Mud Wrestling to Debating

From Mud Wrestling to Debating in One Night

The View from the Middle

Last night I tuned into CNN to watch the 11^th Republican Mud-wrestling contest, when a strange thing happened.  An actual debate broke out.  I’m sure some of this change had to do with the candidates.  Rubio had suggested that he was going to return to his normal behavior, Trump had suggested that he was going to turn “Presidential”, and Kasich has always been Mr. Positive, so chances were good.  However, some credit has to go to the moderators.

Up to now, I believe the moderating in the Republican debates has been atrocious.  Wolf Blitzer was incompetent and Fox News has been uncharacteristically slanted (except for Neil Cavuto) and CNBC was their usual awful self.  But last night Jake Tapper and crew did an excellent job.  Their questions begged for policy details instead of inciting riots between the candidates, and they (the moderators) blended into the background of the close-up on the candidates.  Hats off to Jake!

What this debate revealed, is that there is much more agreement than disagreement between these candidates.  For example, everyone is for boarder security.  All want a wall and human patrols of the boarder.  From previous debates we also know that they are for electronic surveillance, ending sanctuary cities and managing visas more efficiently.  If there is a difference, it might be with the existing illegal aliens, but even there it seems they are coalescing around a path to legalization (not citizenship) for good people and sending the criminals back to wherever they came.  And actually, that’s a plan I can support.

They are also in broad agreement on trade.  We need to make better deals.  No one says it more plainly or bluntly than Donald Trump, but all of these candidates have finally agreed that we need to level the playing field so that our companies and people can compete.  Even Ted Cruz finally agreed to some protectionism, whether he would like to admit is or not.  Ted said he would not tax our exports but would tax imports.  He tried to suggest that somehow HIS taxes on imports would not raise prices to Americans, but somehow Trump’s tariffs would.  I guess it’s all in the name. 

The reality is that a tax on imports (or tariffs if you like) runs the risk of raising some prices on goods sold in America.  There are, however, many benefits that offset those risks.  American companies will be encouraged to manufacture goods here, creating American jobs, driving up average wages and reducing unemployment.  That would have a side-affect of reducing our unemployment expenses.  This is another plan I can support.

Everyone wants to support Israel and everyone wants to beat the snot out of ISIS.  I even think that I heard that every candidate was willing to consider the use of large numbers of American ground troops to get the job done.  All would also agree that we need commitments by middle-east countries like Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt as well as European countries like Germany, France and the UK to get it done.  My only concern here is that Trump and Kasich talked about getting out of Iraq when that mission was accomplished and leaving the peace making to Iraq and its neighbors.  My fear is that would be the same as President Obama’s failed SOFA and withdrawal.  I believe we need a peacekeeping presence in Iraq until that country is truly self-reliant.  But I’m on board with kicking ISIS out of Iraq and committing troops if that is necessary.

The final agreement was on education.  Everyone was for pushing education money and responsibility down to the state and local levels.  Choice and competition are the answers.  I heard about charter schools, vouchers and even home schooling.  No one suggested that we stop offering a public school option, but if our people are going to compete in the future, our schools need to compete in the present.  Choice and competition is the answer.

The only real difference between these candidates came during the discussion of Social Security.  Rubio, Cruz and Kasich are for extending the retirement age for those not close to retirement and means testing the benefits.  Trump suggested that we could save enough money by eliminating waste, fraud and abuse (not just in SS, but across government) to leave SS as it is.  Is it OK to say that I feel strongly both ways here?  I’m good with changing SS, but I also want to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse to cut our deficits in other areas.

Was this enough to save Donald Trump and the Republican Party?  Only time will tell.  Here are some measures to follow.  Will Donald Trump’s “unfavorable” numbers come down?  He has an unfavorable rating with 60% of Americans today.  If that comes down after last night’s performance, then he, in effect, won the debate. 

In my opinion, Marco Rubio technically won the debate last night.  His answer on the climate change question was classic.  He said, “America is not a planet”, and suggested that any legislation that we could pass would destroy our economy and drive up prices of electricity to the struggling masses, while not having any impact on our climate.  If climate change is caused by man and is reversible, the answer lies with China and India and countries like them.

I think it is too late for both Marco and John Kasich, but I predict that they will stay in as long as they can so that they can have some influence at the convention.  As for Trump and Cruz?  This next week will tell us a lot!  No matter what happens, I like these candidates much better than the ones who have been slinging mud for the last 10 debates.