Opinion: What our readers would ask Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders

Reporting from Washington —  In my column on Wednesday, I proposed some questions for Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders to answer in their debate in New York on Thursday evening.

Then I invited readers to send in the questions they’d like to hear asked. Here are some of their responses, edited (in some cases) for clarity and concision:

Sen. Sanders: If you are elected, and find that you cannot get Congress to vote for single-payer healthcare, will you work with Congress to achieve incremental improvements?

Secretary Clinton: If you are elected, and Congress presents you with a bill for full single-payer healthcare, will you sign it?

Douglas Green, Sherman Oaks

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Many single-payer health systems ration care. How would you prevent healthcare inflation? Would you allow the government to ration care?

Dr. Howard C. Mandel, Los Angeles

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What will you do to help college graduates repay the student debt they have incurred?

Lynda Leatherman, Torrance

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What would you do to stop global warming -- not over the long run, but now?

John Ernst, Chatsworth

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What, if anything, will you to do revive U.S. space programs?

Robert Newman, West Hills

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Both candidates have taken positions opposing President Obama’s Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal with Asia. What are their specific objections to the deal?

Rubin Green, Playa del Rey

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SuperPACs are only one part of the campaign finance system. How would you reform campaign finance so members of Congress don’t have to spend most of their time raising money while they are in office?

Judy Sam, Arcadia

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Most of the debates have been about policies that Congress would have to turn into law. How would you go about the business of implementing laws enacted by the Congress? Would you use Executive Orders as broadly as President Obama has?

Herbert C. Haber, Northridge

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Do you see a need to rein in the military-industrial complex that President Eisenhower warned against? If so, how would you go about it?

Erwin Anisman, Rossmoor

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And, finally, an optimistic search for bipartisan common ground:

What is the best, most positive proposal you’ve heard from any of the contenders for the Republican presidential nomination?

Ben Miles, Huntington Beach

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