Living in a land (Belgium) far, far away from my homeland (America), I don’t always get to stay in touch with all things from the homeland. But, yesterday, I did finally get to catch up on the GOP Republican debate from this past week (it’s here if you didn’t catch it yourself).
The eight Republican candidates are:
- Michele Bachmann
- Herman Cain
- Newt Gingrich
- Jon Huntsman
- Ron Paul
- Rick Perry
- Mitt Romney
- Rick Santorum
After a few days to possibly churn over what was said during the debates, do you have any thoughts? Here are some starter questions:
1) Who do you believe came out as the frontrunner?
2) Who do you believe came out as the biggest bust?
3) Do you believe the two major issues to focus on are that of the economy and healthcare?
Add any other thoughts if you would like.
Interestingly, I found this poll below from MSNBC following the debate.
The Prodigal Thought 
This columnist captured my thoughts better than I could have.
http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/political-pro-con/2011/sep/8/ron-paul-rick-perry-debate/
Can’t wait to hear what others thought.
Grey –
This was a great paragraph below, of which I felt similar thoughts. It seemed they had chosen who the 2 top candidates were, Romney and Perry. Quite unfair to the set-up of the 8 candidates spread across the stage.
From Australia, the GOP candidate race looks like a bizarre pantomime in an alternate universe where perception is reality and logic is optional.
The GOP itself continues to look like a fascist militia occupying a place on the political spectrum that’s at least five miles to the right of Mussolini. The current candidates are even worse than last time, which I didn’t believe was humanly possible.
Some good observations in that article. Bachmann’s irrelevance grows more obvious by the day.
Well certainly the guy that knows the most, is Newt Gingrich, but he has no chance it appears right now? I like Jeb Bush myself, and he is not even in the race…Dang! But I am a Brit, but my little brother is an American now, so he can vote! (My little brother – 49, was an American Marine). He likes Mrs. Clinton, go figure? 🙂
Btw, it appears to me, that if the GOP really want to beat Obama, they might need to run Romney? Someone who can get some Dem votes, and of course the Independents. But, Perry? I don’t think so!
I noticed this in the article:
“Romney also didn’t do himself any favors when he spoke of the 47% of people in this country who don’t pay taxes.”
Romney is repeating an old myth, but the author doesn’t seem to realise.
“Data from the Tax Foundation show that in 2008, the average income for the bottom half of taxpayers was $15,300.
This year the first $9,350 of income is exempt from taxes for singles and $18,700 for married couples, just slightly more than in 2008. That means millions of the poor do not make enough to owe income taxes. But they still pay plenty of other taxes, including federal payroll taxes. Between gas taxes, sales taxes, utility taxes and other taxes, no one lives tax-free in America.
When it comes to state and local taxes, the poor bear a heavier burden than the rich in every state except Vermont, the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy calculated from official data. In Alabama, for example, the burden on the poor is more than twice that of the top 1 percent.”
(Source: http://bit.ly/ikqwUg).
If 47% of Americans *really* didn’t pay taxes, the economy would be in even worse shape than it is now!