Friday, August 7, 2015

Watch the Republican Debate With Me

The clown car pulled up to the same arena in which LeBron works his magic, discharging 17 contestants for Republican-Candidate-For-President.  The bottom seven spoke earlier in the day; I was out having fun. Now I am on Douglas the couch, having a different kind of fun.  It's starting out to be so awful that it's wonderful, like a 3 Stooges pratfall.
*****
The pre-game show is embarrassing, but that might be due to my unfamiliarity with the Fox news team.  The qualifications of the men on the stage were attacked from the beginning, and I am impressed for the first time (and, it turns out not the last time) with the toughness of the questions. 

The men were put on the spot from the first.  Donald Trump refused to pledge support for the eventual nominee nor would he rule out running as a third party candidate. Ben Carson's inability to recognize Alan Greenspan or NATO members was the second question.  He's a thoughtful man, a smart man, who had me on his side until he began talking about giving the military free rein to get the job done.

Seven Days in May.... Dr. Strangelove.... I don't think so.
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Trump justifies his misogyny by calling Megyn Kelly out for political correctness.  The audience - women in the audience - were applauding.  He says I yam who I yam and if you don't like it too bad. And the audience cheered.  

I know I am supposed to love Americans and love America, but these people scare me.
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Governor Walker says that unborn babies are more important than the women carrying them.  Mike Huckabee knows that the zygote is a human being because of the DNA schedule.  I wonder what the DNA schedule is.
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I find myself agreeing with Rand Paul about not arming the enemies of ISIS, ISIS which is driving around in millions of dollars of American equipment, and then, as if the Republicans are on a roll into my heart, Ohio Governor Kasich begins talking about mental illness, the working poor, the overwhelmed ER's, Medicaid, job growth, and I'm smiling.  

Jeb Bush spoke about earned legal status for those without other options and he stood his ground and I was vaguely impressed until he kept talking and it became babbling and then there was Donald Trump fantasizing about building a beautiful wall, calling out the stupid leaders of the United States... even the audience gasped.  
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Lenders lost billions, Mr. Trump, after your bankruptcies.  I have taken advantage of the laws of this country.....  They need somebody like me to straighten out this place.  

His message seems to be congratulate me on being smart enough to take advantage of every loophole in order to become a billionaire; send me to Washington and no one else will ever be able to do it again.

I'm not sure I'd trust him to do the right thing.... not sure at all.
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Gov. Kasich,  would you accept a gay child who chose to marry?  I'm an old fashioned guy, I'm traditional.  But, the court has ruled and I must accept it.  And, I have.  Of course I would love him.  Of course I would support him.  That's what we're supposed to do.  I'm gonna love my daughters no matter what they do, because God gives me unconditional love and that's what I'll give to those around me.  

This is religion that doesn't make my skin crawl.  
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Chris Christie wants to increase the size of our military.  He hugged every 9/11 survivor and family member he could find.  He thinks FISA courts are just fine.  He's well prepared. 

He's a New Jersey politician and therefore, by definition, untrustworthy...... Bill Bradley not withstanding.
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And in the end, I am furious, because instead of asking about sensible gun legislation, about making my daily life safer, about race relations, about veterans, the candidates were asked whether they had received a word from God about what to do first.

And no one laughed.I am estranged.  

God is a Republican, according to Marco Rubio, since He chose so many fine candidates on Rubio's side and none on the Democrats'.  These are not people with whom I have very much in common.
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Ted Cruz declared war on just about everyone. Ben Carson made people laugh and was smart enough to avoid specifics (because they are really scary).  Mike Huckabee's screed about Trump turned out to be a criticism of Hilary.... oh, right.... sure.... but Trump was laughing at himself and that, in itself, was interesting.  His bombastic end to the two hours was very Fox-like, and then, like Megyn Kelly, I was done.
*****
It was more interesting and less cringe worthy than I expected it to be.  There are some deeply frightening people on the stage right now, hugging their families and trying to appear relaxed.  I am more informed than I was before, and that is a good thing.

8 comments:

  1. I agree with everything you said AB. Well put, but then that is why you have a blog. I had a hard time watching, because as you said, "These people scare me." And because my husband wouldn't stop yelling at the idiots on the stage.
    Thanks for your view on the debate.

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  2. I had to leave the room. They all make my flesh creep.

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    1. Hard to tell which was worse - the show on the stage or the show in the audience. It's odd to feel that Fox News is the sanest group in the room.
      a/b

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  3. I watched it all. My problem in the end is what they all stand for. They literally are in lockstep with no real differences. Some of them were more cringeworthy than others but I can't imagine voting for any given their love of wars they don't pay for a wall that they also have no idea how to pay for nor will it work, and finally their assault on individual rights. They should quit calling themselves pro-life. What they are is pro-birth as their interest in the baby ends right after birth with no help for education, health care, food or anything else. They just want it born. And although Kasich didn't say he'd go after an amendment to block gay marriage, he probably would if enough on his side wanted it. It is frustrating right now and frankly I am not thrilled with Clinton either :( This will be a downer of a political season for me if nothing new develops

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    1. What you said. Yes, I can't love Hilary any more than I can love Carly Fiorina; gender alone just doesn't cut it for me. Hilary is obviously qualified, but when I find myself wondering if honesty and trustworthiness are necessary components for a successful Presidency I start to join you in the downer moment.

      And we have so many many months left .
      a/b

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  4. It was an illuminating in that it showed how scary this men are. I can only hope there are more thinking voters than there are lock-step non-thinking ones.

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    1. How far can I go and still .... I don't know what to say next? How far will they go? Unfunded wars got us no place internationally, so let's have more of them, eh?

      It's our job to get out and vote and to get the vote out, too. Complacency could end in disaster.
      a/b

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