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Over the next year, presidential candidates will be crisscrossing the country trying to gain public support. The 2008 presidential election presents an important opportunity to ask the candidates questions about issues that affect our health, safety, and environment. This is your chance to educate and engage the candidates and other voters on the issues you care about most!
There are many ways to express your views. You can attend candidate events, call local campaign offices, submit questions on the candidates' websites, write letters to the editor of your local newspaper. We encourage you to engage the candidates, demand answers, and let us know how they are responding.
To help you get started, here are sample questions for the candidates:
- Global Warming: We're already feeling the effects of global warming. Scientists tell us that we can avoid much more dangerous levels of warming by reducing U.S. heat-trapping emissions 15 to 20 percent by 2020 and at least 80 percent by 2050. What's your plan to meet these targets? More...
- Nuclear Weapons: As president, would you re-affirm that it is the policy of the United States to work with other nations toward the elimination of all nuclear weapons? More...
- Political Interference in Science: What will you do to assure the independence and integrity of federal advisory committees, protect federal scientists from political interference with their work, and to stop the censorship and suppression of their research results? More...
- Food and Farming: As president, what measures would you take to encourage modern, sustainable forms of agriculture that promote better human health and a cleaner environment? More...
- Renewable Energy: To reduce our global warming pollution, would you support legislation to dramatically increase our use of renewable energy sources—like the sun and wind—to at least 20 percent? More...
- Vehicle Fuel Economy: EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson recently ignored his own staff as well as directives from federal judges and the Supreme Court and denied the waiver states need to implement groundbreaking clean car standards. Would you as president immediately overturn this decision and allow states their legal right to curb global warming pollution from autos? More...
Your questions will be most effective if you make them personal. Use your own words and tie the issue to your personal expertise or experience, or to the community you live in.
Engaging the candidates is an effective way to make your voice heard and ensure that the people who want to lead the United States know what issues are most important to you—plus it's easy and fun!
The Union of Concerned Scientists does not support any candidate for office. |
