Received over the wire: Good questions!

Regardless of who wins Tuesday's presidential election, here are some questions I hope we can all agree are important to keep asking:

1. Our country faces numerous challenges - serious issues that were not well covered by the media this year. Instead of in-depth analysis, why did most campaign coverage reflect the spectacle of the horserace?

2. I understand the unspoken goal of the "war" on terror is to prevent weapons of mass destruction from being used in America in our lifetime. But, since 42,643 Americans died in traffic accidents in 2003, why isn't there a comparative emphasis on highway safety?

3. In the name of our own "security", we've killed tens of thousands of civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan including women and children. How does this square with our values?

4. When we fail to show leadership to promote peace between Israel and Palestine or to stop genocide by Arab "terrorists" in Sudan, what message are we sending to the world?

5. The press are the people's representatives in places of power. How is it that we've allowed our President to refuse to hold regular press conferences? If the President works for us, then why do we not insist that he answer our questions?

6. How is it that our Presidential "debates" are structured so that neither candidate could ask a question of the other? What is lost when the "domestic policy debate" fails to include a question about either the nation's energy or environmental policy? What is lost when the mainstream press won't investigate evidence that the President may have worn a wire?

7. If the President is the humble servant of the people, is it ever appropriate for him to hold an aircraft carrier at sea overnight so that he can land a military jet on it for a photo-op/press conference? What message do we send to our children and people around the world when we glorify our military supremacy?

8. The integrity of our election system lies at the heart of our democracy. Why haven't the serious problems in our election system been fixed four years after the debacle in Florida? Whose responsibility is it to guarantee that our election systems operate outside the margin of error? When can we expect this?

9. We've turned a $236 billion surplus into a $414 billion deficit. We will need another $70 billion early next year to fund our ongoing military efforts. Are we spending our money on the right priorities? What might we have spent this money on, if not on these wars or this tax cut?

10. Could a $100 billion investment in international law enforcement effort help capture Osama bin-Laden and end this "war"?

11. If security is our goal, why have we under-funded programs to secure nuclear materials in Russia? Why aren't we screening freight shipped on passenger airlines for explosives? Why aren't we screening cargo at all of our ports?

12. Will war be the best way to disarm Iran and North Korea? Who will fight these wars? How will we pay for them? How many innocent people will die? Are we making adequate, pre-emptive, non-violent efforts today?

13. In 1995, the richest one percent of Americans owned 38 percent of our wealth. In 1996, the richest ten percent of the U.S. population owned 81.8 percent of the real estate and 81.2 percent of the stock. Should we be comfortable with these levels of wealth distribution?

14. Last week, volunteers counted 2,216 homeless people in and around Seattle. I walked by one person sleeping in a doorway in upscale Wallingford tonight. Are we doing enough to care for these vulnerable, often mentally ill, people?

15. Our nation has been defined in part by our struggle with slavery and this century's victories in the battle for civil rights for all Americans. Yet, the number one cause of death for African American males ages 15-44 is firearm homicide. More black men are in prison than enrolled in university. What message is sent when the President refuses to meet regularly with leaders of the African American community? How should we begin to address these issues?

16. In November 2003, Senator McCain called Bush's Energy bill the "Leave No Lobbyist Behind Act of 2003." In March 2004, two conservative think tanks, the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute, were appalled when the Republicans held over a late night vote until Bush's Medicare Bill had enough votes to pass. The bill eliminated government influence on the prices Medicare pays to HMOs and pharmaceutical companies. Last week, Congress passed $148 billion in additional corporate tax breaks. How long will we remain silent as our tax dollars are handed off to wealthy minorities of corporate shareholders?

17. More than eighty percent of Congressional incumbents win easily and dramatically out-fundraise their challengers? Is gerrymandering polarizing congress, inhibiting compromise and adding to gridlock? Would providing (optional) public funding of campaigns be one way to address this?

Obviously, my list in incomplete - but it's all the time I had tonight. Please feel free to reply with additions.

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