Top Ten Questions for the Candidates On 12-21-03, I found and saved a web page titled "Top 10 Questions Democracy Caravan Wants Answered Tonight." The link was http://www.democracycaravan.org/top%20ten%20questions%20for%20the%20candidates.htm The html contains the meta tag . On 11-16-05, I discovered that the link to the "Top 10" was no longer valid. The link was being redirected to ebestline.com, a porno add. In order to preserve the information, this text file is being offered so that the information may not be forgotten. [Begin Quote] Phoenix, AZ - Following is our list of questions we are handing to the presidential candidates gathered in Phoenix for this evening's debates: TOP 10 QUESTIONS DEMOCRACY CARAVAN WANTS ANSWERED TONIGHT 1. What specifically will you do as President to rein in the political influence of corporate lobbyists and special-interest groups? Isn't it about time we cleaned house? Doesn't the shameful record of recent corporate scandals demonstrate how necessary this is? (Enron, Arthur Anderson, California energy "deregulation," the Savings & Loan debacle, media concentration, etc.) 2. What is your position on abolishing the Electoral College in the aftermath of the Florida debacle? Gore won the popular vote. Shouldn't he have been elected President? 3. What is your position on modernizing our electoral system so that our "winner-take-all" elections are replaced with one of the more advanced, European-style proportional or preference voting systems? 4. Studies show that in some elections fewer than one in ten eligible adults actually cast ballots. What are your top three priorities for reversing the trend of declining voter turnout in elections? Do we still have a democracy when so few vote? 5. Shouldn't giant media conglomerates provide free use of our airwaves, since they get it for free from us? Wouldn't it make sense for the public to have large chunks of radio and TV network prime time during elections? 6. What would you do to change the electoral system to make a more level playing field such that independent and third party candidates could more easily participate in the electoral process? Don't the two major parties have too many unfair advantages? 7. Shouldn't all new voting equipment have a tamper-proof paper trail as backup? How can we be certain that electronic voting systems won't be hacked? 8. Do you agree that the McCain-Feingold campaign reform bill did little to solve the campaign finance problem in this country? Hasn't the doubling of the $1000 limit to $2000 given unfair advantage to Republican Party candidates, who have more wealthy backers than do the Democrats? Will you endorse a system of publicly-financed "Clean Elections" for all federal races, such as exists here in Arizona? 9. Do you support making Election Day a national holiday? 10. Do you support instituting same-day voter registration right up to Election Day? [End Quote] This article is being reprinted and redistributed for nonprofit educational purposes. For more information on understanding the 'Fair Use' clause of the U.S. copyright law please read 'Copyright Reminder' memo (10-30-1998) by Condoleezza Rice, Provost of Stanford University http://fairuse.stanford.edu/stanford_notices/rice.html http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/index.html