Netroots Priorities: Iraq, Energy, Health Care, Poverty

Netroots Nations participants have four clear priorities for the next president: ending the war in Iraq, addressing the global warming crisis, obtaining health care for all and clsing the growing gap between the rich and poor, according to a straw poll done by Democracy Corps and the Campaign for America's Future.

The straw poll was conducted over two days of the Netroots Nations conference and was designed to get a sense of what the political activists at the conference thought were the most important issues for the country and for the next administration.

Some of the key results:

Of the list of concerns below, which one of these is your top concern at this time?

Energy and global warming	19%
The growing gap between the rich and the poor	17%
Loss of constitutional rights	15%
The war in Iraq	11%
Corruption and special interests running Washington	10%

Which of the concerns listed below is your next top concern?

The war in Iraq	17%
The growing gap between the rich and the poor	12%
Loss of constitutional rights	12%
Lack of affordable health care	10%
Energy and global warming	9%

Which one of these should be the top priority for the next administration?

The war in Iraq	23%
Energy and global warming	20%
Lack of affordable health care	15%
The growing gap between the rich and the poor	12%
Loss of constitutional rights	7%

Which should be the next highest priority for the administration?

Lack of affordable health care	17%
Energy and global warming	17%
The war in Iraq	16%
The growing gap between the rich and the poor	12%
Loss of constitutional rights	10%

Sixty-eight percent of those who participated in the poll said that "not too much" has been accomplished by Congress this year, and when asked whether the blame was with Democrats or with Republicans, 43 percent said that Republicans were to some degree more to blame, and 29 percent said both parties were equally responsible.

Also, 72 percent of the poll participants said that Sen. Barack Obama should select a vice-presidential candidate "politically similar to himself, reinforcing the dynamic nature of his candidacy and the urgent need for change, and keeping true to his liberal roots."

For some MSM interpretation of the straw poll results, check out the latest from the Washington Post: What Do the Netroots Want? Straw Poll Offers Answers [1].