16 Critical Issues Avoided in The Presidential Debate
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Did you watch the presidential debate on Wednesday night? It is absolutely amazing how they can have an hour and a half debate about the economy and say so little. It seemed like both candidates were falling all over each other wanting to talk about how much they value education, but will more education really solve our problems? After all, 53 percent of all Americans with a bachelor’s degree under the age of 25 were either unemployed or underemployed in 2011. So perhaps they should just both agree that education is a good thing and start talking about how to create more jobs for all of us. If you want to grade the debate from a technical standpoint, clearly Romney was the winner of the debate. Romney was full of energy and was generally sharp with his answers. Obama looked like he had just popped a couple of antidepressants and was ready for nap time. As a result, this might have been the worst blowout in the history of presidential debates. A CNN/ORC International poll that was taken right after the debate found that 67 percent of all Americans that had watched the debate thought that Romney was the winner. Never before had any presidential candidate crossed the 60 percent mark in the history of their post-debate polling. So Romney definitely had a big night. But the reality is that both candidates were telling the American people what they want to hear. If either Obama or Romney told the truth about what we are facing they would lose votes, and in a race this tight both of them really want to avoid doing that. Obama and Romney both desperately want to win this election, and the words that are coming out of their mouths have been carefully crafted to appeal to the “undecided voters” in the swing states. If you actually believe that they can deliver on everything that they are promising, then you must not have been paying much attention to U.S. politics over the past several decades.
Perhaps the biggest failure on Wednesday night was debate moderator Jim Lehrer of PBS. His questions were about as far from “hard hitting” as you could get.
The hour and a half debate was almost entirely about the economy, and yet almost all of the critical economic issues were ignored.
Yes, Obama and Romney have slight differences when it comes to tax rates and regulations, but those small differences are not going to do much to change the direction of this country one way or another.
Meanwhile, there were some really huge issues about the economy that were not addressed at all last night….
1 – In an hour and a half debate about the economy, the Federal Reserve was not mentioned a single time.
2 – In an hour and a half debate about the economy, Ben Bernanke was not mentioned a single time.
3 – In an hour and a half debate about the economy, quantitative easing was not mentioned a single time.
4 – In an hour and a half debate about the economy, the term “derivatives” was not used a single time. Considering the fact that derivatives could bring down our financial system at any moment, this is an issue that should be talked about.
5 – In an hour and a half debate about the economy, there was no mention of the millions of jobs that have been shipped out of the country. Considering the fact that both Obama and Romney have played a role in this, it is probably a topic they both want to avoid. Overall, the United States has lost more than 56,000 manufacturing facilities since 2001.
6 – In an hour and a half debate about the economy, neither candidate mentioned that the velocity of money has plungedto a post-World War II low.
7 – In an hour and a half debate about the economy, the fact that the rest of the world is beginning to reject the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency was not mentioned a single time, but this has enormous implications for our economy in the years ahead.
8 – The fact that the Social Security system is headed for massive trouble was only briefly touched on during the debate. At the moment, there are approximately 56 million Americans that are collecting Social Security benefits. By 2035, that number is projected to grow to an astounding 91 million. Overall, the Social Security system is facing a 134 trilliondollar shortfall over the next 75 years. When are our politicians going to honestly address this massive problem?
9 – In an hour and a half debate about the economy, the nightmarish drought the country is experiencing right now was not mentioned a single time.
10 – In an hour and a half debate about the economy, the financial meltdown in Europe was basically totally ignored. But considering the fact that Europe has a larger economy and a much larger banking system than we do, perhaps someone should have asked Obama and Romney what they plan to do when the financial system of Europe implodes.
11 – In an hour and a half debate about the economy, the student loan debt bubble was only briefly mentioned.
12 – In an hour and a half debate about the economy, there was not a single word about the fact that the gap between the wealthy and the poor is now larger than it has been at any point since the Great Depression.
13 – In an hour and a half debate about the economy, there was no mention of TARP (which they both supported at the time). Would they both bail out the big banks if another financial crisis erupted?
14 – In an hour and a half debate about the economy, there was no mention of the economic stimulus packages (which they both supported at the time). Would they both want more “economic stimulus” if we entered another recession?
15 – In an hour and a half debate about the economy, neither candidate talked about the fact that most of the jobs our economy is producing now are low income jobs. In fact, since the end of the last recession, 58 percent of the jobs that have been created are low paying jobs.
16 – In an hour and a half debate about the economy, neither candidate mentioned that more than 100 million Americans are enrolled in at least one welfare program run by the federal government or that more than half of all Americans are now at least partially financially dependent on the government. I can’t blame Romney for avoiding this point though – he probably wanted to avoid the phrase “47 percent” at all costs.
Is this really the best that America can do?
Tens of millions of Americans tuned in hoping to become more informed about the candidates, and instead what they got was an hour and a half of tap dancing as Obama and Romney constantly tossed out buzzwords such as “education”, “energy independent” and “middle class”.
I honestly don’t know how you can possibly have a debate about the economy without talking about the Federal Reserve, quantitative easing, the trade deficit, Europe or the decline of the U.S. dollar.
But it just happened right in front of our eyes.
I don’t think that I can ever remember another presidential debate that lacked substance as much as this one did.
So what did you all think about the debate? Please feel free to post a comment with your thoughts below….
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11:33 am
This was great However you missed at least one more point which was never touched on.
Why does it say in the US CONSTITUTION that the government shall only coin money out of gold and silver?
This is why I am going to write in RON PAUL for president when I vote next month.
Every candidate is ignoring our Constitution in this matter and a couple of others too.
They should not be elected because when they take office they swear on the Bible To uphold the US CONSTITUTION and never do it.They have made a mockery of it and it must stop.
FF
11:56 am
I don't think the author watched the whole debate as a number of the above are wrong. lets take one example.# 5. Obama is quoted in almost every press commentary I've seen as talking about how they ( the Federal government) give tax breaks for companies moving employees and or at least their jobs as well as plants where they have worked in the past years, over seas where upon Romney quipped "I've been a business man for forty years and I don't know what your talking about….."
I f he can't remember that then he didn't watch the debate he probably reviewed an edited version or may be he took a bathroom/ kitchen break???? what ever . He obviously wasn't in attendance for the whole enchilada or else he was a sleep at the wheel.
The author is right about a number of things though that should have been brought up , such as Bernake and what a fool he is, monteriziing the economy, and the role the Fed plays in our affairs ,etc.
12:07 pm
Esos puntos que se mencionan en este trabajo son de primera importancia. Y estoy plenamente de acuerdo en que sean incluidos, inclusive que sean incluidos obligatoriamente por el moderador del debate. Los Candidatos no dben temer estos temas porque son muy importantes y ademas son temas que resolveran muchos de los problemas que tenmos actualmente.
1:08 pm
They should let Gary Johnson in the debates. When I was watching it all I could think about are how similar the two major party candidates are. We really need a third choice this year.
1:25 pm
Who chose the topics? Romney hit hard where there was any opening such as the middle classes burden in all of this and the threat to the elderly with death panels and cuts to medicare, the seniors had been told they could count on…The economy is pressing on the children of the greatest generation ever and Obama wants to kill them all. His death panels can do that…Is anyone rational?
1:32 pm
Upon viewing the first debates on the presidential election for November 2012 the taxes of the middle class and high class americians was the topic the interest me to release the debt crisis of over 7 trillions dollars.
The question is who is the target to get the money to help the crisis?
I think that both answer the question well but the the Democratic president stress on the a more equal level of breaking the cost than the Republican.
As a Human Resources Management Professional who study Economic and Labour Relation we conducted many debates on economy and base on the answer from both candidates the democratic had stronger respond to the comeback the taxes debt for the Americian.
I will not focus on the middle tax cut but Businesses both private and public coperations that have a large amount of asset that is continued to profit globally they are hidden.
The higher and middle classes both will get an increase in taxes to help that debt however, targeting certain class does help that problem either the lower class should not be penalized from the taxes as well they all add up.
The problem is how can lower class move up to boost the middle class and upper class they should not just cover their debts, it is their responsibilities to get help from the high class to reduce the recession that is not yet resolved one more to prove that economy is moving forward or backward. It is not stable yet.
1:44 pm
Great article. And yet. will both sides claim sukcess ? so which third party should I vote for? I am leaning Constitution Party to vote out the FED..
2:49 pm
WHY WAS MR. LEHRER OF PBS SO AFRAID TO ASK THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS ?
2:51 pm
No politician can get elected if they tell the truth or give their real position! What does that say about the American electorate?
3:28 pm
why you don't give necessaries input to that mediator ?
4:28 pm
The FEDERAL RUN MEDIA was told to do this " TAP DANCE", good pharse, so to Protect OBUMMER from stupidity like Joe Benlying does! What about questions like:
1> Why does his wife, his mother and even hes has said " I, he, IS MORE POPULAR IN HIS HOME COUNTRY, KENYA, THAN HERE IN THE USA"! Caught on tape!
2> What about his Birth Records, School Records, Finacial Records, and past envoulment in past "CLUBS"?
3> What happen to the 6.5 TRILLION TAX DOLLARS SPENT?!
4> Why are we spending $500 Million Tax Dollars in " HIS HOME COUNTRY" Kenya when so many Americans Starving and loosing HOMES and JOBS??!!!!!
5> Is George Soros going to pay back the $500 Million for a 'TAX PAID IN 6 MONTHS BANKRUPT GEEN ENTITY?
6> Why are we paying "FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS" to over 12 MILLION ILLEGALS? Is this not a "FEDERAL RICO ACT CRIME and punish by Fine and PRISON?
7> When are we going to put a "LOCK ON THE SOCIAL SECURITY BOX" like talk about under NIXION?!
8> Social Security was set up for Seinors, due to BLACK TUESDAY, not to BUY TAX PAID DOLLARS for VOTES!
4:41 pm
and no mention of the failure to secure the borders and deport the illegals back out of the country . and Let I C E do its job .
11:14 am
I am a independant in Florida and I would like to here them both address all sixteen of these issues. These are the topics I think about most often.
7:41 pm
Romney was right on target. There are more debates coming up and he will cover more issue at that time. Obama was a disaster – seemed he didn't know what to say.
7:51 pm
Amazing how little was talked about on this totally disgusting economy. Can we say: Doomed USA because of our gutless, greedy politicians paid off by foreign governments as well as Chinese "mark-of-the-beast" manufacturing & trade deficits!!