Crosstalk: September 8, 2016

The election is only 9 weeks away. At stake is the presidency of the U.S. along with the U.S. House of Representatives where all 435 seats are up for election. Also at stake is control of the U.S. Senate. One-third of the seats in that body are up for grabs.

12 states will be electing governors. The U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and American Samoa will also be holding gubernatorial elections. Many state attorney general and secretary of state positions will be voted on. In addition, there will be chances for citizens to vote on state senate and assembly positions.

Then there are the referendum questions. 10 states have marijuana measures on the ballot, five have minimum wage issues and four states have gun control issues to settle.

This program, however, concentrated on the presidency. As Jim noted, the new president will be selecting members of the judiciary, not simply for the Supreme Court where there is a vacancy, but for the other federal courts as well. Liberal majorities currently control 9 of the 13 circuits of the U.S. Court of Appeals so how you vote will determine whether that trend continues or whether there will be change.

As you think about how you'll vote, don't forget about how the new president will handle the Department of Defense and issues related to that department such as transgenders in the military. Then there's the Department of Health and Human Services and policies they handle such as abortion. There's the EPA and its rules and their impact upon businesses. How about the Department of Justice? It's attorney general will be chosen by the next president. How will Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump's Department of Labor handle LGBT issues in the workplace? Other departments and positions to consider under the new president include the Department of Energy, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Education, Housing and Urban Development, the Small Business Administration, U.S. ambassadors and more.

So what thoughts and considerations regarding the presidency were on the minds of listeners as they called in? Find out when you review this vital edition of Crosstalk.