Mitt Romney thinks green jobs are silly and that knowing how to start businesses is akin to running the world's biggest economy. At least he's sensible on things like Social Security. But, then he started talking about immigration, which he thinks a fence would fix. Then he said there's a "magnet" attracting illegal immigrants to the US, which I presume we know colloquially as the American Dream. Very strange, Mitt. He's kind of a joke sometimes, but I would have considered voting for him if he had screamed "NO!" when Brian Williams asked if he's a member of the Tea Party. Instead, we got another obtuse "sorta kinda" answer. Pathetic.
I was just really jealous of Jon Huntsman's hair all night. Why, oh Lord, was I not blessed with such supple magnificent locks?! Also, cool it on the spray tan, brah. His gold tie was a little too matchy-matchy (with his skin), too. Jon, you probably should have stayed in China, let Obama finish his second term, and he might have supported you as a popular ex-president in your (likely successful) bid for the president as a moderate Republican in 2016. Oh well, now you're forgettable, and you'll probably be forgotten. BUT WAIT, there was a sensible moment when Huntsman said he was anti-pledge, suggesting that he's willing to listen to academics and economists and professionals who say taxation is necessary for a government to be effective. He's also the only Republican on that stage who had the balls to say "I believe in climate change and evolution, because it's a scientific truth". Bravo, Mr. Huntsman. Bravo.
Rick Perry's modus operandi tonight was to ignore questions and blame the federal government for EVERYTHING. When asked why Texas has the worst heath insurance record of any state (compared with Romney's MA, which has an individual mandate and almost no uninsured constituents), he said that people would rather be able to choose for themselves. Oh really? I'd rather the government help me by providing affordable insurance instead of letting me "choose" that I'd rather feed my kids than take them to the doctor. He also thinks Social Security is unconstitutional and a Ponzi Scheme (which Karl Rove and Dick Cheney think is a little too right-wing...ummm...WTF). Apparently, Perry's not quite sure what a Ponzi scheme is, or the Constitution for that matter. He was sensible, though, on his HPV executive order, where he required 12 year old girls to submit to the vaccine (with an opt-out option, obviously), and it was nice to see him defend a good decision. Unfortunately, that was overshadowed by the fact that he thinks we should employ predator drones to monitor the US-Mexican border, along with 3,000 more federal border patrol agents (wait, I thought you opposed government spending? Can't border patrol be privatized?). Perry didn't do anything tonight except snake his way around relatively straightforward questions, mispronounce "Keynesian", and prove once and for all that he is completely unfamiliar with science and completely full of bullshit. Let's not forget that he killed an innocent man on death row once.
Michele Bachmann was surprisingly quiet in the beginning (and middle and end), except when she vowed to basically appoint 15 Republican (read: Tea Party) Senators. Bachmann got a little sassy about energy dependence, arguing that we should life all restrictions on energy production. She wants to make gas cheap so we can use it more freely, probably because she thinks 1) climate change is fake and 2) God put oil here for humans to burn. And apparently Bachmann thinks a country can yield national sovereignty to its own federal government. Maybe I'm too stupid to understand her political science theories, but I doubt it. Her economic theories are beyond me, too, apparently, since an immigrant who comes here legally to work and thus pays taxes can somehow be a drain on the American tax payer. And, like, for real, what the HELL is on top of your head?? You need to call Palin and see what's up. Then you need to GTFO.
Newt Gingrich made a fool of himself yet again. He accused Brian Williams of promoting Republican infighting (really, though, isn't that just like a few hens pecking each other to death over a few spilled kernels of corn?). Then he admitted that his only goal was to get rid of Obama. The worst Gingrich idea, though, was when he suggested providing Pell Grants to all K-12 students and their families so they can pick which charter school they want to attend. Horrifying. He also thinks immigrants should be forced to learn English and American history, which must have been super awk for him to say standing so close to Michele Bachmann. And HOW DARE YOU INSULT BEN BERNANKE you ignorant prick.
Ron Paul is a crackpot anarchist, which is weird since HE'S RUNNING FOR A GOVERNMENT POSITION.
Rick Santorum just looked terrified all night, his jacket was ill-fitting, and he was unusually squirmish (a frothily fitting description). He can't be president because he'd be too easy to make fun of. At least he's anti-isolationist, I guess, although I wish he'd isolate himself in an insane asylum somewhere.
Herman Cain's 9-9-9 Plan (or Nein! Nein! Nein! Plan according to Andy Borowitz) is really stupid. He agrees with Ron Paul that the government shouldn't be responsible for air safety (i.e. dismantle TSA and the Department of Homeland Security). So crazy.
OVERVIEW: These people are nuts. They fight with each other like kids in a school yard, and they just scream shit like "class warfare" and "bureaucratic socialism" and "Obamacare" - and then they wait for applause. It's completely inappropriate to host this circus in the Ronald Reagan Library, since (as Think Progress pointed out earlier today) he would be "an outcast" in the modern GOP. Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum are out, because they both looked weak and were largely ignored by the moderators. Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul were never even serious contenders, which only leaves Jon Huntsman, Rick Perry and Mitt Romney. Huntsman started off weak, but he came back really strong when he painted himself as a smart, pro-science candidate who appreciates the values of fiscal conservatism but recognizes the merits of Keynesian economics. Perry and Romney were trying to appeal to the Tea Party, which isn't what's going to win this election. Huntsman may not be too popular with the most conservative fringe of the GOP, but his ideas will reverberate among those who consider themselves moderates.
I'm
No comments:
Post a Comment