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| GOP Debate, November 9th |
In primaries of the past, the candidates for the GOP nomination, more often than not, resorted to a verbal slug-fest with their counterparts what amounted to nothing more than tirades of defamation, slander and the proverbial mud slinging.
Today we saw a different face to the GOP nominees, a face of civility. They were all well mannered and avoided spiraling into rhetoric and accusations, they kept to the spirit of the debate and kept their answers concise. Even in the face of some tough questions, most notably when Governor Mitt Romney was asked to comment, indirectly of course, on the accusations of sexual harassment regarding Herman Cain, he refused to answer as it wasn't relevant. In debates of past, this opportunity to stick to a fellow candidate would have been jumped upon with no qualms.
Another memorable note of the night included Governor Rick Perry's failure to recall three areas of government he would abolish if he ascended to the White House in next years coming election. Although I understand that everyone has their moments of forgetfulness, it ultimately will make him look extremely inept.
Arguably though, the most prominent and, in my opinion, wisest moment of the debate was when Speaker Of The House Newt Gingrich alluded to the moderator that it was almost impossible to voice his solution on the issue of healthcare in 30 seconds. He did so in a very civil manner and I applaud him for that.
The truth is that if any politician offers a 'simple' plan to something, chances are that it will be, at best, a grave misrepresentation of their actual intent, and at worst, showing a complete lack of understanding of the world we live in.
Whether it be a new tax code, healthcare, education, social security, or economic proposal, there is no way that it will ever be simple, or can ever be explained in full in 30 seconds. We live in such a diverse world that these issues need to be resolved in the interest of everyone. They require a tremendous understanding of whichever area they intent to change and must take into account a plethora of variables.
All in all, the debate was coherent. Though I don't agree with many conservative policies, I admired the way they put fourth their arguments at tonight's debate. The cornerstone of any democracy is the principle that at some point we all must compromise for the over all benefit of all, I just hope that the future of politics becomes less of the bi-party rhetoric and condemnation, and more of coming together as people and solving the problems all of us face.
Article By: Phil McCarron
