Questions for candidates

In a Nov. 9 article, Andrew Rosenthal, a columnist for The New York Times, made a list of 26 questions he would like to see the Republican presidential candidates answer at their debates. Below are a half a dozen of these questions to which I think any candidate for this office should provide a very thorough and detailed answer.

* What steps do you think are needed to prevent a recurrence of the financial meltdown that began in 2008?

* For fiscal year 2011, total federal spending was roughly $3.8 trillion and total federal revenues were roughly $2.2 trillion. What do you think is the appropriate level for total federal spending, and would you raise taxes, if necessary, to balance the budget at that level?

* The United States spends more money on health care per person than any other country. Some of the countries that spend less have a socialized "single-payer" system that covers all citizens. What do you make of this fact?

* Under what conditions would you commit American troops to combat missions abroad?

* How would you change policy toward Pakistan? Should the U.S. shift to a policy of containing Pakistan?

* As president, how would you respond to Iran's development of atomic power? Would you increase sanctions and if so, what sanctions exactly? Should the U.S. attack Iran's program even though it would only set the program back a year or two and could have huge political ramifications in the region? Should it support an attack by Israel?

JOHN PIEPHO, Cape Girardeau