Presidential Debate: The Deuce
Well tonight was the town hall debate of the 3 Presidential debates, the second of three. It was great to see a media mogul, Tom Brokaw, moderate the night. Finally a moderator who told the candidates to stop being so long winded.
After how lame the first debate was, it is a good thing that they had a different format for this. Of course that doesn’t mean that this one wasn’t lame either.
Good thoughts on tonight’s debate: HERE and HERE.
One random thought I had today was about debate “winners.” I’ve come to the conclusion that there will never be an outright winner. Republicans are not going to declare Obama the winner tonight if McCain sucked and vice versa. It just isn’t going to happen. So I have absolutely no idea how a debate has a winner and a loser when partisan politics is involved. Actually, I think it is impossible.
For those of you who watched the VP debate last week, you have to watch the SNL skit HERE. No really, you have to. Probably the best SNL skit I’ve seen in 3 years.
Here are our previous conversations on the FIRST PRES DEBATE and the VP DEBATE.
Couple observations of mine:
- “Fundamental difference.” Boy am I sick of hearing that.
- John McCain really doesn’t need to call everyone his “friend.”
- This was hardly a townhall debate.
- I don’t know that either candidate ever answered a single question given them. This, to me, just became a “talking points” debate. I cannot declare a winner because of that.
I’d love to have a civil conversation here between all of you. Civil is the key word there.
- Did the new format create for a better dialogue between the two men?
- Did you hear anything new from either of the candidates?
- Was there a clear cut winner (based on your opinion on what “winning” would be)?
I know you have an opinion, so share some it.
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Tyler Braun.
* Did the new format create for a better dialogue between the two men?
Hardly. My choice is to vote for the first person that can answer honestly in under 60 seconds. I’m screwed.
Did you hear anything new from either of the candidates?
No, and unfortunately I heard lots of agenda and still no ability to focus on the actual question being asked.
Was there a clear cut winner (based on your opinion on what “winning” would be)?
I think if you were undecided you would have leaned Obama’s way tonight He is a smooth speaker and very simple. McCain is choppy and hard to watch. But, when it comes to who won based on the best plan of attack for our country. I didn’t hear any of that tonight. i learned nothing new. my answer would be no one won.
townhall style made it seem more comfortable and friendly. so sure the style was fine.
they never say anything new so i become very nonchalant about their content.
win? you’re right now that, it’s lame to try and “declare a winner,” it’ not like either will concede to a loss.
i do like that mccain calls people friend, i think it’s his way of being polite and respectful- which is something we need to see from any candidate running…it’s his way of trying to come down from being a big wig washington politician, fine style.
I think that “That One” won this debate (again). If Obama continues on this streak with his cool, calm, intellect persona, he will win this election.
It’s too bad that McCain has nowhere else to go with his campaign but other than a smear rampage against Obama. Maybe he can’t have a challenging, progressive debate.
http://PoliticEye.com
I agree on McCain’s ‘friend’ thing.
I did learn something about Obama’s healthcare tonight. I always thought that under his universal health plan (so I’ve heard) that we wouldn’t have any other options.
He said that if we currently have one through our company, under his new plan the premium will be lower and he will focus also on people who are currently without insurance, will be supported by the government and he will eliminate pre-existing condition.
This is if I’m not mistaken….that one onw big points with me.
Yeah if I didn’t have any friends here before…how about now?
So, Tyler, maybe you can shed some light.
Yonas, I heard them both speak of health care and here is where I have issue. In no way, shape or form, should anyone except your Doctor determine your needs. No politicians, no special groups, and especially not the health care provider/insurance person. I think I understand where McCain stands on this. I am not sure I have heard where Obama stands on this.
You spoke to what he said last night in the debate. He did say that we would not have to choose his plan, but, I am curious if we would be allowed to keep another. Everything he said, still included his plan. Just like you mentioned. If you don’t want his plan, you can keep your exisiting insurane, but it will still go through his plan via his new payment structure.
All this to say, I felt that Obama’s health care plan sounded really good, but was very vague.
Tyler any thoughts here. Help a brother out
Brent,
I think he said that under his new plan the only difference is that we will pay LOWER premium on our existing insurance (unless I’m missing something).
I think discussions like this should be held while drinking Mojito or something (or a nice glass of Porter (since it’s fall), but that’s just me.
Brent-
I don’t know that I have much to add. I haven’t looked into Obama’s insurance plan extensively enough to have a sure fire answer to your question. As far as I know, nothing changes for people who already have insurance. Somehow the government works with insurance companies to lower premium costs. No idea how, but it sounds good if it works.
Yonas, I agree. I’ll take the Porter
He did say premiums would be lower, but how? Does the government subsidize? Does it choose who we can use so that premiums can stay low? That’s where it all falls apart. I love the ideas, but how are they implemented and paid for?
Tyler, agreed.
K I did a little research and here is what I found. I cannot find anything worth of much value outside of what Obama says. This is how he says he can lower the costs. It says nothing about needed to switch to his plan to save money.
Through a combination of developing efficiencies in the system, expanding
coverage to all Americans, and picking up the cost of some high-cost cases.
Specifically:
Health IT investment, which will reduce unnecessary and wasteful
spending in the health care system. Examples include extra hospital stays
because of preventable medical errors and duplicative diagnostic tests;
Improving prevention and management of chronic conditions;
Increasing insurance industry competition and reining in the abusive
practices of monopoly insurance and drug companies;
Providing reinsurance for catastrophic cases, which will reduce insurance
premiums; and
Ensuring every American has health coverage, which will reduce spending
on the “uncompensated” care of uninsured people who end up in
emergency rooms and whose care is picked up by institutions and then
passed through higher charges to insured individuals.
OK, I just read through this and still have questions.
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/
But one of my main concerns is language like this.
“Make employer contributions more fair by requiring large employers that do not offer coverage or make a meaningful contribution to the cost of quality health coverage for their employees to contribute a percentage of payroll toward the costs of their employees health care.”
Require is a terrible word. Why in the world should we require someone to pay for someone’s insurance. I think health care is a terrible word as well, because it is an insurance not a program. At least that’s what it started as. If it is to be a program, then we don’t have the money as a country to make it available to everyone. if it is an insurance, than we can definitely crack down on abuse and allow for more options and affordability. To require is to demand and to have a government telling us what we can do with our money. And of course, we see how well that is going.
Both candidates are so heavy on government, it bums me out.
And to that John McCain says: “vote for me, because I am not going to raise taxes and promote big government.”
McCain says he won’t raise taxes by taking the money from other places. Another words, killing off spending at point A to give to point B.
Obama says he will lower taxes to 95% Americans, but the other 5% (those over 250k) he will raise them.
In Either case they both want our money. Either I keep giving what I give now, or I get refunds, paid by my rich friends down the street.
I made only $249,999.99 so I’m safe. Let the rich be taxed.
Cute Yonas.
Thing is w/ Taxes, neither of them employ the fair tax system which would be much more effective. What bugs me more is the fact is that the “rich” get greater tax “cuts” simply b/c they pay more. If you’ll notice, the more money you make, the more percentage in taxes, as a result, you should get more back at the end of the year. this is the basic principle in place…oddly congress and politicians don’t understand the system THEY set up and they also DON’T pay taxes…amazing!
Ash, Amen! I don’t understand why we don’t go the fair tax route. It would take less money from most Americans and it would give the government more money than they receive right now.
Wait, I know why. Because it makes sense
Yonas, I can’t wait till Obama takes your money and gives it to me
Yonas if you make that much…remember when I took you to McMenamins…I think you owe me some of that now.
1.$249,999.99 is not $250,000 so I don’t know what you’re talking about Brent…
Also, I said I made $249,999.99. I didn’t say I made that in a year
Yonas, there you go. Now your sounding like a true politician
I why aren’t I getting in on the McMenamins deal…