What are the three most important issues to you in this upcoming presidential election AND WHY?

Survey Tally
Received: 1947 Comments	Published: 101 comments

 

AFT members on Healthcare Coverage

"As a mother of two adult children who don't have health insurance, and as someone who has seen too many people choose between food and medicine because their budget couldn't stretch far enough for both, I know we need to make universal healthcare a priority."
-- Pat Martinez, New Jersey City University

"Thanks to the UFT, I have fairly decent healthcare coverage, but I am worried for my friends and families who do not have what I have."
-- Roberta Golik, United Federation of Teachers Retiree

"The only time that politicians talk about healthcare is when there is an election. Once the election is over, the topic of the poor state of our healthcare in this country becomes a mute topic. I recently read that the U.S. is 78th on a list of countries which have reputable and affordable healthcare. This is a disgrace."
-- Anita Young, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers

"School districts are cutting programs in order to pay for health care. There has to be a system where people can have health coverage and schools can still function."
-- Karen Jones, Corinth Teachers Association

"The United States is the wealthiest country on the planet, yet millions of men, women, and most especially children, are without healthcare. Affordable healthcare should not be a privilege; it is a right to which every citizen should have access."
--Mary Dudzienski, AFT Local 604

"Something has to be done to stop the rise in healthcare costs as well as see to it that we all get health care."
--Janice Haeflinger, Harlem Federation of Teachers

"Healthcare for everyone. This is a wealthy country and we should be able to keep our people healthy without making them go broke."
-- Jennifer Bova, Teachers' Association of Lindenhurst

"You can't educate a child who is not healthy and you can't keep a child healthy who is not educated. If we can't keep our people healthy and educated, we will have a dismal future."
-- Barbara Hammond, New Hartford Teaching Association

"Affordable health care and prescription drugs for all. Doctors and patients should be making the decisions, not HMOs."
-- Shelley Borman, Bay Shore Retired Teachers Association

"We must Secure accessible and affordable health care and prescription drugs for all Americans."
-- Richard B. Miller, United Federation of Teachers

"As one who is quickly approaching retirement age, I believe healthcare and prescription medications is in desperate need of support and overhauling."
Teresa Cunningham, Putnam County Federation of Teachers

"Having recently been in an accident, I recognized how financially devastated I could become very quickly."
-- Pat Morrison, Chicago Teachers Union

AFT members on Education Funding

"More funding for public education to help reduce class size and promote school safety and discipline."
-- Kenesta T. Mack, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers

"For one of the most successful countries in the world, we should be embarressed about the torture and torment communities go through each year to fund their school budget requests."
-- Richard Hamasian Jr., Meriden Federation of Teachers

"Provide increased salaries and benefits to the Early Childhood workforce so that qualified, highly-educated teachers of you children can afford to stay on the job."
-- Shag Norman, Gateway Teachers Association

"We need better funding of public education. American children need to be first on the minds of our presidential leadership. More effort needs to be made in providing for their education."
-- Merella Kowarsch, Calcasieu Federation of Teachers

"Fund public education at a level that will make many of the goals of No Child Left Behind possible, removing sanctions, and instead providing support for those schools and students who lag behind. Our future is dependent upon literacy, numeracy and the lifelong learning capabilities of our children."
-- Michael Linder, AFT Local 604

"Teacher assistants are the back bone for many teachers and they need to be upgraded in pay."
-- Sheila Vivians, Chicago Teachers Union

"Form a coalition of educators from different parts of country and neighborhoods to serve as a think tank to make recommendations."
-- Yolanda Simmons, Montclair State Adjunct Union

"I've been in education for thirty years, and I am interested in only two things: providing the every best education possible for each of my students and a salary commensurate with the multi-dimensional, self-sacrificing, underappreciated job that I do."
-- Sandra Joseph, Fulton Federation of Teachers

"More equitable education funding and access to resources for impoverished students in out nation; such as, smaller class size and more specialist teachers."
-- Donna Mooney, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers

"The state needs to realize and recognize that teachers are spending most of their paychecks on materials, supplies, and on their students."
-- Herminia Chatham, Texas Federation of Teachers

"Adequate funding for all of the government imposed programs in education. That explanation should be obvious - if they want us to do it, give us the money to do it with!"
-- Barbara Nail, Texas Federation of Teachers

"Enrichment Programs for Children/Recreation Centers - Children have no where to go after school. Recreation centers used to serve as wonderful community hubs for all year extra-curricular activities. Now Rec. centers are just buildings on the corner. We need to put money back into Rec. centers and enrichment programs so that children will have safe places to go after school and productive things to do."
-- Dorothy Egbufor, Washington Teachers Union

"Pay raises for teachers and support employees because I work in the school system and do not make enough money to live each month without having to work two jobs."
-- Barbara Hickman, Beauregard Federation of Teachers and Support Employees

AFT members on No Child Left Behind and Testing

"The continuous testing of students is why I retired from teaching. I was told what, where, when and how to teach as if I didn't know anything after teaching for 32 years."
-- Linda Yakavonis, United Federation of Teachers

"Either fully fund the NCLB or do away with it. It isn't practical to believe that all children will learn at the same rate and at the same level. The people who are trying to remedy our education problems have never walked one day in the shoes of a teacher."
-- Pat Haynie, United Academics AAUP/AFT

"Protect teacher professionalism in the era of NCLB. The effort to make teachers into line workers, factory hands or curriculum robots, continues. The effort to create a "teacher proof" methodology continues. Formulaic lesson planning has become more important than creative teaching in many districts. Increased professional autonomy for tenured professionals is the best way to protect our students from testing fanatics who are more interested in publicizing measurable results than fostering immeasurable minds."
-- Anthony McCann, Shenendehowa Teachers Association

"No Child Left Behind has no solid foundation in educational practices. It is a failed experiment that is dismantling public education and selling it off to private interest."
-- Robert Muchow, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers

"There is no time to teach students to think critically. They are being programmed to take tests not think. Independent critical decision making is extremely important for the country to remain a political force in the world."
-- Annette Hill, Seminole Education Association

"Funding for NCLB--it seems to be nonexistent and it's difficult for schools to carry out the law when there's no money to do so."
-- Lynn Gustafson, Texas Federation of Teachers

"Fix NCLB and get away from this constant testing. We are not teachers anymore, but more like test administrators."
-- Mark Grose, Education Austin

"We have replaced a sound curriculum with a curriculum solely based on a poor-devised test, which, to make matters even more ridiculous, is administered in mid-March. This causes teachers to resort to a range of hysteria-based methods that tend to leave all children behind."
-- Judith Metzger, Chicago Teachers Union

"As an educator, I am fed up with begin given underfunded mandates. If Congress truly wants NCLB to succeed, than they must stop punishing those schools who are not making adequate progress and start giving them tools to succeed."
-- Sandy O'Neill, Timberlane Teachers' Association

"Children are being cheated out of a full liberal arts education because administrators want students to score high on standardize tests. As a result art teachers are put into positions that impair their programs."
-- Dan Leopold, Yonkers Federation of Teachers

"Show us the money! It is all well and good to issue mandates, but how about the funds to go along with the mandate?"
-- Kristina Schwarzkopf, Toledo Federation of Teachers

AFT members on the Iraq War

"The war in Iraq is draining resources that would be better spent on healthcare and education. My son is on his second deployment. He and his comrades are honorable men serving in a war based on the lies of dishonorable men."
-- Janice Holleny, United Federation of Teachers

"As a teacher, I believe in conflict resolution. I don't know if there was or is a way to settle this matter peacefully because I am sure we are not completely aware of the circumstance, but I don't think we, as a country, are setting any type of example for our children. I also don't believe that murder justifies murder and that any more people should die."
-- Lorraine Rake, Garfield Federation of Teachers

"The Iraq war is a military problem and not a union problem. Whenever we speak out as a union about it, it nullifies the things we are really asking for."
-- Matthew Flynn, SUNY Canton College UUP

"During Vietnam, I trained for 1 year as an infantry officer and I was lucky to be sent to Korea instead of Vietnam in 1969... I hope you are fighting (to bring the) troops home now."
-- Leslie "Buzz" W. Davis III, AFT Wisconsin Retirees

"We have to get out (of Iraq) now without leaving an unstable government. I think we should definitely leave while leaving some semblance of government."
-- Ana Colon, United Teachers of Dade

"We need to bring back honesty and competence back to the White House. We need a leader who can and wants to communicate with other leaders around the world."
-- Anthony Montanaro, East Irondequoit Teachers Association

"American troops are risking their lives and America itself is wasting its resources in this foreign policy disaster."
-- F. Glenn McNitt, United University Professionals

"End the war in Iraq. Bring our troops home and make more money available for domestic needs."
-- Mike Slott, Health Professionals and Allied Employees

AFT members on the Economy, Jobs & Poverty

"Raise the minimum wage again and peg it to inflation. It's the only way to get our student's parents out of poverty. Guarantee everyone the right to a job at a living wage."
-- Marc Rich, United Teachers of Los Angeles

"We don't take very good care of our poor and there is really no middle class anymore. We need more jobs and more programs to help people get on their feet."
-- Patricia Fusco, West Haven Federation of Teachers and School Nurses

"Years ago we had factories like Colt Firearms to employ hard working people without college degrees. We don't have those types of jobs for our young men and women who are not college material. Let's face it. Not everyone wants or can afford to go to college. We need good paying jobs with good benefits so we can get people working and off the streets."
-- Marcia Cattanach, Hartford Federation of Professionals

"We need housing that working people can afford. The country needs to look at actual income in the middle to lower third of the nation and compare it to the cost of housing. Too many people live in substandard housing. Basics like intact roof, insulation, hot & cold water, heat, and electricity are missing. Yet, landlords and cities profit from the rent and taxes. The tenants are put out with no place to go except for a shelter, if not full, for 30 days. This is deplorable!!"
-- Kelsie Mattox, Maryland Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals

"I believe the poverty in this nation is a HUGE issue. As an educator in a high poverty school, I believe that families who struggle with economic and/or unaddressed health issues interfere with how much my students can access their education."
-- Kelly McMahan, Albuquerque Teachers Federation

"Education and training for workers on the job. In order to maintain and keep up with society, workers must be able to improve their skills with on the job training."
-- Warnell Henderson, Unity Team Local 9212

"New high paying jobs will stimulate the economy. If we do not have minimum wage increase by the next election, it also should be a top issue."
-- Robert Greenwood, Kansas Association of Public Employees

"The ever increasing cost of gas, medication, food, electricity and insurance (health, home and auto) have put a big strain on Americans who are trying to make it in this country. There appears to be no checks or balances with companies who have CEOs earning much more than rank and file workers. It's unbelievable that our (elected) officials are listening to big companies rather than the American people."
-- Patricia Harris, Texas Federation of Teachers

"The divide between the wealthy and the poor is increasing with the majority of middle class disappearing. This is frightening and raises the issue of needing to improve the quality of education that all American children receive not just those at the top of the financial chain."
-- Bonnie Bradley, Chicago Teachers Union

"We must solve the national debt crisis. Our children and grandchildren will have much poorer lives if we don't."
-- David Curry, United University Professions

AFT members on the Right to Join a Union

"Voting for passage and implementation of the Employee Free Choice Act should be a requirement of all endorsed candidates."
-- Kate McKenna, Syracuse Teachers Association

"We need to stop the erosion of union power and of the right to organize. We hear that business must remain "competitive." With whom? We need business around the world to treat working people fairly and the world will flourish."
-- Linda Eby, Portland Community College Faculty Federation

"The AFT has worked very hard to make the lives of their members, and the lives of school children across the country better. I am very grateful, and am proud of my many years of membership in this organization! Thank you AFT, for making a difference in my life and the lives of the students whom we serve."
-- Mary Dudzienski, AFT Local 604

"Strengthen public and state employee bargaining rights; particularly binding arbitration."
-- Raymond Tretter, Missouri Federation of State Employees

"All those new jobs and the existing jobs should have more union protection. The Employee Free Choice Act is only the beginning of what we need to make labor law work effectively to really give workers a voice in their working conditions."
-- Catherine Stanford, Rutgers AAUP-AFT

"Restore a level playing field for workers. Pass and sign the Employee Free Choice Act."
-- David Pecoraro, United Federation of Teachers

"Thank god for union contracts. Being able to negotiate benefits has allowed me to bring home a decent income.� With the cost of living being so high it scares me to think what would happen if we didn't have collective bargaining.� Could I afford to pay my bills, plan for my children's future or be able to afford retirement?"
-- Ivonne Hamm, University Health Professionals

"As trade unionists, we must assure the passage of policies which level the playing field between unions and management."
-- Fred Nauman, United Federation of Teachers

"The ability to unionize. Unions make us strong and provide benefits we cannot negotiate on our own."
-- Joy Mariann Patron, United Federation of Teachers

AFT members on the Political Process

"Are our leaders really concerned about the common good and the American dream? I am tired of the political mud slinging; I am tired of hearing that the only way to solve problems is either the Republican or the Democrat way. Whatever happened to the collective, common good? I am tired of the apathy; I am tired of working from pay check to pay check with little ability to save; and finally I am tired of not having my voice heard by those who are in a position to make change.
-- Lynette Lenoch-Craft, Rochester Education Association

"We need campaign finance reform. Under the current system no one can get elected without corporate money"
-- Allen Heine, Cook County Education Association

"It's hard to prioritize the issues.�I see many retirees barely scraping by but I also see my granddaughter saddled with huge debt from college loans and my older brother, a victim of a healthcare system that ate up everything during his wife's illness.� We must support a candidate that sees the importance of taking care of everyone."
-- Val Jack, AFT Oregon Retiree�

"People feel more alienated from the rest of society because they don't feel they have a voice. They need to have a voice, and it needs to be heard. Their word counts. I hope someone is listening."
-- William Sherwin, Chicago Teachers Union

"Voter's rights must be protected. Paperless voting is a threat to voters. Computerized machines must have a back up if they are to be used."
-- Maureen Pricci, United Federation of Teachers�

"We must support a candidate that will be in support of our issues, and we must do everything we can to assure that our candidate wins in 2008."
-- Mary Ann Cupples, Pittsburgh Fed. of Teachers

"End partisan posturing and bickering. Reach bi-partisan solutions to pressing national and local problems.
-- Mike Sweeney, FWISE Local 3760

"Control the corruption in goverment and corporate America that minimizes the interests of the people who depend upon fairness in our system."
-- Reginal Wingo, University of Medical and Dental NJ Professionals

AFT members on Higher Education Funding

"Higher Education needs funding--the students need grants not loans, the faculty need better libraries and IT facilities, and the funding must be stable. Get money to public higher education."
-- F. Glenn McNitt, United University Professions

"Support education at all levels and especially higher education. Quality higher education is what keeps us competitive as nation."
-- Adnan Salhi, Henry Ford Community College Federation

"American higher education is an engine for economic growth and upward mobility for our citizens. We need additional funding to increase college attendance, academic quality, and the research capacity of American colleges and universities."
-- David Sanger, Denver Federation of Teachers

AFT members on Vouchers and Charter Schools

"I feel there is a serious effort to downplay the successes of the public school system in order to promote private charter schools and vouchers. Our schools should be adequately funded and class sizes should be reduced."
-- Connie Goodly, Baltimore Teachers Union

"We need to start more union charter schools. Let's show the politicians we know how to do it and prove it."
-- Virginia Hill, United Federation of Teachers

"The public schools do not need more money siphoned away--you can't fix a problem with less money."
--Lynn Gustafson, Texas Federation of Teachers

AFT members on Fair Trade Practices

"Fair Trade not free trade. US is losing jobs to China on a daily basis and this type of business needs to end. Bring good paying jobs back to the US; stop rewarding companies who move out with a huge tax incentive."
-- Warnell Henderson, Unity Team Local 9212

AFT members on the Environment

"We need to lessen our dependence on foreign oil, clean up our environment, and work to slow or reverse global warming. Why are we not a world leader in this struggle instead of one of the non-signers of the Kyota Accords?"
-- Wayne Almond, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers

"The administration needs to make U.S. auto manufacturers follow more fuel-efficient guidelines, and focus on switching entirely to alternative energy resources besides coal and oil."
-- Yvonne Taylor, United Federation of Teachers

"Global warming is the biggest issue facing this country and the world today. Our energy and oil consumption is linked with the terrorist reality we have experienced recently in this country. Stop global warming now; the very existence of our planet and all of its species is at risk."
-- Janice Mackanic, Health Professionals and Allied Employees

"Global Warming is important in order to give our children a healthy world to live in when they become adults."
-- Deb Fischer, Billings Education Association

"We need to take care of our planet for the sake of our children and grandchildren."
-- Jan Stevens,Iberville Federation of Teachers and School Employees

AFT members on Fiscal Responsibility

"Just as I'm expected to balance my personal budget and our school is expected to account for every penny, I think that our national leadership should also be accountable.
--Tamara Schiller, Brevard Federation of Teachers

"The budget is in a free-fall. The cost to us and to the next several generations is likely to be enormous. This damage must begin to be repaired with legislation levying a fairer tax burden for all and with serious budget tightening across the board and the elimination of Congress' ability to attach "riders" and unrelated "pork" into fiscal legislation."
-- Will Mattison, California Federation of Teachers Retiree

AFT members on Individual Rights and Freedoms

"Keeping the dream of a multi-cultural society alive and making sure that Hispanics, Muslims, and other minorities are not stereotyped and not have their Civil and Human Rights abused."
-- Muhammad al-Ahari, Chicago Teachers Union

"Restore our constitutionally mandated civil liberties. Stop domestic spying on ordinary citizens. We are overstepping government guidelines and putting our democracy at long-term risk."
-- Julianne Clark, Seattle Community College Federation of Teachers

"Restore protection of an individual's rights. Fear since 9-11 has led to the Patriot Act which has diminished our protection from an intrusive government."
-- Bill Kotch, Alliance/AFT

AFT members on Immigration

"As a long-time teacher of English as a Second Language to adults, I have seen the hard-work of (immigrants) and know how important they are to our economy.
-- Lynn Wild, State Vocational Federation of Teachers

"We should put the blame for illegal aliens where it belongs - on the employers who encourage them as a source of cheap, non-union labor."
-- Carole Pollack, United Federation of Teachers

"Undeterred illegal immigration is causing a total meltdown of our system through overcrowded classrooms, overburdened healthcare facilities and social services, lowered wages, and a drain on Social Security and basic benefits."
-- Jean McLeod, Goose Creek Education Federation

AFT members on Social Security & Pensions

"Securing a pension plan for all working Americans with Social Security benefits guaranteed. Companies should not be allowed to dump their pension plans or their medical insurance plans so that the CEO's can have millions of dollars in pay and benefits.
-- Esther Johnson, Florida Education Association

"Most individuals have been paying into the system for an extended period of time with the expectation that they would receive a Social Security payment each month following retirement. Privatization of the program would deprive retirees of the funds that they invested in the program and force them to invest in a market of which they have little or no knowledge."
-- Reginald Grier, AFT Local 1796 Retirees' Chapter

"Make sure that Social Security will be able to pay reasonable benefits for generations to come."
-- Barbara Freeman, Adirondack Federation of Teachers

"Repeal the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination provisions of the Social Security act. Why should state and federal employees be denied pension benefits earned and paid for by non-governmental employment just because they also earned pensions from public employment? People who earn private pensions do not see their SS benefits docked in similar fashion."
-- Miriam Miller, AFT/University of New Orleans Retiree

AFT members on Privatization

"We must keep the public sector PUBLIC, which means not privatizing social security, not letting private interests take over pubic schools and not replacing state workers' defined benefit pensions. The trend toward privatizing all that is pubilc is hurting this country more than any other phenomenon and threatens our democracy at its deepest levels."
-- Mary Lynn, United Federation of Teachers

AFT members on School Conditions and School Discipline

"We need quality education and decent schools for our children. If children are receiving substandard education and forced to attend dilapidated schools, the nation will continue to be at risk."
-- Rachel Hicks, Washington Teachers Union

"Teachers don't have any rights. You have students who are trying to take over classrooms and nothing is being done about it.Most of the people I graduated with have left the treaching profession because they were tired of not being appreciated for the hard work they do on a daily basis."
-- Althea Badger, Monroe Federation of Teachers

"Today's culture seems to encourage and glamorize violence, and that is coming into the schools. Teachers no longer feel safe, and students don't feel safe. One can't learn when worrying about safety."
-- Gerald Winston, Chicago Teachers Union

"Every school should have at least one full time disciplinarian and counselor. This is not available where I teach."
-- Alicia Todd, Louisiana PEG

"Let our teachers teach. I spent more time on discipline and testing than on teaching. Stop blaming teachers for students' discipline problems and poor academic achievement. We are exhausting ourselves trying to teach without support from administrators, parents, and society at large."
-- Marie Rosland, San Jose Federation of Teachers

"Public schools should be provided with good plans to have better classroom management. Those students that are disruptive and disrespectful should be corrected immediately. Too much instruction time is being lost due to these situations."
-- Matthew Bright, AFT-WV Barbour County

AFT members on Hurricane Katrina Reconstruction

"It is shameful to be shown that our citizens, victims of Katrina, are still in deplorable living conditions. The areas are still a mess, and at the moment most are uninhabitable. We must be able to take care of our own.
-- Frank Walter, Syracuse Teachers Association of Retirees