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Vice presidential candidates Sarah Palin and Joe Biden sparred last night over taxes, energy policy and the Iraq war. What did you think of the debate and how the two came across?Republican Palin sought to reclaim her identity as a feisty reformer. Democrat Biden tried to undercut the maverick image of GOP presidential hopeful John McCain. Did anything you saw in the debate change your mind on the presidential race or its issues? Who would make a better vice president, Joe Biden or Sarah Palin?

Should some terminally–ill adults be allowed to obtain lethal prescriptions to end their lives? Voters will decide next month. It's Initiative 1000 on the November ballot. What do you think? We'll also be talking about the death penalty. Last week a federal judge rejected the latest appeal by Washington's longest–serving death–row inmate, Jonathan Lee Gentry. He's been on death row for 17 years. We'll hear from a man who spent 17 years, and eight months on Florida's death row before being exonerated. Juan Melendez is now a board member of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Als

In November, you'll be asked to approve the Sound Transit 2 plan to expand light rail and bus service. It will cost you an extra nickel in sales tax for every $10 you spend. Is it worth it? Last November, voters turned down a combined transit and roads package. This year, the regional transit agency is back with a transit–only plan. Got questions? We'll have guests on each side of the issue to answer them. Also today, convicted South Hill rapist Kevin Coe has completed his prison term but he's back on trial. The state wants to keep him confined through a procedure called civil commitment. We'll

The Justice Department has appointed a special prosecutor to investigate possible criminal conduct in the firing of nine U.S. Attorneys at the end of 2006. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez and other top Justice Department officials resigned in the wake of the scandal. One of the fired U.S. Attorneys was John McKay of Western Washington. McKay says he still doesn't know why he was fired but he's got some ideas on where the special prosecutor should look. Also today, how much do you want to know about what you eat in chain restaurants? In January, a new King County rule will require restaurant c

The House votes on the bailout bill today. Over the weekend the Bush administration modified the plan for taxpayers to buy 700 billion dollars in bad debt from banks and financial institutions. Now the money will be paid out in three stages. Any bank that offloads more than 100 million dollars in troubled loans will give the federal government a stake in their company and there will be compensation caps placed on top executives. We'll try to answer your questions about the plan and we've got a question for you. Is the financial crisis affecting you? Are you reevaluating your plans to retire, bu

One side affect of the so–called war on terror has been a huge increase in defense spending. But is that money keeping us safe from terrorist attack? Reporter, columnist, blogger, and radio host Robert Sheer talks about the re–emergence of the military industrial complex in the wake of 9/11 which he documents in his book, "The Pornography of Power."Also today, Snohomish police bust an alleged cockfighting operation, and how the economic slowdown is affecting car sales people.

The Bush administration says we're heading toward even worse economic conditions unless Congress approves a $700 billion plan to buy bad debt from the financial industry. But Congress doesn't appear ready to sign on to the plan without conditions. What do you want your member of congress to do? And how much is $700 billion anyway? It's 140 billion dollars more than has been spent on the Iraq war since the invasion. It's also a third of all the money collected by the federal government last year. A new Washington Post/ABC News poll shows just 14% of those surveyed say the country is heading in

The digital generation is coming of age, and changing everything. So says John Palfrey. He studies the "digital natives" among us, and he says they'll transform everything from our politics to family life. Also today, Wired reporter Jeff Howe explains how businesses "crowdsource" work that individuals used to do. Plus, a journalist creates an online marketplace where groups of citizens can hire reporters.

Four years ago Democrat Chris Gregoire beat Republican Dino Rossi by only 133 votes after three recounts to win the governor's seat. This year Gregoire and Rossi are running again, and polls show it's a dead heat. On Saturday they had their first debate. This hour we'll play excerpts, get reactions from knowledgeable political observers, and hear what you have to say. Gregoire and Rossi fielded questions about transportation, the economy, crime and energy. Who you think won? What did they say that impressed you? Where did you think they dodged questions? Are the gubernatorial candidates address

After weeks of defending failing financial institutions, the Bush Administration and Congressional leaders are going on the offensive. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson says the federal government is writing a plan to cover the bad housing debt which caused the crisis. President Bush warned the plan will put a 'significant' amount of taxpayer funds at risk, but that it's necessary to keep the financial system from grinding to a halt. The Wall Street Journal calls it the biggest intervention in financial markets since the 1930s. Is this the beginning or the end of the financial crisis? The imme

More than 40 million uninsured Americans are one major illness away from financial disaster. The cost of health care for businesses and individuals continues to rise. Our high–tech medical care is miraculous, but when you compare the health of Americans to people in other developed nations, we lag behind — even though we pay much more for health care. Today, we're talking health care with former Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson and Kathleen O'Connor, founder of CodeBlueNow!, a bipartisan group that's trying to form a consensus health care reform plan. Are you a patient or a health care provider?

The Dow Jones Industrial average has dropped more than 20 percent since last year. And last night the U.S. government essentially bought an insurance company. In an unprecedented move, the Federal Reserve Board announced it's lending as much as $85 billion to rescue American International Group. In return the federal government will own an 80 percent stake of AIG.Is the federal government taking the right approach? Why is it saving some companies and letting others like Lehman Brothers, fall into bankruptcy? What questions – or insights – do you have about how the federal government is handling

Yesterday the stock market fell 504 points, the worst one–day drop since the 9/11 attacks. The immediate cause was the bankruptcy at Lehman Brothers, and the sale of Merrill Lynch to Bank of America. USA Today reports that while the problems originated in the real–estate market, the credit crunch "has emerged as a full–blown financial crisis." How is the financial crisis on Wall Street affecting your street? How is it affecting your personal financial decisions, or your workplace? Are you making changes? Wondering how the turmoil may affect your future decision to buy a house, leave a job or r

If the driving age was 17 or 18, there would be fewer highway deaths. That's according to a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In Great Britain and Australia teens can't get licenses until they're 17. Most European Union countries have a minimum driving age of 18. But recent efforts to raise the driving age in the United States have failed. If you believe there would be fewer automobile accidents, would you support bumping the minimum driving age to 17 or 18? Also today, Osama bin Laden's driver Salim Hamdan was at the center of a historic Supreme Court decision on pre

Polls show surging support for the John McCain–Sarah Palin ticket. Here in Washington, the Republicans have pulled within a few points of Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Today we want you to help us understand why. Have you talked to people who are moving from undecided to McCain–Palin? Put on your citizen reporter cap and tell us about it. We'll ask the Republican National Committee's Director of Online Communications why she thinks there's a surge in the West for the Republicans. McCain and Palin have embraced the maverick label. Historian of the West Richard White traces the derivation of the wo

In this post 9/11 world, John McCain and Barack Obama want us to do voluntary national service. Many countries have compulsory national service where citizens must serve in the military or do civilian duty. Should we all give back to our country by performing national service? Do you think national service makes us better citizens? Why does service have to be through the government? Can't we do just as much good through churches, private groups or on our own? Plus, in a close five to four ruling the State Supreme Court has decided that the smoking ban applies to the Bremerton American Legion po

Polls have a huge influence in political messages and advertising. Today we'll hear from one of the premier pollsters, John Zogby. We'll get his take on the post–convention bounce that John McCain and Sarah Palin are enjoying. We'll ask him, and you: at the end of the day, is it a politician's stand on the issues that decides elections? Or is it personality and temperament? Also, on Monday in SeaTac two pit bulls attacked a 71 year–old woman and nearly killed her. Surgeons are trying to reattach her ears — the dogs ripped them from her head. According to the Seattle Animal Shelter, although on

Youth voter participation was on the rise during the presidential primaries. This year, one in five eligible voters will be 18 to 29. Will this be the year the youth vote is decisive? Democracy is predicated on participation. But young voters participate in elections much less than older voters. Why? What's being done in 2008 to get people under 25 to engage in politics? Will it work? We'll talk to the head of MoveRed, a conservative get–out–the–vote group, and we'll meet a 17–year–old delegate for Barack Obama. Did you vote the first year you were eligible? Why or why not? Are you an adamant

This year about 3,000 middle school students at low–achieving schools in the District of Columbia will get paid to show up at school and do well. New York City and five other states are experimenting with cash–for–grades. Should kids get paid to go to school, behave well and get good grades? One educator says they're just preparing students for life where people get paid to work. What do you think? Also today, Washington Mutual (WAMU) ousts its chief executive. What needs to change at Seattle–based WAMU, the nation's largest savings and loan? We hear more about the new CEO. Seattle's neighborho

Last night John McCain gave his acceptance speech for the Republican nomination. How do Barack Obama and John McCain's acceptance speeches compare? Where do they agree? Where do they disagree? Where is the emotional center of each address? The acceptance speech is a candidate's chance to speak before an enthusiastic live audience and to the nation via television. It's the moment in a presidential campaign where the candidates set course for the final two month sprint to the election. We'll hear what Obama and McCain had to say about the economy, Iraq, energy and each other. We'll play back the

Republican Dino Rossi lost the governor's race four years ago by 133 votes. He joins us to talk about his re–run against Democrat Chris Gregoire. Also today, Sarah Palin fired up the Republican National Convention last night in St. Paul. The political pundits have been explaining what it all means. Today you tell us what you thought of the speech. And, should it be easier to raise taxes? Currently it takes a supermajority or two thirds vote. Democratic State Senator Lisa Brown has filed a lawsuit to change that. It's scheduled to go before the state supreme court on Tuesday. Should a simple

Both major party presidential candidates support merit pay for teachers. That's what Barack Obama told a major teacher's union last July. The teachers booed. John McCain has also come out in support of merit pay for teachers. Some unions and teachers resist merit pay. We'll find out the pros and cons of merit pay for teachers. Are you a teacher or parent? Tell us what you think about merit pay for teachers. Also today, police release more details on yesterday's shooting rampage in Skagit County that left six people dead and others wounded. Plus, Boeing machinists vote today on whether to go on

Is Sara Palin on the Republican vice presidential ticket a step forward for women? Does McCain's choice of a working mother bolster the cause of all working mothers? Also today, Bellevue teachers are on strike. We'll hear more about the dispute. The leadership of the Machinists union recommends the rank and file reject Boeing's final contract offer. We'll learn about the prospects for a strike. We'll also hear about the clashes between activists and police in St. Paul at the Republican national convention. Some protestors say law enforcement is squelching legitimate political expression, but me