Tag: debate (page 2)

Harwood tosses the flip-flop issue to Perry, who says we need to send a message that "America is gonna be America again," and "If you are too big to fail, you are too big."  What does that mean?

Maria asks Gingrich about tax reform based on Bernanke's statement that unemployment is a national crisis.  Gingrich says Bernanke should be fired asap and that he's glad Bernanke "recognizes the wreckage his policies have caused."  He's strong.

Over to Michele Bachmann, who cites historical statistics to say that the rest of the world is attracting capital with lower taxes and we need to get rid of Obamacare and Dodd-Frank.  Also, we need to deal with immigration.  She stumbles a bit, but she stays with it.

Maria Bartiromo says the debate will focus "almost exclusively" on jobs and the economy.

First question to Herman Cain, about Italy's economic problems.  Cain responds directly, but I'm not crazy about his "stuff in the caboose" reference -- what does that mean anyway?  His response doesn't even mention Italy until the follow-up, when he says there's nothing we can do, let them fail.

Romney next, suggests Europe is big enough to handle their own problems, we shouldn't bail out banks here or in Italy.  

Maria going a little overboard, trying to put words in the candidates' mouths early on.  But Romney doesn't take the bait, and he is very strong in his response.

Jim Cramer?  For cryin' out loud. There goes any shot at a dignified evening.

Ron Paul says to let Italy go down the drain, to do otherwise is "prolonging the agony."  He's right on the necessity to "clear the market."  

Tonight, eight Republican presidential candidates square off again for two hours of highly structured questions and answers.  This time, the debate takes place on the campus of Oakland University and will be televised by CNBC.  

What to expect?

At a correspondents breakfast this morning, debate moderators Maria Bartiromo and John Harwood forecast that the debate would center primarily around jobs and the economy.  The Michigan setting lends itself to that discussion, since the Enchanted Mitten is home to a reawakening automobile industry and a burgeoning renaissance of its own, courtesy of a Republican governor and Republican-controlled legislature.

Still, we won't escape more questions on the Herman Cain sexual harassment allegations.  Should this be a topic during this precious time?  Good question, but here's why I think these questions will get asked:

1.  This is television, it's about viewers and ratings.  The prurient element is a big ratings-getter.

2.  It's the topic of the day, especially with Cain's press conference yesterday.

3.  The moderators will want to see whether the other seven will rise to the occasion (sorry about that) and try to take advantage of Cain's misfortune.

4.  Voters are certainly interested in whether a candidate can handle a crisis, especially since Obama has demonstrated he cannot.  These unconfirmed allegations may not be worthy of much, it's hard to say, but this is a situation where a nonsubstantive issue bumps up against the need to discern character, composure, and integrity.

Kalamazoo Sept.13, 2011 - Because a politician or candidate says it, does not make it true.

In a response to a question in the September 12 Republican presidential debate about the FairTax Mitt Romney stated that the FairTax will help the rich and poor but hurt the middle class.  Because the question was asked only of Mitt Romney, no other candidate had the opportunity to respond to Romney's statement and the public was left with only the unsubstantiated statement by Romney.

Some of America's brightest economists have conducted studies on the FairTax that show that Americans of every income level and family status fare better under the FairTax than under the current income tax system.  There is no study by any reputable economist that shows otherwise.

What an opportunity.   While Michelle Bachmann and Herman Cain get to answer questions about whether we should have seen a debt increase. Thad in New Hampshire doing the T-McC streaming not-the-debate show (I have already lost the link.) missing all the fun.

Of course it was a good way to avoid that question:

"WHY did you vote for the debt increase Congressman McCotter?"

Tomorrow, October 20 2010, Congressman John Dingell Faces Dr. Rob Steele of Ann Arbor in a Debate at Monroe Community College's La-Z-Boy Center. It is scheduled for 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Congress' most senior legislator John Dingell faces the culmination of his life's work.  He will get to defend the utter failure that is socialism.  He will have to argue successfully, that Socialism has brought about good things for the area he represents.

One must ask, how bright was the South Eastern part of the great state of Michigan in 1955 when Dingell first became a congressman, and what parts of his political philosophy has brought about the success he sees now?  Should he first identify what he has personally done, or perhaps highlight the great achievements that have improved life for Michiganders who have entrusted him in Washington with their welfare?

Indeed success speaks for itself, he might declare.  And perhaps how Detroit has grown to become the shining jewel of the nation, and Michigan's manufacturing has grown to be the envy of the world, and indeed how such wonderful opportunity abounds!