So who won the GOP debate Monday night from Tampa, Florida? Naturally, I am going to say Rick Perry won, given that he had to defend himself from multiple candidates and the moderator, Wolf Blitzer. Sure, he drew a few boos from the audience over a program to provide education to children of illegal immigrants, but what state doesn′t do that? Perry, however, also drew the loudest applause when he stood by his criticism of Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernanke. Overall, Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain delivered the best performances at the Republican live presidential debate. The biggest loser simply had to be Jon Huntsman. Advice to the next debate panel, ditch Huntsman and replace him with Thaddeus McCotter!
Michele Bachmann and Mitt Romney played like a wrestling tag-team in their efforts to take down Rick Perry. During the introductions, Romney received a minimal of applause from the audience, comprising of Tea Party members. Romney and Perry sparred, much as they did last debate. This time, Michele Bachmann was more aggressive and CNN gave her more face-time. But there is little doubt that her campaign is in serious trouble. Two new polls this week show her fading fast into the single digits while Perry holds a double-digit lead over Romney.
Much time was sent on the Social Security issue. Perry adjusted his rhetoric, defending his previous comments but still calling for the entitlement program to be fixed. Herman Cain finally had a chance to raise the issue of the Galveston alternative to Social Security, where those participating are receiving over 50% more money from their retirement plan. Huntsman, who needs to dent Romney in New Hampshire, pointed out that Mitt has also referred to Social Security as a fraud and being criminal.
The GOP debate was hosted by CNN and the Tea Party Express, along with some 100-plus other Tea Party groups nationwide. The audience did appear to favor Rick Perry, as well as Herman Cain and even Newt Gingrich at times. Perhaps most surprising of all was when Ron Paul was booed as he described why al Qaeda declared war against us. It was somewhat unfair, since Paul was not endorsing their position, just stating it to counter the Neo-Con view of Rick Santorum. So as far as who won the Republican live debate last night, I will say Rick Perry for effort and Newt Gingrich for his take-the-high-ground approach. Once again, Newt refused to be dragged into a dogfight and kept his focus on slamming Barack Obama.










September 13th, 2011 at 5:14 am
Hugs Andy,
no comment….what should translate into: I agree (though I did not quite get where you position yourself on this topic right now. Somewhere leftish or rightish?)
Karin
September 13th, 2011 at 5:40 am
Whoo, Andys got groupies.
Leftish ot rightish, you got hugs buddy
September 13th, 2011 at 5:54 am
Hugs back at you, Karin!
I think it is fair to say I am very, very ‘Rightish’ on most issues.
September 13th, 2011 at 5:55 am
Yes, Micky,
Though I should say I have known Karin for several years, long before I started blogging. She is a very sweet lady!
September 13th, 2011 at 6:25 am
Missed the debate – traveling, not apathy – but read this morning that the audience members were quite vocal in their support for letting a hypothetical uninsured emergency patient die. If true, pathetic. How embarassing for our country that these folks are now considered mainstream.
September 13th, 2011 at 7:38 am
Karin, no doubt has to be sweet if shes huggin you !
Hey Karin !
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TA, what were you reading ?
You are aware that the real reason for the audiences outburst was Ron Paul and his feeble stutterin rump that usual has one or both sides of the room pee’d off when he answers a question?
He wasnt saying anyone should die as the question was framed inappropriately and as much as he simply vocalized the whole thing in such an absurd backasswards manner that it sounded like that.
We dont let people die in this country and its never taken government intervention to instill that moral and ethic into our society.
If you’re “ABLE” theres no reason everyone else should be forced to pay for your insurance, even you.
But of course if you opt out of insurance dont go crying when you need it but bought solar panels instead
September 13th, 2011 at 8:05 am
There was an article in the Wall Street Journal a few days ago about people being refused insurance for innocuous reasons.
One gentleman saw a chiropractor, the other wore a heart monitor for a day (with no negative results)and the other took Zyban to quit smoking, but Zyban is the same as Wellbrutin that is classified as an anti-depressant, thus they branded him with mental illness. They were all refused and none of them was older than 40.
The percentage of refusals varied from 18% to over 38% of all applicants for Anthem Insurance.
I don’t blame them, if you only insure healthy people it allows you to make money in record numbers.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:23 am
I read about the crowd’s reaction to the “do we let an uninsured thirty year old die” question on several sites, including Politico. I do not see this as an inappropriate question – it is really the heart of the whole debate on healthcare.
As to your comment, “If you’re “ABLE” theres no reason everyone else should be forced to pay for your insurance, even you.
But of course if you opt out of insurance dont go crying when you need it but bought solar panels instead.” In theory I agree. But in reality, who makes the determination that someone who is being wheeled into an emergency room should have used their money for insurance rather than solar panels? It just doesn’t work.
Until we as a society are willing to literally let people die in the streets, then we as a society are going to be paying for care for the uninsured. It’s really that simple. If people would just acknowledge this very basic fact maybe there could be meaningful dialogue and perhaps even a plan that all or most could agree on. But while the far right continues to insist that healthcare is a personal responsibility, while at the same time refusing to admit that this means people will indeed go without care, we’re going to continue to spin our wheels and argue amongst ourselves and get nothing done.
September 13th, 2011 at 9:22 am
So, should an uninsured pregnant woman be allowed to give birth?
September 13th, 2011 at 11:20 am
“I do not see this as an inappropriate question – it is really the heart of the whole debate on healthcare.”
I never said the question was inappropriate.
Its the way it was framed/presented.
He did say “of course we dont let people die”
I watched the debate and I am no fan of Ron Paul whatsoever, everyone knows this.
But he was badgered unfairly.
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I dont think the pregnant woman will have much choice, eventually.
Everyone can have insurance without the government getting into it.
So stop making everyone not in favor of government mandated insurance out to be heartless killers.
And stop pretending that government will not have to ration that care at some point.
THEY DO ALREADY !!!
Its a “FCKING BULLSHT” ARGUMENT AND ASSERTION TO MAKE !
Let the market do what it does so it can supply a demand.
Right now the demand is for cheap affordable insurance.
The market serves itself no purpose if it keeps policies no one can afford.
Private companys have yours, share holders and their money to be accountable for if they are a profit business.
The government is under no obliogation to be responsible with your money.
When with what program has the government ever been fiscally responsible with your money !
They pi$$ it away as if theres always more and are outrageously irresponsible with it because they have no profit or managemant to answer to.
You’re crazy stupid high if you think government run mandated unconstitutionally applied insurance can be sustainable or be of the quality needed.
There is nothing the government has ever done that didnt suck and cost ten times more than projected.
Its a fcking disaster waiting to happen all because a bunch of people are too lazy to do what needs to be done the right way.
Its also a really nasty fcked up ploy to trap voters !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 13th, 2011 at 11:27 am
“But while the far right continues to insist that healthcare is a personal responsibility, ”
Oh bullsht !
Once we admit healthcare “isnt” a personal responsibility is when you guys get to tell us what to do, how, where and when, what to eat, drink, breath, wear,…
it should always be a personal responsibility !
What the hell is the matter with you people ?
hah ! try again
September 13th, 2011 at 11:33 am
I don’t know who won but I know who lost.
The American people.
September 13th, 2011 at 11:38 am
Speak for yourself ass hole.
You already wished the right half dead so what does it matter to you what kind of coverage we have ?
Freeking jerk
September 13th, 2011 at 12:21 pm
So Micky, where in your argument is the part where people do not get denied care?
And haven’t we been operating with your preferred free-market system for years? And 40 million uninsured would say that’s not working out so well. As would those paying too much for their insurance because they’re overpaying to compensate for the 40 million. It simply doesn’t work.
September 13th, 2011 at 1:17 pm
I thought Ron Paul won the debate hands down. I am not even republican, but will definetly vote for him if he gets the nomination. This guy exudes FREEDOM, unfortunately many Americans are afraid and cringe at the thought of massive blood sucking federal institutions getting shut down.
September 13th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
The Tea Party crowd cheering and shouting “Yes! Yes!” at the prospect of just letting someone without health insurance die was one of those defining moments we see at times, one of those moments when a group of people are suddenly and unrepentantly exposed for what they truly are. There is no way you can defend it. No way. These people say that they are Christians. Religion is a big part of their act. But there is certainly nothing Christian about this.
Let’s see. Let’s see. Perhaps there are and have been certain people who do deserve to die, I suppose. It is just, I did not know that someone who is sick and without medical care, for any reason, should be one of them. I thought this went out of fashion with Charles Dickens. Certainly there are many people in our country who suffer and even die for want of medical care, but the point is, most all of us agree that this is an evil thing, something that should be changed, or prevented. The argument is, how do we achieve this end?
But here we have the Tea Party conservatives. They have a much better solution. Why worry about it? JUST LET THEM DIE, and forget about it. Life is hard, if someone for some reason is not self reliant enough, or smart enough, or responsible enough, or whatever enough to get medical care, then JUST LET THEM DIE. Very simple. Very succinct. Very utile. And also very much the philosophy of Satan the Devil, rather than Jesus Christ, or any other benevolent God you can think of, or imagine. Perhaps on judgement day these people will be surprised to hear God Almighty’s pronouncement of the fate that THEY may have in store:
LET THEM NOT DIE, FOR ETERNITY.
September 13th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
@ F. A. Hayek
I’m sure that Democrats and other Liberal-bent people are afraid of shutting down the “massive blood sucking federal institutions” we currently have.
What bugs Conservatives is Ron Paul’s stand on foreign and defense policy. While it would be wonderful to return to the care-free pre-WWI days of neutrality, the realities of the modern era, with nuke-tipped ICBMs, it simply is not going to happen.
Now we have to worry about cyber attacks that could crash a nation’s economy and vital infrastructure in mere nano-seconds. Playing like Switzerland is a difficult road to re-enter. Keep in mind that while America enjoyed its days of neutrality in the 19th Century, we did so under the umbrella of the British Empire which played Global Policeman. Its a lousy job that eventually will doom us as a nation, but somebody has to do it, until we figure out a better way.
September 13th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
@ Klo
The very point Ron Paul made during that question was that before Medicare and Medicaid, it was the churches that helped pay for the care of the poor. America is the most generous nation on Earth. The difference is that true charity is a voluntary act, where the contributor knows where his or her money is going and how it will be spent. Forced confiscation by the government which spends the money in what is usually the most wasteful method is simply morally wrong and highly inefficient.
September 13th, 2011 at 2:27 pm
That’s exactly my point, Andy. Thank you. If true charity does not exist at that moment, or if it is unavailable, or not enough to go around, then they will just have to die.
Your philosophy, exactly. Their blood is the price we must pay to keep America pure form evil things like social insurance, government health care programs, etc., etc., etc. Thank you, thank you, thank you. We know where you stand.
September 13th, 2011 at 2:28 pm
Even if the people want it, but that’s another issue.
September 13th, 2011 at 4:15 pm
TA;
“So Micky, where in your argument is the part where people do not get denied care?”
When its paid for.
Pretty simple huh ?
Now, you might ask how its paid for…thats a matter of ideology and opinion.
“And haven’t we been operating with your preferred free-market system for years? And 40 million uninsured would say that’s not working out so well.”
Not really, you conveniently left out the part where I mentioned that not one government service today works within its intended budget and as a matter of fact is hundreds of times over projected budgets, for example medicare/caid after its conception in the 60s.
Its the most over regulated inefficient hundreds of times over budget what was proposed in the 60s and denies coverage all day long to the tune of 50% of claims.
” As would those paying too much for their insurance because they’re overpaying to compensate for the 40 million. It simply doesn’t work.”
What makes you think it’ll work better if it were a national federal system forced on everyone?
Bwahahaha !!!
Are you aware that force is the opposite of freedom ?
Klo, would you kill a whole society for the good of one man ?
At what point do we stop paying ?
When 1/2 the population is sick with AIDs ?
When 3/4 the population is dying ?
How many pay, and how many dont pay ?
50/50 ?
60/40 ?
70/30 ?
80/20 ?
90/10 ?
99/1 ?
I want to be one of the 99, kay ? lets see how long that system lasts, kay ?
Orrrrr, I could get a job and buy my own just for me and if you get sick everyone can chip in for your care !
Oh, FCK WAIT!! WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT ALREADY ! DONT WE ???
ITS CALLED MEDICAID AND MEDICARE AND SCHIPs
AND GUESS WHAT ?
IT SUCKS AND ITS GOING BROKE BECAUSE SCHLUBS LIKE YOU OUT NUMBER THOSE THAT PAY INTO IT !!!
Now, in finishing I’d like you and TA to answer me a question.
What federally operated system today is within its budget and operates in a capacity you’d trust your life with (or better than similar private sector) , besides the military ?
Take a hike !
September 13th, 2011 at 4:24 pm
“Last fall, Rand Paul briefly caused a stir when he suggested that his libertarian principles would require him to have opposed the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Paul danced around the subject, refusing the let himself be pinned down.
Tonight his father and political idol, Ron Paul, appeared on “Hardball” and said, very forthrightly, what his son merely implied:
Rand’s statements on the law (which he later retracted) came during his first week as the Republican nominee for Senate in Kentucky in 2010. Ron’s criticisms of the law came on the day he declared his third run for the presidency.”
” Paul said he would vote against the law because it imposed unfair rules on what private business owners can and can’t do on their own property. Essentially, they should be free to discriminate if they wish, Paul says, however distasteful that may be.”
“Paul’s alliance with neo-Confederates helps explain the views his newsletters have long espoused on race. Take, for instance, a special issue of the Ron Paul Political Report,published in June 1992, dedicated to explaining the Los Angeles riots of that year. “Order was only restored in L.A. when it came time for the blacks to pick up their welfare checks three days after rioting began,” read one typical passage. According to the newsletter, the looting was a natural byproduct of government indulging the black community with “‘civil rights,’ quotas, mandated hiring preferences, set-asides for government contracts, gerrymandered voting districts, black bureaucracies, black mayors, black curricula in schools, black tv shows, black tv anchors, hate crime laws, and public humiliation for anyone who dares question the black agenda.” It also denounced “the media” for believing that “America’s number one need is an unlimited white checking account for underclass blacks.”…”
” December 1989, a section of hisInvestment Letter, titled “What To Expect for the 1990s,” predicted that “Racial Violence Will Fill Our Cities” because “mostly black welfare recipients will feel justified in stealing from mostly white ‘haves.’” Two months later, a newsletter warned of “The Coming Race War,” and, in November 1990, an item advised readers, “If you live in a major city, and can leave, do so. If not, but you can have a rural retreat, for investment and refuge, buy it.” In June 1991, an entry on racial disturbances in Washington, DC’s Adams Morgan neighborhood was titled, “Animals Take Over the D.C. Zoo.” “This is only the first skirmish in the race war of the 1990s,” the newsletter predicted. In an October 1992 item about urban crime, the newsletter’s author–presumably Paul–wrote, “I’ve urged everyone in my family to know how to use a gun in self defense. For the animals are coming.” That same year, a newsletter described the aftermath of a basketball game in which “blacks poured into the streets of Chicago in celebration. How to celebrate? How else? They broke the windows of stores to loot.” The newsletter inveighed against liberals who “want to keep white America from taking action against black crime and welfare,” adding, “Jury verdicts, basketball games, and even music are enough to set off black rage, it seems.””
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theres more, much more
September 13th, 2011 at 5:11 pm
“Klo, would you kill a whole society for the good of one man ?”
If that society does not care about him and his fate, then that society is dead already.
Just like them Tea Partiers who yelled “Yes! Yes!” They dead inside. Already.
September 13th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
so, a dead society would kill all of themselves for one man right ?
Help me out here with the most fcked up logic I’ve heard.
Ever hear of one man sacrificing himself for the good of everyone ?
A society populated with those individual citizens is the kind of society that survives instead of the society full of the one ass hole(s) like you depending on and dragging down everyone else.
They all may be kind enough to make that sacrifice for you but what does it say about you who would take advantage of an entire civilizations charity so you could be the only man left on earth ?
First of all there’d be no procreation without a mate so humanity would die because of your selfish greedy ass.
The prime directive whether religious or not is a populated humanity, not self, but only individualism and not the collective can propel that…
fcking idiot
September 13th, 2011 at 9:45 pm
People deserve wealthy life and business loans or bank loan can make it better. Just because freedom bases on money state.