Do you know where your candidate stands on abortion, Social Security reform, stem cell research, trade and our relationship with Cuba? Click here to find out the answers to these questions and more.

Fresno Unified is moving onto the right track, with its fiscal house in order and student performance rising, though more slowly than any of us would like to see. We think Superintendent Michael Hanson and his administrative staff are doing well, and preserving that continuity is the main reason for our choices in the upcoming election.

The big contributors in Fresno politics are the building industry and public employee unions, and they definitiely have influence over policy. Dages said he doesn't "sell" his vote for campaign contributions, but big contributors get more access.

Here's Dages quote: "What I was trying to say is that you feel an obligation to return a major contributor's phone call immediately. They don't get your vote, but they may go to the head of the line. Then they'll have to persuade me. I'll meet with anybody, but someone who donated to my campaign heavily, yes, I do put them at the top of the list. I'll make extra time."

Council Member Jerry Duncan was critical of that practice, saying it shouldn't take a campaign contribution to get immediate access to you council member. "My 25-year business career taught me that you return everyone's call as soon as you can," Duncan said. "A lot of people, contributors and non-contributors have my cell number."

How's this for special teams madness?: The Bulldogs missed field goals, had a potential game-winning field goal blocked at the end of the game, gave up a 90-yard kickoff return for a TD, and didn't cover well on other kickoff returns. Then there were the turnovers. Oh, my, this didn't look like a Top-25 team tonight. The Bulldogs may drop from the Top-25 after this performance.

Fresno State is now 3-2 overall and Hawaii is 2-3. The Bulldogs have not won at home yet this season, but have been successful in all of their road games: Rutgers, Toledo, UCLA.

But the best part of the evening came after the debate, when I switched over to the Dodgers-Cubs playoff game. I was about to hit the MUTE button and shut off the typically lame TBS/cable network/ School of Broadcast Smurfs duo in the booth, when one of them mentioned that "in the next booth, broadcasting the game for the Dodgers, is the great Vin Scully..."

Hot dog! (That's a Farmer John Dodger Dog, of course.) Despite my long time antipathy for the Doggers and all they represent, I love listening to Vin Scully do a game.

I grabbed the radio, shut off the TV sound and had a couple of hours of baseball bliss. I often think baseball's more fun on radio than TV, and when Vinnie's doing the game, it's a pure pleasure. Too bad the Dodgers had to win. On the other hand, as an old Cardinals fan, I can't hardly root for the Cubbies. Ah, well.

If you say Palin won, tell us why. For example, she scored when she repeatedly pointed out that Biden had said in the primary that Sen. Barack Obama wasn't ready to be commander in chief. Or if you think Biden won, give reasons, such as he struck a chord with voters when he said Sen. John McCain voted against funding alternative energy sources.

Where did you think each candidate scored points, and where do you think the candidates displayed weaknesses?

Final question, does a VP debate mean anything in the grand scheme of a presidential campaign?

I'm certain the range of bloggers on Opinion Talk are up to the task. So let's have your answers and be specific.

Analysts size up the debate this way: Palin must show she has the qualifications to serve in the nation's highest office and Biden must show that his experience is an asset and will not bring the same tired old politics to an Obama administration.

I've never thought the vice presidential candidates have a major impact on voters. In the race for the presidency, it's about the two people at the top of the ticket. They'll be voting for either John McCain or Barack Obama, and Palin and Biden don't have much influence on the presidential race. But it could be different this time around. What do you think?

Click here for the breaking news on this development.

Unlike the House on Monday, a bipartisan majority in the Senate got behind the plan to rescue the nation's financial system. The measure now goes to the House where a vote is expected on Friday. It's uncertain how it will be accepted since many House members remain opposed to the bailout concept.

Both presidential nominees support the plan. Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain said it is crucial that Congress passes the financial-rescue package.

San Joaquin Valley Congressman Debvin Nunes remains opposed. "It's garbage, Nunes told reporters. "They're to put more decorations on the Christmas tree, but the problem is the Christmas tree." Those "decorations" are the additional tax breaks.

They include a one-year fix to prevent the alternative-minimum tax from hitting more taxpayers.

I've had my share of fast food -- way too much of it at times -- but posting the calories of a Big Mac or the large fries would not have deterred me. I know that fries and burgers contain lots of calories saturated fat, carbohydrates and sodium. If I want the healthy choice, I know I should choose a salad.

Restaurants have until 2011 to comply with the new law. If consumers demand menu labeling, the restaurants will do it on their own as a business practice. Many do now.

Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Van Nuys, the bill's author, says his measure will help fight unhealthy eating habits that can lead to obesity, diabetes, heart disease and high blood
pressure. Nothing wrong with that, but I don't think this bill will do what's advertised. Plus, if this is such an important bill, why are we waiting until 2011 to implement it?

Some things are just common sense. Here's a hint. If you regularly order the large fries, you're probably not into healthy eating.

So what's the problem with those who voted against the bailout bill? Simple, they have no alternative. This may not be a perfect bill-- it surely isn't -- but it's better than doing nothing. This bill started in the Republican White House and then was improved by Republicans, and yet it was not good enough for those in the GOP who killed it. The lack of leadership Monday will prolong the recession the nation is in.

The agreement among House leaders was that Democrats and Republicans were to have at least half of their members favor the bill to give it a bipartisan label. That meant that Democrats were to deliver 118 votes and the Republicans were to deliver 90 votes. The Democrats came up with 140 votes in favor of the plan, but the Republicans only could muster 65 votes, far short of their commitment.

Valley House members voted this way: Democrats Jim Costa of Fresno and Dennis Cardoza of Merced and Republican George Radanovich of Mariposa supported the bill. Republicans Devin Nunes of Visalia and Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield voted against it. Shame on them.

Rejection of the bill drove, the financial markets haywire. The Republicans and Democrats who voted against this bill now have a hand in being part of the worst economic climate of our generation. It's time to reverse this destructive behavior.

Some are even trying to blame House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for their votes against the bill. She made a stupid remark about Bush's role in the economic failures. But if those ill-timed remarks were the reason that Republicans voted against the bill, it would mean they were willing to put politics ahead of what's good for the nation. I don't think they would do that, and they are scrambling for political cover.

Now stop the silliness, and get a rescue plan passed.

I agree with Spookygirl:

"I don't know about all of you, but I firmly believe the job of deciding what is appropriate or not appropriate for my children, is MINE, and MINE alone. The whole idea of someone else forcing their morals or beliefs on me and my family by banning books from the public library (can't say school library cause we don't use one), is just abhorrent to me!"

I actually encourage my kids to read banned books. Usually if it's troubled someone enough to try to get it banned, it means there's something worth reading in it.

This odd campaign has led Bill to make Fran Florez, the Democrat running to succeed Parra, as his political loser of the week. She has some strange campaign commercials in her race against Republican Danny Gilmore.

My political loser this week is Assemblyman Bill Maze, who authored the bill to ban motorists from driving with dogs on their laps. Fortunately for Maze, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger saved Maze by vetoing the bill. We think it's dangerous to drive with lap dogs, but there are plenty of laws banning erratic driving, and that should solve the problem.

Check out the rest of the items on our weekly podcast by clicking here.

Here are my proposals:

-- Legislators must show results to get paid. Establish three legislative goals for the year and if they aren't met, they forfeit that year's pay.

-- Limit the number of bills. More than 2,000 bills are introduced a year. Cut that back to three, not counting the budget bill. They can focus on the important and ignore the trivial.

-- Reduce the requirement to pass a state budget from two-thirds of the legislators in each house to 55%.

-- Reform the undemocratic redistricting process. Proposition 11 on the Nov. 4 ballot would do this.

-- Adjust term limits, but only if the redistricting system is reformed so that legislative elections are no longer fixed through gerrymandering.

-- Get rid of legislators' expense accounts. Legislators make $116,208 a year and get $179 a day extra in per-diem pay when in session. Pay them a flat $125,000 a year, and they can pick up their own expenses.

I usually drop into the gallery when I'm in the area to check out the photos that cover the gallery, and have a quick chat with Elizabeth about the progress she's making on her mission. This time, though, I saw another familiar face sitting with Elizabeth at a table near the back of the gallery. It was Catherine Rehart, Fresno's historical conscience. Her research has brought Fresno's history to so many residents.

What a treat. One is saving Fresno's history as recorded through her great-grandfather's camera and the other is chronicling Fresno's history through her books on the region. We are truly lucky to have two people so committed to the importance of what brought Fresno to the place that we see and experience today.

"What are you two plotting?" I asked. They smiled. Cathy said she was back in Fresno for a high school reunion and Elizabeth told of her latest successes in getting Pop's photos before our community.

We should all be joining Elizabeth and Cathy in their efforts to bring our history to life. We're fortunate that the Laval gallery is so easily accessible. Drop in and join Fresno's historical movement.

Apparently they've been having some issues here, ever since the hurricanes hit. Here's a story that explains what's been happening. I'll try to get some pictures myself tomorrow.