Since this is an election year and political decisions directly impact our lives, I've been doing lots of research to make an informed decision.  I found this list of questions on another mother's blog (mitchellworks.com) and will be asking these questions myself from now on! 

From mitchellworks.com:
I’m also learning to ask these questions about candidates for elected office — and this will apply far beyond this election cycle. I will ask:

• Which of all these candidates has demonstrated both Liber and Public Virtue?
• Which one has read, lived and studied history and causality?
• Which one consistently compares issues to the Founders’ yardstick?
• Which, through his or her actions, has demonstrated his or her self-view as a servant of the public, not a master of such?
• Which one has made the sometimes hard and unpopular choices to defend liberty and national sovereignty?

Note: Liber is the quality of being able to think, speak and reason.