Here is my list. Do you believe anyone will ask them?

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10 Questions for All Presidential Candidates

Sir or Madam, I would like to know your thinking at the deepest level on several subjects of concern to Americans. Please answer each of these questions with as much detail as possible. Avoid principles, generalities, assertions and anything that sounds like or smacks of mere rhetoric instead of substance.

1. How would you solve the global climate change issues that we and the world face? In particular, which new energy sources would you emphasize, which old ones would you curtail, and how much time and money do we and the world have to spend to reverse present trends?

2. Do you believe that human life is sacred and worthy of protecting both before and after each birth? In particular, how specifically would you go about assuring life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for everyone?

3. Many thoughtful, caring, intelligent people believe that education is the key to economic growth, to general prosperity, and to personal fulfillment in life, Do you agree with that observation, and if so, how would you go about making it a reality for those who are being left behind?

4. Do you believe that some form of public service such as in health care, education, conservation, the armed forces, safety and similar pursuits are good and ought to be encouraged in our youth at all levels of ability and in all economic or social statuses. If so, what specifically would you do to encourage them or to make such service mandatory?

5. What specifically would you do to help create jobs here at home, to encourage the repatriation of profits from overseas back to our shores, and to make our taxing system more equitable toward those ends?

6. Do you believe the thrust of America’s efforts in the world ought to lean more toward lowering tensions than toward increasing them, away from war and not toward it, and if so, what specifically would you do as our leader to make that outcome more of a reality?

7. The scientific evidence shows that our borders are more secure today than at any time in recent history. Beyond making them even more secure, what specifically would you do to help those honest, healthy, law-abiding persons from any country onto the path to immigration and eventual citizenship that seek it?

8. Inequality of incomes and wealth show that we may already be a plutocracy, or rule by the wealthy. That stems from the simple recognition that the top 1 percent have more wealth than the bottom 99 percent combined. Regardless of the cause or causes, do you believe this fact and trends toward even greater inequality are fair, right, and just? If so, what would you do to change them?

9. Purchasing power parity data since about 1980 show that the dollar is at a disadvantage against all the major currencies in the industrialized world. This discrepancy hurts our balance of trade, our GDP, our jobs, our tax revenues and a host of other economic issues, mainly economic opportunities here. Using a basket of currencies rather than the dollar in payment for the world’s commodities should work to our advantage for a change. Would you work toward that goal? Why, or why not?

10. If you were to advise younger people about seeking public office, what would you tell them?