I recently wrote a post about the questions that I wanted to see asked of the candidates in the endless GOP debates.,….I tweeted them, I wrote them in emails and I asked everyone to help….I tried to get CNN and FOX and NBC to ask a couple of simple questions to give the viewers a better handle on the positions of the candidates….to see if they had real policies or just a handful of one liners to dazzle but not to educate…..my attempt was a bust…….my questions in case you missed my post were…….

1–Are credit cards good for America?

2–Is jobs out-sourcing good for the country?

3–Should K-12 teachers get tenure?

4–Are illegal immigrants a net gain for the country?

5–Should the Constitution be updated in any way?

I chose these question because it covered many issues in the election immigration, education, jobs, etc………and I will ask these again and again until I get some good answers.

But there are other questions that I feel we should ask our candidates to see if they truly feel our pain or do they truly know what it is like to be a mere mortal….these are simple questions with simple answers but the answers you will get will illustrate if these people truly “get it”.

10 questions presented by Brad Phillips……

1. What’s the Minimum Wage? The federal minimum wage is $7.25. Some states are higher. The full list is here. Candidates should also be able to answer similar questions about their state’s unemployment and home foreclosure rates.

2. What’s the Price of Milk? Reporters ask these types of questions to gauge how much a candidate understands the struggles of “real” Americans. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a gallon costs $3.50. (A handy list of other product costs is here.)

3. What’s the Price of Bread? The average price of a loaf of white bread is $1.40.

4. How Much Is a Gallon Of Gas? The national average for a gallon of unleaded regular gas is $3.87. That’s up from $3.55 last year, $2.78 in 2010, and $1.95 in 2009. Candidates can accurately say that the price has doubled in the past three years. Also know your state/local gas price averages.

5. Why Do You Want to Be a Congressman/Senator/Governor? You’d be surprised how many people blow this simple question. In fact, that very question derailed Ted Kennedy’s presidential bid in 1980.

6. What Mistake(s) Have You Made, And What Have You Learned From It (Them)? This question is sometimes intended as a “gotcha,” but can be a perfect opportunity for candidates to explain a position change.

7. Who Is Your Favorite Supreme Court Justice of All Time, and Why? Candidates should also be able to name a decision they agreed with and one they disagreed with. In recent years, these types of questions have tripped up both Christine O’Donnell and Sarah Palin.

8. When Is The Last Time The (Local Sports Team) Won The Championship/Pennant/World Series/Stanley Cup? During a Democratic debate for Massachusetts Senate late last year, four candidates, including Elizabeth Warren, couldn’t list the years their beloved Boston Red Sox had won the World Series in this century. Candidates should also have similar answers ready for local college teams, and should be able to name their favorite players, as well.

9. Who Is Your Personal Hero? This is a cliché question which typically elicits cliché answers. But unless Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, or Eleanor Roosevelt are really your personal heroes, try to come up with something more original – and more revealing about who you are and what moves you.

10. What Newspapers Do You Read? After Sarah Palin’s disastrous handling of this question from Katie Couric, other candidates can expect similar questions. Be ready to name your favorite journalists,  newspapers, radio stations, news programs, and websites.

I do not recall any candidate being asked any of these….it is possible that I could have missed them for I was not dumb enough to watch every debate at the time……

The answers to these 10 questions will go a long way in determining if your guy is truly a man of the people or just some ego-centric prick wanting a power trip…….do you really want a person that cannot these questions representing you, to be your voice?  If you do then 2012 is the perfect election for you……just a bunch of elites duking it out to see who will get to wear the crown….just hot air and bovine fecal matter.