If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.

John Quincy Adams

What do the crop for presidential candidates really believe?

In the wake of the Fox News, CNN and CNBC Republican debates and CNN Democratic debate, there has been much justifiable criticism of the some of the moderators for asking a series of “gottcha” questions, questions clearly designed to spark personal controversies between the candidates, questions on such minutiae as fantasy sports and/or serving up “softball” questions to favored candidates … rather than seriously challenging all of the candidates on the economic, social, political and international issues which will truly affect the lives of Americans during our next president’s term.

The moderators need to hold the candidates feet-to-the-fire both in adhering to agreed-upon time limits and not letting any of them resort to spouting their campaign talking points in lieu of providing specific and detailed answers to the questions asked.

Therefore, a short list of suggestions of questions, to be posed to each candidate … as their answers can be of invaluable to voters in helping them develop more informed more effectively judgments about these presidential wannabees.

After all, they are asking the American public to entrust them with the reins of our country … a job which demands they demonstrate they have the visions, goals and leadership skills to qualify for the presidency.

1. As many as four vacancies on the Supreme Court could occur during the first four years of the next president’s administration. If elected, what, if any, litmus tests would you have for potential nominees?

2. The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and Reconstruction were all the results of political compromise between rival factions where far more contentious and far-reaching issues than the funding of Planned Parenthood and Obamacare were concerned. If elected, what specifically are you prepared to do to engender compromise between the two major political parties to make the federal government run more efficiently and for the benefit of the public?

3. The Affordable Care Act has been one of the most controversial pieces of legislation passed during the President’s term in office. Both Republicans and Democrats have acknowledged that ObamaCare is not a panacea. As neither party is likely to control the White House, House of Representatives and more than ⅓ of the Senate, the repeal of this law is not realistic. If elected what specific changes would you push for to improve the current law which could be realistically enacted by Congress?

4. You have stated that if elected you will create millions new private sector jobs. Please provide specific details on how do you plan to accomplish this?

5. The Civil War ended 150 years ago and we now have an African-American president. Yet, race remains a contentious and divisive issue in the United States. What, specifically, are you personally prepared to do to improve race relations and instill confidence in our minority communities that they are not and will not be profiled or otherwise treated as second class citizens?

6. Entitlement programs arguably consume between 50% and 62% of the federal budget. Despite the contentions of many candidates, nearly all of the financial experts who have studied this problem contend that they are not fiscally sustainable over the long-term given the demographics of an aging population which is living longer and a proportionally smaller workforce supporting such programs as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. If elected, what changes to the funding and/or benefits would you be prepared to support to maintain the long-term health of these vital programs if these financial experts are correct?

7. The immigration debate rages between those who would round up and deport up to 12 million undocumented immigrants and those would grant them amnesty. Assuming that neither option is politically viable, if elected, what compromise measures would you be willing to entertain?

8. The Middle East remains a powder keg on multiple fronts … with the war in Syria now 4 ½ years old and showing no signs of abating, ISIS continuing to commit atrocities to both people and irreplaceable antiquities across the region, the situations in Pakistan and Afghanistan are at best unstable and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continuing to flare up at any moment. If elected, what steps would take to try to bring peace and stability to this region?

9. With China building island bases in the South China Sea and trying to expand its sea power and North Korea with its arsenal of nuclear weapons remain threats to the United States. As president what initiatives would you take to defuse these issues and improve relations with both countries?

10. The vast majority of the world’s scientists and most governments are deeply concerned about climate change. Yet in the United States, there are many who do not accept that the climate is warming and, if it is, the causes are not man-made. And, while renewable and green alternatives are growing, it will be decades before we can be weaned off fossil fuels without adversely impacting our economy and nation’s way of life. If elected, what would you plan to do to move our economy to a more energy efficient and less polluting status?

11. Estimates suggest that the 2016 presidential campaigns will spend upwards of $2 billion, with House, Senate, Gubernatorial and other state and local races spending perhaps an equal amount in aggregate. Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizen’s United decision, enormous sums have been pouring into campaign coffers without any identification of their sources, some of which may be from foreign or other impermissible sources. What, if any, changes to our current campaign financing laws would you push for if elected?

12. Finally, a series of one word answers (no more) questions:

  • Are you in favor or against the use of the death penalty?
  • Do you believe the United States a “Christian” nation or a nation of diverse religious segments?
  • Would be in favor of requiring all gun sales, including those made at gun shows and between private individuals to require a background check?
  • Kim Davis took a stand that her religious convictions did not permit her to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples after the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize such unions. Do you believe people who hold government offices or jobs should be able to substitute their personal beliefs at the expense of doing the job they swore to do?
  • Do you support legislation which would require the federal government to negotiate with drug companies for better prices, presently forbidden under Medicare Part-D legislation?
  • Should senior Wall Street executives in charge of the firms which precipitated the meltdown have been criminally prosecuted?
  • Should the provisions of the Glass-Stegall Act separating commercial and investment banking activities be reinstituted to protect the public from the potential of irresponsible behavior on the part of the “too big to fail” financial institutions?
  • Do you believe that felons of non-violent crimes who have served their time should be permitted to vote?
  • If you are elected, would you be willing to invite Raúl Castro to the White House?
  • If elected, would you plan to include any Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, or Independents in your Cabinet or as one of your senior advisers?

The failure of any candidates for the presidency who is either unable or unwilling to provide serious answers to these questions simply does not deserve anyone’s vote!