Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Fifth Congressional District Debate

Tonight's debate between Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Rich Cowan was very disappointing for me. Steph's reaction essentially sums it up.

"They're not even answering the question!"

Yes, Steph. Welcome to politics. Nothing specific came out until the question concerning what each candidate would do to help fix Social Security. Cowan offered up raising the payroll tax cap and then held McMorris Rodgers' feet to the fire because she gave a vague answer. She finally ponied up with raising the retirement age. Other than a couple of other moments where Cowan pressed McMorris Rodgers, the entire debate essentially consisted of McMorris Rodgers spouting redundant and repetitious filler to go with the talking points and Cowan lacking somewhat in his language skills. I thought his use of the word "thing" was a bad thing. Plus, he needs to improve how he stops speaking. Sometimes he would trail off and sometimes he'd stop but look like he still had something to say. I'm sure he was feeling the pressure of being on the spot.

The incredulous meter shot way off into the red zone on the final question about global warming. Cowan sees it as a jobs issue and McMorris Rodgers says scientists don't agree.

Really?

To his credit, Cowan did point out Congress's low approval rating and how broken Congress is, but I don't think he made a very solid case for his candidacy. Many times McMorris Rodgers said she was fighting for our district and stuck to the talking points we're used to hearing from her. Yawn.

2 comments:

Citizens Ignited said...

Neither party will speak the truth unpopular with elites: We can easily fund social security and Medicare, at current levels, at current retirement age, for both boomers and following generations.

But, we can only do it by funding these programs through general revenues, including income, corporate, capital gains, and inheritance taxes. It's time to end the regressive payroll tax.

Both parties are committed to increasing the burden on young people by moving the retirement goal posts. Again. Look at the people in Congress--they won't be affected both because they are old and because they are rich. They just don't want to talk about their evil plans during the election.

Still, debates do a good job at showing how lacking in ability candidates have become. Platitudes, no ideas, all but begging for kickbacks from the corporate elites.

Most hilarious today is the Democrats' buildup of Joe Biden as a working class hero in his face off with Ryan. Biden is the pol from the micro-state of Delaware, where the politics are almost entirely controlled by banking interests, and offices are hereditary. (Look at his own family.)

Weren't the Democrats just complaining about the oversized clout of "small" states like North Dakota or Montana? Both of which, btw, have far cleaner politics than Delaware, and may very well elect Democrats to the Senate, despite the idiotic condescension of the national party. It's like Democratic strategists are afraid to step outside of Chicago, DC, Seattle or New York. Why hasn't Obama been making regular trips to Wisconsin and Iowa, let alone North Dakota or Montana? Why don't the Democrats want legislative majorities?

What this election has shown is how tired the partisan formulas have become. The same old political analysis still carries in DC and New York, but it has become detached from American reality. Democrats mostly seem to want to dictate how the vast center of the country votes. Look oh elitey-pants, rather than sitting on your asses in DC or New York fantasizing about schemes to make it illegal to vote (Republicans) or illegal NOT to vote (Democrats), why not actually come up with some policy that makes people WANT to vote?

Democrats could start by not raising a bored middle finger at middle America at the debates. Be honest. Say something real, anything.

Biden could start by resigning this morning so Obama can appoint a non-corporate being, perhaps an actual human without artificial modifications, as vice president by this afternoon. An hour of debate prep would be sufficient for most folks, given the clarity of the issues before us.

It takes a lot of Ivy education and preparation for the elites to be so dull.

Anonymous said...

No worries.

Biden has enlisted Neil Kinnock AND Loretta Lynn as debate coaches.

Turns out Biden was born a coal miner's daughter.