I never watch televised political debates, but I do read commentary about them. Herewith some excerpts re the most recent debate:
They are all seeking even further drastic cuts in federal income taxation. Ron Paul even goes to zero. How on earth are they going to cut the debt if they slash the top rates even further? The radicalism here is breath-taking.The embedded image is a photo of a cartoon that has been on my bulletin board since 2004; the original can be accessed in the archive of Real Life Adventures.
Jeers and boos for someone who has Mexican ancestry [Romney]. Wow. The rank xenophobia in the GOP base sometimes surprises.
"Rich white people don't get the death penalty very often." Yes, I just heard that at a Republican debate. That's that racist Ron Paul for you.
Juan Williams tries to find out if Gingrich can even understand why some of his rhetoric may offend some. Newt responds by backing child labor in schools. Juan Williams hangs in. The crowd boos the black moderator.
Now Romney tries to coopt the bloodlust. "We are under attack." If you believe that the US is under attack, and that this gives the US the right to go anywhere and kill anyone, then this is your party.
A chilling defense by Romney of the right to put people in prison for "treason" without any due process... this party that allegedly believes in individual freedom is completely comfortable with the abolition of habeas corpus whenever an administration cries out: "terror suspect!"
This is Jon Huntsman's best debate by far.
Another discussion of No Child Left Behind with no mention at all of its architect, George W. Bush. In fact, I think it's an amazing thing that over 16 debates, the last Republican president has gone unnamed. He doesn't exist.
From my perspective, Romney was cringe-inducing, shudder-worthy, and plastic beyond measure. I suspect he's going to try and rig this year's tax returns to hide his far lower rate of taxation and far, far, far higher income than 99.999 percent of the population. It was a weak answer.
"Rich white people don't get the death penalty very often." Yes, I just heard that at a Republican debate. That's that racist Ron Paul for you.
ReplyDeleteOh, how clever Sullivan. Unfortunately there's a wealth of other less flattering quotes by Paul out there for anybody who wants to read them.
Would there be any mileage in an American politician abandoning the loony right and just talking to the more sensible portion of the electorate? I'm sure there must be level headed people who aren't taken in by all this - they can't be in the minority, can they?
ReplyDelete"Rich white people don't get the death penalty very often." Yes, I just heard that at a Republican debate. That's that racist Ron Paul for you.
ReplyDeleteI don't see how that's racist at all. It's the simple truth...and at least he's willing to admit it.
"backing child labor in schools" What a pathetic and intellectually lazy interpretation.
ReplyDeleteActually white murderers make up a significantly larger proportion of death row inmates. Ron Paul's comment is racist, he could have said "rich people" instead of "rich white people" and been partly correct. His bigotry is pretty evident in the language he chooses.
ReplyDeleteRich people rarely get the death penalty because rich people rarely commit capital murder. It does happen, though. Thomas Capano got the death penalty. Robert Marshall got the death penalty. Scott Peterson wasn't rich, but he did get the lawyer to the stars and he is on death row.
I don't see how that's racist at all. It's the simple truth...and at least he's willing to admit it.
ReplyDeleteSullivan was being sarcastic. He's foolishly and disingenuously trying to suggest that this debate comment somehow cancels out oodles of unbelievable quotes, associations and neoconservative policy beliefs.
I meant "neo-confederate" policy beliefs. The obsession with "state's rights" etc.
ReplyDeleteSkipweasel, if only! People on the right often listen to the likes of Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reily (sp?) and "fair and balanced" Fox News. They take bombast and rhetoric for facts, I fear.
ReplyDeleteBut I wonder how on earth they think they can attract independent voters with their extreme positions? I used to be a Republican, but left the party when it sold its soul to the far right, the "religious", the extremists, and the haters.
One thing that I keep wondering about with the Republican Party is the fact that for at least 10 years, and possibly more, whenever a Republican candidate lost a general election (not a Republican only primate), the right wing pundits (largely, but not exclusively over on Fox) will state that said candidate lost because he or she was not conservative enough. And this is being said despite the fact that only around a third of the population is conservative. Make you wonder.
ReplyDelete