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Between now and Nov. 2, Americans should do themselves and the nation a huge favor. They should ask pointed questions about several dubious issues that candidates and allied attack dogs have pushed to the forefront of the campaign season:

Will anyone care about those issues on Nov. 3? Do they have anything to do with advancing widespread national prosperity and security? (Which are not only the government's most important tasks, but also may be deeply affected by the outcome of this election.)

Are they the sort of cheap emotional minutiae politicians and activists emphasize to gain votes?

Are truly important issues being shortchanged as a result?

So much for George W. Bush's National Guard service, John Kerry's medals and a same-sex marriage constitutional amendment.

But that's the easy part. Over the next five weeks, Americans who wish to cast informed ballots based on issues that matter will have to wade through yet more misdirection, obfuscation, innuendo, hype and outright lies to determine what actually is most significant and what the candidates actually would do.

To give them a running start, here in a very small nutshell are just a few of the concerns pushed to the side by endless talk of Swift boats and missed pilot physicals:

The federal budget, taxes, government services and entitlements. The budget deficit is around $450 billion this year. Red ink stretches far into the future. War, domestic security and an aging population will require ever more funding.

The Bush administration is pushing yet more tax cuts as well as more spending. Kerry would spend more and rescind some tax cuts for the wealthy.

Voters will want to know a lot more before deciding which candidate can save Social Security, Medicare and a host of crucial services without taking the nation into insolvency.

Iraq and Afghanistan. Both in trouble, both likely terrorist havens, both in dire need of more American troops and money.

Neither candidate has offered much more than assurances that he can fix things. In Bush's case, the president adds that nothing much is wrong, either.

Homeland security and civil liberties. Do we really have the former, and did we really need to curtail the latter to get it? Based on the debate so far, who knows?

Not the American voters. But if they start asking questions, they still have five weeks to try to find out.