The economy appears to be the most important issue for voters in this presidential election year. Candidates from both parties express concern about the everyday costs of living in America; costs that are making each person's version of the American dream less attainable for themselves and their children.

Bankrate zeroed in on pocketbook issues and examined each candidate's positions. We identified six topics that we think are important to Bankrate readers -- health care, taxes, Social Security, education, employment and, of course, the subprime/credit crunch that has stunned the country and is threatening to push us into recession.

You'll find that some candidates have more to say on certain topics than others. Hillary Clinton, for example, has long been a proponent of changes to the health care system.

We included voting records on specific issues where available and appropriate.

Here's a rundown of the six topics and what we tried learned about each candidate's position.

Issues we examined:

Health care   Problems with the system include skyrocketing insurance premiums, hefty out-of-pocket expenses and co-pays, expensive medications, and spotty assistance for individuals not covered by group or government policies. How would the candidates ensure that health care is available and affordable to all Americans? Taxes   Few people seem to think that today's tax system is fair. We want to know what the candidates would do to restore balance to the taxation process. Social Security   America's pension plan isn't in dire straits yet, but the system needs to address long-term issues as two decades of the baby boomer generation retire and sap the system. What is needed to fix the system to ensure benefits for future generations? Subprime/credit crisis   America is in deep economic trouble because of the subprime debacle that is even threatening to create a global slowdown. We wanted to know how the candidates would fix the current situation and ensure that it never happens again. Education   Many people say that America's public school system is failing students and the country. What would the candidates do to create a public school system that excels, encouraging creativity and helping those at risk of dropping out. How would they recruit top-notch teachers? How would they make college affordable for everyone? Employment   The outsourcing of American jobs to foreign countries angers many. But employers say it's too expensive to do business here. What would the candidates do to encourage employers to keep jobs in the United States? How would they provide training for prospective employees? How would they expand beyond the manufacturing and service industries and encourage the development of high-paying jobs for highly skilled people?