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The Republican presidential candidates are certainly putting on a show
- That climate change is real.
- Benghazi is nothing more than a Republican witch hunt of Hillary Clinton.
- Senator Ted Cruz really weirds me out.
- Texas is not part of the United States.
- Rand Paul should never talk about Donald Trump’s hair.
- Barack Obama was actually born in Texas, so all the rumors about him not being a citizen of the U.S. are true.
- Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal also weirds me out a little.
That’s enough. Obviously my lame attempt at humor needs some fine tuning. All the above items are things we don’t agree on – with of course the exceptions of items 3, 5 and 7. Texas is of course an important member of the United States family, despite rumors to the contrary.
Let me reflect on Wednesday night’s Republican debate, or what Democrats are referring to as the “Semi Valley version of Comic-Con.” Many strange things were said, and much more importantly, many important things were not said.
Dr. Ben Carson, despite being a renowned doctor, refused to tell Donald Trump he should stop falsely linking vaccines to autism. Instead the venerable physician looked as if he were ready for a nap instead of a vigorous debate.
Several candidates insisted they would shut down government over Planned Parenthood citing a video that experts say doesn’t even exist.
Chris Christie said he would put marijuana users in jail, despite Oregon and Colorado’s referendum’s legalizing the substance. Fiorina said marijuana is not like just having a beer. She’s probably wrong. It is just like having a beer. In fact it’s better. So says the National Institute on Drug Abuse which states that marijuana is probably better for you than beer. That doesn’t mean the National Institute on Drug Abuse or I am condoning the consumption of beer or pot.
Perhaps a beer once in a while.
Trump criticizes Bush for speaking Spanish. Ironic because Trump can barely speak English.
Jeb Bush wanted to put former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on the $10 bill? Trump wants to put Trump on the bill.
When asked what he would like to see as his Secret Service code name, Rand Paul replied “Justice never sleeps.” How about “Curling Iron.”
A day later a questioner at a New Hampshire Town Hall meeting told Trump that President Obama is a Muslim and that we have a problem in this country: “It’s called Muslims,” said the man. “You know our current president is one. You know he’s not even an American.”
Trump forcefully rejected the questioner and defended the president as a Christian who was in fact born in the United States. Just kidding. Trump readily agreed with the questioner, saying “We need this question.” Remember, it was Trump who several years ago sent a team to discover the truth about Obama’s birth certificate, repeating in many interviews that “his guys” had dug up some very valuable information. Four years later and we still waiting for the evidence. I hope Trump isn’t paying his “guys” by the hour.
It wasn’t all the candidates’ fault. CNN, seeking higher ratings, for the most part, rather than asking straight forward questions about the economy, foreign affairs, climate change, and other relevant questions, pitted candidates against each other. For example, asking Ben Carson to tell Donald Trump he’s an idiot for thinking vaccines cause autism, or suggesting that Jeb Bush require the bombastic billionaire to apologize to his wife.
I would really like to have heard real questions deserving real answers. What are the candidates’ positions on climate change, the economy, creating jobs, infrastructure, foreign affairs, the refugee problem in Europe, and a whole host of other issues?
Sadly what we got was a CNN inspired rumble in the jungle, and in poor old Saint Reagan’s cathedral of all places. Poor President Reagan, a solid man who cared about his country wouldn’t recognize it after watching the last Republican debate.
