Thursday, June 07, 2007
DEBATES: ROUND TWO
The Militant Moderate lays claim to being one of the minority of Americans who watched every minute of both the democratic and the republican debates. That sacrifice and a constitutional privilege qualify him to a few opinions.
First, both debates were educative and illuminating. What a great thing it is that the American public has this opportunity to hear so early from so many aspirants to national leadership! None of these should be overlooked, unless or until their own expressions lead us to do so. By now, that has been the case for several, but a number of legitimate contenders remain for the nomination of each party.
This pair of debates was more revealing of party differences on issues, albeit some of them minor ones, than of differences between and among same party candidates.
On the war in Iraq, a terribly significant issue, there was a sharp contrast. Although decrying its bad management, the republican candidates supported Mr. Bush's war, the decision to go, remaining in Iraq, and view the young men and women who die there as protecting our security. One republican did cite, without attribution, democrat Joe Biden's plan for partitioning Iraq as a possible solution. On the other hand, every democrat wanted our troops removed from Iraq as early as possible to do so in a planned and orderly fashion. They saw our troops as targets in a sectarian war in an unfriendly land. This is a striking difference.
More was made by the press of the "sexy" issues than these deserved, but agian there were differences.
The democrats believed it was time to move past the "don't ask, don't tell" policy for gays in the military, shifting instead to a behavioral standard of conduct as per the code of military justice. Almost every republican supported continuance of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
All republicans, other than Guilianni, favored putting the government in charge of decisions on pregnancy, rather than leaving those issue to the woman, her family, her church, and her doctor. Democrats opposed government interference in such personal and family decisions.
Other than McCain, republicans opposed the so-called "comprehensive immigration" legislation, some vehemently. Most democrats favored some kind of comprehensive immigration law, but added qualifiers on border control and accountability.
Democrats saw no need for a specific law making English the official language, saying it was unnecessary and redundant. Republicans believed strongly that such a law is important and necessary.
Every democrat saw tremendous problems with the health care system in America -- the cost of insurance, the millions uninsured, the high profitability for private sectors, cost of medicine, cost to our businesses, and other inefficiencies. Some offered medical plans. On the other hand, republicans cast aspersions toward democrat plans as being "socialized medicine," and hailed the free marketplace competition as the solution, along with a few additives like tax-deductible health savings accounts. They defended the high cost of prescriptions for Americans as compared with the same drugs elsewhere.
Some republicans cleared up their views on evolution by stating that regardless of the time and process of creation, or how science may describe it, God is involved. This position is similar to that taken by democrats earlier. However, some republicans said differing views should be taught in the schools, while democrats eschew any such dictations.
Both republicans and democrats expressed concern over global warming, differing in their intensity of expression and in the studied solutions offered. Only one or two democrats, and no republicans, mentioned stiffening auto mileage standards. McCain spoke of nuclear power plants.
Both democrats and republicans expressed concern over high gasoline prices. Democrats were concerned more with gouging, while republicans were interested in how the oil companies spend their huge profits.
Again, Round Two was a very valuable display of ideas and cogency in expression of those.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
First, both debates were educative and illuminating. What a great thing it is that the American public has this opportunity to hear so early from so many aspirants to national leadership! None of these should be overlooked, unless or until their own expressions lead us to do so. By now, that has been the case for several, but a number of legitimate contenders remain for the nomination of each party.
This pair of debates was more revealing of party differences on issues, albeit some of them minor ones, than of differences between and among same party candidates.
On the war in Iraq, a terribly significant issue, there was a sharp contrast. Although decrying its bad management, the republican candidates supported Mr. Bush's war, the decision to go, remaining in Iraq, and view the young men and women who die there as protecting our security. One republican did cite, without attribution, democrat Joe Biden's plan for partitioning Iraq as a possible solution. On the other hand, every democrat wanted our troops removed from Iraq as early as possible to do so in a planned and orderly fashion. They saw our troops as targets in a sectarian war in an unfriendly land. This is a striking difference.
More was made by the press of the "sexy" issues than these deserved, but agian there were differences.
The democrats believed it was time to move past the "don't ask, don't tell" policy for gays in the military, shifting instead to a behavioral standard of conduct as per the code of military justice. Almost every republican supported continuance of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
All republicans, other than Guilianni, favored putting the government in charge of decisions on pregnancy, rather than leaving those issue to the woman, her family, her church, and her doctor. Democrats opposed government interference in such personal and family decisions.
Other than McCain, republicans opposed the so-called "comprehensive immigration" legislation, some vehemently. Most democrats favored some kind of comprehensive immigration law, but added qualifiers on border control and accountability.
Democrats saw no need for a specific law making English the official language, saying it was unnecessary and redundant. Republicans believed strongly that such a law is important and necessary.
Every democrat saw tremendous problems with the health care system in America -- the cost of insurance, the millions uninsured, the high profitability for private sectors, cost of medicine, cost to our businesses, and other inefficiencies. Some offered medical plans. On the other hand, republicans cast aspersions toward democrat plans as being "socialized medicine," and hailed the free marketplace competition as the solution, along with a few additives like tax-deductible health savings accounts. They defended the high cost of prescriptions for Americans as compared with the same drugs elsewhere.
Some republicans cleared up their views on evolution by stating that regardless of the time and process of creation, or how science may describe it, God is involved. This position is similar to that taken by democrats earlier. However, some republicans said differing views should be taught in the schools, while democrats eschew any such dictations.
Both republicans and democrats expressed concern over global warming, differing in their intensity of expression and in the studied solutions offered. Only one or two democrats, and no republicans, mentioned stiffening auto mileage standards. McCain spoke of nuclear power plants.
Both democrats and republicans expressed concern over high gasoline prices. Democrats were concerned more with gouging, while republicans were interested in how the oil companies spend their huge profits.
Again, Round Two was a very valuable display of ideas and cogency in expression of those.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
