Loading... In the 2012 U.S. Presidential election, what issues will contribute to a win or loss for your pick?

Healthcare reform. We need it desperately, but the bill Obama forced into law is a terrible idea. It just puts the government into the insurance business rather than actually providing medical aid to people in need.

Economic stimulus is important, though the only way we can get any money back is to start manufacturing goods and exporting them. Since we rely so heavily on China for our products nowadays, that's just not likely to happen. I would say we should implement a policy wherein America will not have dealings with a country that supports and exports sweatshop labor, but major industries will simply pull out of the US altogether to get around that rather than trying to support a fair and equitable labor market.

After that, research into alternate energy sources. We can't keep relying on fossil fuels. Hydrogen is effective, but currently the most cost effective method of obtaining hydrogen is from natural gas. As such, we aren't really weened off fossil fuels, nor does it cost any less. What we need to do is look at several colleges in Israel. One of them has figured out a way to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen using a solid metal catalyst. Theoretically you would only need to restock up on the catalyst and refill your car's tank with water once in a while. The trick is funding as well as figuring out how to bottle the hydrogen in the car while on the go.

After that, we need to alter the methods by which we research major illnesses. Currently, a research physician makes far more money studying cancer cells than he does finding a way to kill cancer cells. If he cures cancer, he puts himself out of a job. Hence, there's no incentive in the medical community to find actual cures