Tonight’s GOP Debate: What I’m Looking For
I’m really looking forward to tonight’s GOP debate from South Carolina. I don’t really know what it is about the primary season, but I’m always excited to see the differences in candidates’ stances when it comes to real issues. I’d love to see the second and third tier candidates like Duncan Hunter and Ron Paul stand out against the front-runners, Romney, McCain, and Giuliani. Personally, Romney is my favorite coming into this debate, but I am also hoping Ron Paul, Jim Gilmore, and Tom Tancredo make some steady inroads tonight with the GOP base.
What I’m looking for is a candidate who doesn’t back down during tough questions and is bold enough to offer real solutions to our republic’s greatest problems. I’m looking for an optimism about the future and a confidence that the candidate can offer real change in Washington, not more of the same.
The one thing that is bugging me however, is that during the last debate, each candidate tried to use Ronald Reagan as an example in explaining their own political views. Let me get something perfectly straight - no candidate on the stage tonight is or will ever be the next Ronald Reagan. Invoking his name every other question is simply a way to pander to the GOP and most people don’t really buy it as genuine. So here’s a tip for all the GOP candidates tonight: be bold, be proud, offer solutions to our problems - but DON’T try to be Ronald Reagan; be your own person.
I found a funny YouTube video that kind of explains what I’m talking about:
The GOP debate will air live on Fox News at 9 p.m. eastern time.
May 15th, 2007 at 10:43 am
notice Ron Paul was not a Ronald Reagan coat tailer. a man who can stand on his own!
May 15th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
Ron Paul never mentions Ronald Reagen in the debate. I don’t understand why you are still searching, Ron Paul is a dream candidate, you won’t find a better person.
May 15th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
“Ron Paul is a dream candidate, you won’t find a better person.”
To me, Ron Paul is not a dream candidate and here’s why - his stances on the war in Iraq and nonintervention do not sit well with me.
The United States cannot afford to adapt a nonintervention foreign policy when we have global economic interests. Unfortunately, in today’s world, that is the reality. We cannot just shut ourselves off from the world’s problems, especially in the Middle East where we have both strategic and economic interests.
Now, deployments to Kosovo must end. We must pull our troops from Europe, except to support NATO. And why the hell are we still in Japan?!
Second, I agree with the war in Iraq. Yes, the Congress should have declared war and provided the resources to win. Whatever mistakes have been made, the fact remains that we must help the Iraqi people stand up a dependable democratic government that provides for their safety. Anything less is simply too dangerous for the national interest.