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Dave asked What Matters to You? There were several replies, including this one by Jack Intveld:

Health Care:

There can't be enough MRI machines in the world to explain the way health care prices go up so much faster than the cost of living -- but technology is what everyone blames in most cases. I haven't heard that doctors' salaries are going up very fast . . . so where's the money going? Into someone's pocket is what I think. Give me a candidate who wants a real investigation into the industry.

Also, drug prices are frequently higher in the U.S. than in other countries; same drug, same manufacturer, higher price. Doesn't hurt me yet, but what about people (e.g. seniors) who depend on several prescriptions for their quality of life . . . maybe even for life itself. Let's start talking about limits to this 'what-the-market-will-bear' approach.

Some progress has been made toward portability of coverage when people change jobs (I think) but what we really need is universal coverage. I don't expect anyone will get anywhere with that one, but I'd be really impressed if they tried.

Campaign reform:

Get rid of soft money. The supreme court was wrong; money isn't speech, it's a way to drown out the speech of others.

Civil liberties:

De-Ashcroft America. 'Nuff said.

Taxes:

Kill the ill-considered Bush plan (people are actually talking about this!) and pay down the debt. After we save things like Social Security, which we should treat like it's some kind of federal program.

While we're at it, lets bump the top rate up to the pre-Reagan days. Why? CEOs average 531 times their lowest-paid-workers' wages. That's beyond ridiculous! (Yes I know this won't happen soon, but I am serious.)

Drug laws:

Stop using our money to persecute people who just aren't as fond of alcohol as they are of something like pot. When no one's getting hurt, the government should mind its own business. Remember, "life, liberty, AND the pursuit of happiness." We have the highest per-capita prison population in the world and it's mostly because of a bunch of loons who thought Refer Madness was a documentary.

Ideally, I'd like to see a constitutional amendment stating that there will henceforth be no such thing as a victimless crime in our "free" country.

Energy:

Minnesota is practically the capitol of SUV-land. I drive to work every day surrounded by single-passenger busses. Apply CAFE standards to these things and/or tax them heavily. Most of these people NEVER do anything that really makes use of all that extra space.

Oh yes . . . scrap deregulation.

Separation of church and state:

Absolutely, positively, always, without exception. The founding fathers knew . . .

Obviously, I'm looking for people who would turn just about every current governmental trend around 180 degrees. By now you're all thinking this guy is a complete left-wing nut. Well, I'm very aware that much of this isn't supported by the majority of the population, so I know I won't be getting what I want any time soon. But unless anyone can explain what's wrong with these ideas, I'll stand by them.

Finally:

We need leaders who bring out the best in all of us instead of the worst. People who accept reasonable, enlightened self-interest and competition, but not "greed-is-good." Where's the next really inspiring, unifying, uplifting speaker? We need this generation's "Ask not what your country can do for you . . ."