Top '08 Issues in Nevada, Key Battleground State

Mortgage Foreclosure Crisis,
In May 2008, for the the 17th consecutive month, the state of Nevada experienced the highest forclosure rate in the nation.

One in every 118 Nevada households received a foreclosure notice in May 2008, per ConsumerReports.com. One in 43 Nevada homes is "in financial trouble" per MSNBC on August 5, 2008.

While the Nevada legislature is contemplating new laws to confront the foreclosure crisis, Nevada voters will flock to support the presidential candidate who offers aid to frustrated homeowners and to financially-strapped lower-income and middle-class wage earners.

Immigration Reform
Reform of U.S. immigration laws is a key issue in Nevada, particularly in the Las Vegas area, where Latinos comprise 22% of the massive entertainment and tourist services workforce. The vast majority of Latinos employed by hotels and casinos labor in hourly wage jobs. In Nevada, Latino workers also comprise 81% of the agricultural workforce 47% of the construction and mining workforce.

Nevada Democratic voters will stand with a presidential candidate who wholeheartedly supports liberalizing immigration laws, including:

Storage of Nuclear Waste at Yucca Mountain
All Nevadans, liberals and conservatives, are quite concerned over the U.S. Department of Energy's determined plans to dump high-level nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.

Writes Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada at his Senate website, "I have been fighting this project because it threatens our health and safety. Nevadans are overwhelmingly opposed to this Project, and some have been led to believe that its completion is inevitable. I disagree. We have solid scientific evidence behind us, and I believe we can defeat this ill-conceived project."

For more, see Environmental Issues: Nuclear Energy & Nuclear Waste.

Look for all Nevadans to ask Barack Obama and John McCain about their intentions for Yucca Mountain.

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Top '08 Issues in Nevada, Key Battleground State

Mortgage Foreclosure Crisis,
In May 2008, for the the 17th consecutive month, the state of Nevada experienced the highest forclosure rate in the nation.

One in every 118 Nevada households received a foreclosure notice in May 2008, per ConsumerReports.com. One in 43 Nevada homes is "in financial trouble" per MSNBC on August 5, 2008.

While the Nevada legislature is contemplating new laws to confront the foreclosure crisis, Nevada voters will flock to support the presidential candidate who offers aid to frustrated homeowners and to financially-strapped lower-income and middle-class wage earners.

Immigration Reform
Reform of U.S. immigration laws is a key issue in Nevada, particularly in the Las Vegas area, where Latinos comprise 22% of the massive entertainment and tourist services workforce. The vast majority of Latinos employed by hotels and casinos labor in hourly wage jobs. In Nevada, Latino workers also comprise 81% of the agricultural workforce 47% of the construction and mining workforce.

Nevada Democratic voters will stand with a presidential candidate who wholeheartedly supports liberalizing immigration laws, including:

Storage of Nuclear Waste at Yucca Mountain
All Nevadans, liberals and conservatives, are quite concerned over the U.S. Department of Energy's determined plans to dump high-level nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.

Writes Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada at his Senate website, "I have been fighting this project because it threatens our health and safety. Nevadans are overwhelmingly opposed to this Project, and some have been led to believe that its completion is inevitable. I disagree. We have solid scientific evidence behind us, and I believe we can defeat this ill-conceived project."

For more, see Environmental Issues: Nuclear Energy & Nuclear Waste.

Look for all Nevadans to ask Barack Obama and John McCain about their intentions for Yucca Mountain.

View the original article here

Top '08 Issues in Virginia, Key Battleground State

Guns Rights vs. Gun Control Laws
In no state is the delicate balance between guns rights protected by the Second Amendment and gun control laws enacted for public safety more important than in Virginia.

Despite the 2007 shooting tragedy at Virginia Tech University that took the lives of 32 students and professors, conservative Virginians, as well as many liberals, fiercely defend individual rights to gun ownership. Observed the Washington Post in 2007, "Democrats also realize that gun owners are a potent political force in Virginia."

This issue is so controversial that the Virginia Democratic party included in its 2008 platform a brief plank on gun rights that states:

"We support the right to keep and bear arms as defined in the Virginia and U.S. Constitutions. We continue to support common-sense firearms safety legislation, including background checks at gun shows and with private sellers to ensure that buyers are not terrorists, convicted felons, under a court order, or deemed dangerous to themselves or society."

For more, see Pros & Cons of Gun Ownership & Use Laws.

Education Reform and Funding
The quality of public education and the affordability of college are uppermost issues in Virginia.

The Virginia Democratic party devoted a significant portion of its 2008 platform to educational issues, including: Fulfilling the Promise of No Child Left Behind - We believe that the No Child Left Behind Act should be reformed to improve assessments that truly measure student's progress and their readiness for college and the workplace. Support for Teachers - In order to recruit and retain the best teachers, we support increasing teacher salaries to reach and exceed the national average. Meeting Funding Responsibilities - We oppose school vouchers and other tax credit programs for parochial and private schools. Support Full Funding for Higher Education - We support adequately funded and affordable higher education. We support measures that afford to students fair and equal access to Virginia colleges and universities.

For more, see Pros & Cons of the No Child Left Behind Act.

For an '08 presidential candidate to appeal to Virginia Democrats, he must demonstrate an appreciation for both gun rights and adequate gun control, and to have a solid plan to fund and support all aspects of public education and college affordability.

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Top '08 Issues in Michigan, Key Battleground State

The economically beleaguered U.S. auto industry, felled by high gas prices, dwindling demands for SUVs and trucks, and the faltering economy, is the primary underlying source of Michigan voters' greatest concerns in 2008, which include: Extraordinarily high unemployment, which rose to 8.5% in June 2008 Lack of health care coverage for unemployed and underemployed workers Lack of job training programs for unemployed and underemployed workers Soaring home foreclosures that places Michigan among the top ten foreclosure rates of all states Failing small and medium-sized businesses dependent on the auto industry

On August 1, Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm "unveiled a $300 million investment fund intended to diversify the state's economy by committing money to startup companies, some troubled businesses and some that will help bolster Michigan's manufacturing base," per the Detroit News.

This new Invest Michigan! program is targeted to attracting businesses in the health care, homeland security, high tech and alternative energy industries.

Such good efforts, though, are long-term plans, not short-term fixes for the economic woes of Michigan voters.

As Michigan voters go to the polls on November 4, 2008, they will vote for the presidential candidate they believe offers the most realistic plan to effectively jump-start their state's economy, and to aid lower-income and middle-class workers in their economic woes.

View the original article here