efforts to government intrusion into the personal and private health care decisions of women all over this country?

Knowing that many Middle Eastern countries allow religion to mix with their politics and education, which DOES cause constant dissonance and physical battling in their countries, why would we EVER want to be like them and allow religion in our US politics and schools?

How would you make the Republican Party represent all people: rich and poor, educated and uneducated, black and white, native born and immigrant, Christian and non-Christian, union and non-union?

Why do you think cutting taxes will stimulate the economy given the failure of this policy when enacted under both Reagan and Bush/ What evidence do you have that this will work and, if it doesn't, what are you specifically proposing to cut to balance the budget?

Is your party really willing to cast out millions of women who can only get cancer screenings, and other preventative tests by cutting funding or abolishing Planned Parenthood? Planned Parenthood is about more than abortion and the republican candidate should know that or do his homework better.

Given clear evidence that tax cuts for the rich and cutting safety net programs slow the economy and result in increased deficits why do you favor these strategies?

When 2014 comes and, contrary to what former President Bush predicted, there are some children still not reading on grade level, what changes or amendments to No Child Left Behind would you support? Since it's not workig or equitable would you even keep it? How would you make the testing process less biased against special education students? (many of whom have lower scores because they are tested grades above their cognitive levels and abilities.)

Why do you support the government in staying out of regulation of Wall Street and other domains yet insist the government control women's bodies?

If elected, would you continue and worsen the failed educational policies of the Bush administration like, the AFT supported, President Obama has?

Bill Clinton handed the Republicans, under George W. Bush, a balanced budget and a well respected country in the international community. Bush and the Republicans destroyed all of that in eight years. Where were you when all of this was happening and why should we trust in your failed programs again????

With so many states controlled by Republicans passing Photo ID requirements to vote while there is virtually no evidence of any voter fraud, aren't Republicans pushing a return to "Jim Crow" laws to suppress the vote of minorities ,most of which do not vote Republican?

The American people want to know, will you reveal the names of those who are contributing to your Super PAC's and if not, why not?

What will you do to fund the Libraries in Public School Districts and keep certified Librarians in these positions?

if raising taxes on the rich is considered re-distribution of wealth, how can you reconcile tax credits and subsidies for corporations and businesses, as those are forms of redistribution of wealth from the middle class to the rich?

If pharmacists are allowed to not dispense medication as that would violate some personal religious principle, and if church-based medical organizations can refuse to deal with contraceptive devices on religious grounds, why cannot a teacher refuse to teach "intelligent design" or any other unscientific approach based on their religious beliefs?

Why are you attacking women as a 'problem' and trying to take our constitutional rights away? Women have specific problems that do relate to male abuse towards them, women need to represent their own issues fairly and honestly and have laws that protect them from unfair situations. As long as you attack women and refuse to accept facts, I will NEVER vote for the Republican party.

Would you be willing to initiate action to disestablish the Federal Dept of Education; a totally ineffective, intrusive agency of the federal government?

What are your thoughts or position on the blatant attacks aimed at public service unions, especially in education?

Would the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind be a priority for your administration? What changes do see as necessary for the law?

Since the push is to evaluate teachers based on student's test scores, then how would you factor in the student's SES, test anxiety, IQ, disability, parent involvment, their home life situation? Once they leave our classroom all these factors are beyond our control, yet they all play a huge part in the student's education. Did you not take these factors into consideration? How could you evaluate a teacher based JUST on test scores? To some we are their parents, a nurse, a counselor, a shoulder to cry on, a reassuring word to motivate them, a friend, or a role model. Teachers wear many hats; test scores are no accurate representation!

When will average, middle-class people have affordable, comprehensive healthcare comparable to what our elected officials are provided at tax payer expense? Upon our retirement, which happens now at a later and later age, due to no recent pay raises or cost of living adjustments for the foreseeable future, will we be able to count on Medicare, which we have paid into during our careers teaching America's youth, or will that become bygone history as our lawmakers reign in "entitlements?"