Sometimes I just have to gather myself together and ask what I want, as a person in the United States, from a candidate. If I were to run for any office, what would I personally advocate? This was a list of top ten.
1.) No slashes to Social Security or Medicare
2.) Sensible gun laws. Background checks should be mandatory for all gun purchases regardless of venue and licenses should be required of all gun owners.
3.) No trade partnerships that put workers at the further mercy of international corporations.
4.) Eliminating the ability of big businesses to stash money overseas.
5.) Higher corporate taxes.
6.) Higher taxes on the wealthiest and the creation of new tax brackets. Someone making 250,000 a year shouldn't pay as much as a billionaire in taxes, much the same way a person making 40,000 a year shouldn't pay as much as someone making 250,000 a year.
7.) Humane methods of dealing with immigrants inside of our borders. No separation of families. I'm in favor of enforcing immigration law, but targeting families is not humane.
8.) Green energy and protection of the environment must be a priority. The energy sector creates job. I know that, as a resident of Houston. Lets make sure those jobs are in the technologies of tomorrow.
9.) Equal rights for all. Everyone should be paid an equal base pay for their jobs. I enjoy the idea of incentives for those that can outperform their peers (merit vs seniority) but that's another issue. However if a man, a woman, a Muslim, a Christian, a gay person, etc etc etc all take perform at relatively equal levels, they deserve equal pay. Nobody should be fired for who they are. The rights of an employer should not outstrip the rights of the employee. Any discrimination against anyone on the basis of the Civil Rights Act + sexual orientation should be illegal, no religious exceptions made (since religious protections are for personal practice, not business practice).
10.) Reduce military expenditures abroad. Reinvest money used in foreign wars where we end up being hated by the new government to fund our schools and public projects. I'm not even asking for a big cut. But a cut nonetheless.
I dunno. There's probably a hundred other things. But I think this is what I think about when I think about what I would advocate and what I want my politicians to advocate.
Oh and as a number 11 bonus:
Single payer healthcare.