Thursday, September 17, 2015

Random Ramblings: Debate Edition

So, did you see the debate(s) last evening? I did and once again the first debate was the best one. Bobby Jindal nailed them last night, but good. The crowd at the Reagan Library was filled to the brim with establishment types who were most likely horrified by Ronald Reagan back in the day. They just LOVED when Pataki presented the "Supreme Court uber alles" argument about gay marriage and Obamacare and when Lindsey Graham whined about how helpless we all are unless and until we get a new "Republican" President. Jindal stole my brainwave when he said...

"I wish the Senate Republicans had half the fight in them the Senate Democrats did. They forced Obamacare down our throats even when they didn't have 60 votes. I wish Republicans in D.C. had half the fight of the Senate Democrats to get rid of Obamacare, to defund Planned Parenthood. If we can't defund Planned Parenthood now; if we can't stand up for innocent human life after these barbaric videos, it is time to be done with the Republican party."

Wow, I think that represents the CONSERVATIVE position rather well. When the conversation turned to gay marriage and the Kentucky clerk who stood up for her 1st. Amendment rights Jindal said...


"I'd like the left to give us a list of jobs that Christians aren't allowed to have. If we're not allowed to be clerks, bakers, musicians, caterers ... the first amendment rights -- the right to religious freedom is the first amendment of the constitution. It isn't breaking the law to exercise our constitutional rights."
Graham disagreed, saying, "in a 5-4 decision by the Supreme Court, they have ruled that same sex marriage bans at the state level violate the 14th amendment."  

Gee, I wonder where the average GOP voter will come down on this issue? Needless to say Graham is probably done in politics. He hasn't a hope in hell of getting on the national ticket or serving in any administration in any capacity, that's a given. But he's probably ruined himself in South Carolina as well. He would have been a good VP for Gerald Ford (a crowd favorite no doubt). 

The second debate was pretty good too but a lot less spontaneous. There were moments though. Fiorina gave Trump what for and helped herself a lot (many say she "won") but she got it all wrong on "anchor babies" and the 14th Amendment. Rand Paul set her straight on that although he didn't hit the issue too hard. Huckabee gave an impassioned defense of religious liberty but it'll go unnoticed I'm sure. Chris Christie helped himself I'd say. I though he did well. Scott Walker and Marco Rubio both looked good but didn't stand out. Carson would put you to sleep. He's a good man but I don't think I could take four years of that halting speech pattern he's got going on. Jeb showed a little more life but his positions are way way WAY out of touch. He came off as the "transition" President, you know, the guy who would ease us into being the quasi-latin American country the establishment of both parties wants us to be. If he gets 5% in ANY primary I'll be surprised. Trump was, well Trump. Big on entertainment value painting in broad strokes but short on detail. He bitch slapped Jeb all over the stage. I was almost embarrassed for Jeb, he looked like a pussy.

All in all a good night. There was a LOT of talent up on stage. In my view there were only a couple I COULDN'T live with. At this point I just can't see any Democrat that could beat any of these folks. But for me the eventual nominee has to get immigration right! Otherwise this will be the last election we win forevermore. 

1 comment:

  1. Jeb did look like a panzy. The mainstream media (who still have hope that he will get his legs) are trying to spin the debate as a Jeb Bush win, and I will wait to see the poll numbers, but I stand by my guns that the only people who want him are people who want a pay-back for a vote for him. I'm not just taking a Jeb-jab. I'm convinced that he would lose to anyone that the Democrats ran against him - even a communist like poor old senile Bernie Sanders, who isn't even a Democrat. If blacklivesmatter threw Bernie off the stage, imagine what they'd to to Jeb.

    It would be good if Jeb could have ever held a straight job. Maybe a factory job working swing shift or graveyard shift, bringing his lunch in a metal box with a thermos of Kool Aid. If he'd ever gone to public school, the other boys would have 'pants'd' him. It doesn't matter that he's 6-3.

    Could you imagine Jeb going through Ranger School, the Q Course or BUDS? That's not the litmus test for a president, but there was never a time in his privileged life when he needed to develop character in the same way that most of the other candidates did. He never had to worry about the next paycheck or really, anything except those things that you can brag about on the 19th hole when you're sipping your third Singapore Sling. He's a soft man, who has led a soft life of privilege. His opponents in Russia, Iran and China are not those sorts of people. And that's a problem.

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