Debate review
All righty...this time around I watched the debate online so I could do a running commentary with Heather through AIM; our comments will be in purple. I tried to jot down some notes about what each candidate said for each question; hopefully I'll do 'em justice. Also, I ran a few tallies during the debate to see how many times key phrases or words came up. Think I got about all of 'em.
Anyhoo, I'm gonna cut here, 'cause this thing is pretty frelling long.
Tallies:
Number of times Iraq is mentioned: 3
Number of times bin Laden was mentioned: 6
Number of times Kerry is called a flip-flopper: 1
Number of times the word terror/terrorists is said: 7
Number of times Kerry's Senate record is mentioned: 8
Number of times loss of jobs is mentioned: 6
Questions:
*Will our children ever be as safe as we were when we growing up?
Kerry: We will be as safe as we need to be
Heather: Dude, Bush seriously looks like a stoned chimp when he grins like that. Granted, I've never seen a stoned chimp.
Heather: Wow!!! He pronounced "exaggerations" correctly!!! Good boy, Georgie!! **awards gold star**
*How did the problem with the flu vaccine happen?
Bush: Wasn't out fault; blame the British company that supplied it.
Kerry: *goes off about loss of health care in the US under Bush*
Caitlin: *blink* Is he bashing the British now?
Heather: Yes, those Canadian fuckers.
Heather: We can't trust their medicines, but we can trust them enough to give them our second-hand military shit.
Heather: They're going to poison us, not bomb us.
Heather: Oh, please. I hope you get the damn flu. Maybe it'll help you stop talking with your fucking hands!!!
Heather: **rolls eyes**
Heather: I hate that about speakers.
*A little later...*
Heather: The plan to finance his healthcare thing. Goddamn. OK, dude, if we just institutionalized health care, the cost would be eliminated. Look at Cuba!!!! OK, granted, Castro isn't exactly my favorite person on earth, but he was smart enough to give government funded health care to the entirity of the population, and it's pretty fucking good. So, we should have Communist health care!!
*How can you keep the pledge (no new taxes for those under $200,000)?
Kerry: Reinstate "pay as you go" rules; shut the loophole to outsourcing jobs; raise students loans
Bush: *brings up Kerry's record on taxes in the Senate*
Yes. OK, his voting record is over 20 years....yeah....The economy changes over time, so it's necessary to adjust policy accordingly. Holy shit...I remember stuff from AP Econ. I could go on, but I'm scaring myself now.
*What do you say to someone who has lost their job to outsourcing?
Bush: *goes on about jobs of 21st century* send people back to school; expand grants; help people start a job with a college degree
Heather: OK, bitch, quit now while you're ahead before I come through this connection and beat you for cutting the Arts and Language programs.
Kerry: *points out that Bush moved from jobs to education* Job traiing costs cuts; cuts to Pell grants for students; help workers to transfer into new workplace
*Is the government wholly to blame for the outsourcing of American jobs?
Kerry: Will make the playing field as fair as possible for the American worker; help people to be able to hire here
Bush: Increase (not decrease) of Pell grants for students; workers have been getting money from tax relief; brings up Senate record again
*Do you believe that homosexuality is a choice?
Bush: Should treat people with tolerance; shouldn't have to change our basic views on the sancitity of marriage; amendment banning gay marriages; disturbed that judges have been making choice for the people
Kerry: Not a choice; should live as they felt God made them; believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman, but that people shouldn't be shoved from their rights just because of orientation
*Reaction to Catholic bishops saying that voting for a candidate that supports Roe v. Wade and stem-cell research
Kerry: Respects their views, but disagrees with them. Can't legislate his articles of faith to another person.
Bush: Important to promote a culture of life; working towards reducing the number of abortions; getting rid of partial-birth abortions; promote adoption laws and abstinence programs
*Who bears responsibility for the rise in health care costs?
Bush: Costs have gone up because people that have it aren't the one directly owning it (*rae* wtf?); law suits are driving up costs; lack of info technology in health care system; mis-called # of health care laws Kerry has passed
Kerry: Admin has stood in the way of common sense ways to reduce cause (Canadian drugs pulled, not allowing Medicare to lower costs by bargaining for lower prices)
*Where will you get the money for health care?
Kerry: Bush has been spinning Kerry's health care plan; gov't not forcing people to accept their plan. Every child is covered by Medicare; broader competition for senatorial health plans, which helps lower prices; 55-64 buy into health care early; small businesses get plans for their employees; Bush not fully funding VA and Medicare; NOT a gov't plan
Bush: Kerry's plan would cost 1.6 trillion dollars; 8 million people will go from private to gov't; gov't run health would lead to poor health care and more control; VA funding increased by 22 mill.
Caitlin: *blink* the buggie and horse days...
Heather: "The buggy in 'Horse Days'"? When the fuck was that?
Heather: LOL
Heather: Well, "Pre-Industrial Era" is too big for him.
*Where do you get the money for Social Security?
Bush: No worries for current seniors; children and grandchildren will be frelled unless new strategy is thought up. Younger workers should be able to put money into private accounts; cost of doing nothing far exceeds the cost of trying to save the system for out children
Kerry: Taking money out of SS would be a DISASTER (2 trillion gone from SS); Bush has pushed deficit lower than almost any other president; will not privitize SS, will not cut benefits
*Greenspan and the SS
Kerry: Greenspan supports Bush's tax cut, but money from it could have saved SS; MUST start jobs in US to bring SS back to life; increases of costs have negated the tax cuts to middle-class
Bush: Kerry voted to tax SS benefits; most of tax cuts went to lower- and middle-class homes
*How do you see illegal immigration and what will you do about it?
Bush: Economic and security issue; very familiar; make the borders more secure; 'worker card' system; no amnesty for illegal aliens;
Kerry: Bush broke his promise to reform it; borders have more holes than 9/11; need more than a work program; should enforce laws about hiring illegal aliens; working towards having aliens that have been here for a long time and have children here work towards citizenship
*Is it time to raise the minimum wage?
Kerry: Long overdue; lowest wage in 50 yrs; would increase salaries of 9.2 mil women by $3,800. 15 mill americans would be affected positively.
Bush: No Child Left Behind will help people earn new jobs (wtf, mate?), *brings up 21st century jobs again*
*Would you overturn Roe v. Wade?
Bush: No litmus test for new judges; reformed schools so people will be educated
Kerry: Will not appoint judge that will overturn an Constitutional right. Bush hasn't fully funded No Child Left Behind; you don't measure increase by percentage, but results
Heather: Oh, fuck me. Don't give me this No Child Left Behind bullshit. It's allowing the military to recruit earlier!!! It specifically provides for the military to have access to every high school student in America's name, number, address, SSN, etc., without permission from parents, schools, or even the student himself/herself. If the school tries to fight back and protect student privacy, they face incredible legal consequences.
Heather: Notice no one talks about that.
Caitlin: ...huh.
Heather: No, the No Child Left Behind Act is full of shit.
Caitlin: No kidding.
*Is there any relief to Reserve soldiers who have been held over in Iraq?
Kerry: 9/10 of army divisions are tied up to Iraq; add two new divisions, double special service; see reserve used more in homeland security; focus more on global alliances; US will have paid 200 mill for the war by the end of the year; US should pass a truth standard with its own people as well as other countries
Bush: Best way to relieve pressure is to be victorious in Iraq; will never overturn our security to another nation; Kerry voted against going into Iraq w/ force
*Why did you not push for the assault weapon ban's renewal?
Bush: Focus more on people who commit crimes with guns than keeping guns under control
Kerry: Will not tamper with the 2nd amendment, but wants ban to continue. Law enforcement will have to deal with more lethal weaponry
*Do you see a need for affirmative action plans?
Kerry: We have not yet moved far enough along; discrimination still exists in this nation; we have a long way to go; Bush is 1st pres to not meet with NAACP
Bush: *goes back to education again* Has actually met with the Black congressional caucus. In the White House, even.
Caitlin: Lesse if he (being Kerry) brings up Michigan.
Heather: HAHA
*A little later...*
Caitlin: Where else would you meet them (about the "meeting the caucus in the White House" bit)? Dumbass.
Heather: ....in the bathroom.
*What part does your faith play on your policy decisions?
Bush: Realizes right to worship how you see fit; helps to calm him during the clusterfucks; never wants to impose religion on others; should stand on values; believes that God wants everyone to be free
Kerry: Everything (not just freedom) is a gift from the guy upstairs; respect right to follow whatever religion however they choose
*Will you set a priority to get the country to reband as it did after 9/11?
Kerry: Respects the president for his speech after the attack; country is extremely polarized today. Country should come together to work out our problems; work with McCain to reform political campaign so to get mroe money in the system
*What is the most important thing you've learned from the women in your family?
Bush: Laura is very supportive, is helping him on the campaign. Loves his daughters.
Kerry: His mother inspired him to run before she passed on; his wife and daughters help keep him honest.
Heather: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HE ADMITS IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HE CAN'T SPEAK ENGLISH!!!!!!
Heather: Bwahahahahahaa!
Heather: Victory!!
Well, there you have, my little recap of the debate. I personally think that Kerry pulled out ahead once again, but only time will tell. If you missed the debate the transcript can be found at http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/13/debate.transcript/index.html. At any rate, I think I'm gonna try to get a decent bit of sleep tonight, so I shall see youse guys later.
Catch you on the flip side...
^_^ Caitlin
Your friendly neighborhood Latin nerd
Quote of the Day:
"Being lectured by the president on fiscal responsibility is a little bit like Tony Soprano talking to me about law and order in this country." Senator John Kerry (D, Massachusetts) during the Oct 13 debate.
Anyhoo, I'm gonna cut here, 'cause this thing is pretty frelling long.
Tallies:
Number of times Iraq is mentioned: 3
Number of times bin Laden was mentioned: 6
Number of times Kerry is called a flip-flopper: 1
Number of times the word terror/terrorists is said: 7
Number of times Kerry's Senate record is mentioned: 8
Number of times loss of jobs is mentioned: 6
Questions:
*Will our children ever be as safe as we were when we growing up?
Kerry: We will be as safe as we need to be
Heather: Dude, Bush seriously looks like a stoned chimp when he grins like that. Granted, I've never seen a stoned chimp.
Heather: Wow!!! He pronounced "exaggerations" correctly!!! Good boy, Georgie!! **awards gold star**
*How did the problem with the flu vaccine happen?
Bush: Wasn't out fault; blame the British company that supplied it.
Kerry: *goes off about loss of health care in the US under Bush*
Caitlin: *blink* Is he bashing the British now?
Heather: Yes, those Canadian fuckers.
Heather: We can't trust their medicines, but we can trust them enough to give them our second-hand military shit.
Heather: They're going to poison us, not bomb us.
Heather: Oh, please. I hope you get the damn flu. Maybe it'll help you stop talking with your fucking hands!!!
Heather: **rolls eyes**
Heather: I hate that about speakers.
*A little later...*
Heather: The plan to finance his healthcare thing. Goddamn. OK, dude, if we just institutionalized health care, the cost would be eliminated. Look at Cuba!!!! OK, granted, Castro isn't exactly my favorite person on earth, but he was smart enough to give government funded health care to the entirity of the population, and it's pretty fucking good. So, we should have Communist health care!!
*How can you keep the pledge (no new taxes for those under $200,000)?
Kerry: Reinstate "pay as you go" rules; shut the loophole to outsourcing jobs; raise students loans
Bush: *brings up Kerry's record on taxes in the Senate*
Yes. OK, his voting record is over 20 years....yeah....The economy changes over time, so it's necessary to adjust policy accordingly. Holy shit...I remember stuff from AP Econ. I could go on, but I'm scaring myself now.
*What do you say to someone who has lost their job to outsourcing?
Bush: *goes on about jobs of 21st century* send people back to school; expand grants; help people start a job with a college degree
Heather: OK, bitch, quit now while you're ahead before I come through this connection and beat you for cutting the Arts and Language programs.
Kerry: *points out that Bush moved from jobs to education* Job traiing costs cuts; cuts to Pell grants for students; help workers to transfer into new workplace
*Is the government wholly to blame for the outsourcing of American jobs?
Kerry: Will make the playing field as fair as possible for the American worker; help people to be able to hire here
Bush: Increase (not decrease) of Pell grants for students; workers have been getting money from tax relief; brings up Senate record again
*Do you believe that homosexuality is a choice?
Bush: Should treat people with tolerance; shouldn't have to change our basic views on the sancitity of marriage; amendment banning gay marriages; disturbed that judges have been making choice for the people
Kerry: Not a choice; should live as they felt God made them; believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman, but that people shouldn't be shoved from their rights just because of orientation
*Reaction to Catholic bishops saying that voting for a candidate that supports Roe v. Wade and stem-cell research
Kerry: Respects their views, but disagrees with them. Can't legislate his articles of faith to another person.
Bush: Important to promote a culture of life; working towards reducing the number of abortions; getting rid of partial-birth abortions; promote adoption laws and abstinence programs
*Who bears responsibility for the rise in health care costs?
Bush: Costs have gone up because people that have it aren't the one directly owning it (*rae* wtf?); law suits are driving up costs; lack of info technology in health care system; mis-called # of health care laws Kerry has passed
Kerry: Admin has stood in the way of common sense ways to reduce cause (Canadian drugs pulled, not allowing Medicare to lower costs by bargaining for lower prices)
*Where will you get the money for health care?
Kerry: Bush has been spinning Kerry's health care plan; gov't not forcing people to accept their plan. Every child is covered by Medicare; broader competition for senatorial health plans, which helps lower prices; 55-64 buy into health care early; small businesses get plans for their employees; Bush not fully funding VA and Medicare; NOT a gov't plan
Bush: Kerry's plan would cost 1.6 trillion dollars; 8 million people will go from private to gov't; gov't run health would lead to poor health care and more control; VA funding increased by 22 mill.
Caitlin: *blink* the buggie and horse days...
Heather: "The buggy in 'Horse Days'"? When the fuck was that?
Heather: LOL
Heather: Well, "Pre-Industrial Era" is too big for him.
*Where do you get the money for Social Security?
Bush: No worries for current seniors; children and grandchildren will be frelled unless new strategy is thought up. Younger workers should be able to put money into private accounts; cost of doing nothing far exceeds the cost of trying to save the system for out children
Kerry: Taking money out of SS would be a DISASTER (2 trillion gone from SS); Bush has pushed deficit lower than almost any other president; will not privitize SS, will not cut benefits
*Greenspan and the SS
Kerry: Greenspan supports Bush's tax cut, but money from it could have saved SS; MUST start jobs in US to bring SS back to life; increases of costs have negated the tax cuts to middle-class
Bush: Kerry voted to tax SS benefits; most of tax cuts went to lower- and middle-class homes
*How do you see illegal immigration and what will you do about it?
Bush: Economic and security issue; very familiar; make the borders more secure; 'worker card' system; no amnesty for illegal aliens;
Kerry: Bush broke his promise to reform it; borders have more holes than 9/11; need more than a work program; should enforce laws about hiring illegal aliens; working towards having aliens that have been here for a long time and have children here work towards citizenship
*Is it time to raise the minimum wage?
Kerry: Long overdue; lowest wage in 50 yrs; would increase salaries of 9.2 mil women by $3,800. 15 mill americans would be affected positively.
Bush: No Child Left Behind will help people earn new jobs (wtf, mate?), *brings up 21st century jobs again*
*Would you overturn Roe v. Wade?
Bush: No litmus test for new judges; reformed schools so people will be educated
Kerry: Will not appoint judge that will overturn an Constitutional right. Bush hasn't fully funded No Child Left Behind; you don't measure increase by percentage, but results
Heather: Oh, fuck me. Don't give me this No Child Left Behind bullshit. It's allowing the military to recruit earlier!!! It specifically provides for the military to have access to every high school student in America's name, number, address, SSN, etc., without permission from parents, schools, or even the student himself/herself. If the school tries to fight back and protect student privacy, they face incredible legal consequences.
Heather: Notice no one talks about that.
Caitlin: ...huh.
Heather: No, the No Child Left Behind Act is full of shit.
Caitlin: No kidding.
*Is there any relief to Reserve soldiers who have been held over in Iraq?
Kerry: 9/10 of army divisions are tied up to Iraq; add two new divisions, double special service; see reserve used more in homeland security; focus more on global alliances; US will have paid 200 mill for the war by the end of the year; US should pass a truth standard with its own people as well as other countries
Bush: Best way to relieve pressure is to be victorious in Iraq; will never overturn our security to another nation; Kerry voted against going into Iraq w/ force
*Why did you not push for the assault weapon ban's renewal?
Bush: Focus more on people who commit crimes with guns than keeping guns under control
Kerry: Will not tamper with the 2nd amendment, but wants ban to continue. Law enforcement will have to deal with more lethal weaponry
*Do you see a need for affirmative action plans?
Kerry: We have not yet moved far enough along; discrimination still exists in this nation; we have a long way to go; Bush is 1st pres to not meet with NAACP
Bush: *goes back to education again* Has actually met with the Black congressional caucus. In the White House, even.
Caitlin: Lesse if he (being Kerry) brings up Michigan.
Heather: HAHA
*A little later...*
Caitlin: Where else would you meet them (about the "meeting the caucus in the White House" bit)? Dumbass.
Heather: ....in the bathroom.
*What part does your faith play on your policy decisions?
Bush: Realizes right to worship how you see fit; helps to calm him during the clusterfucks; never wants to impose religion on others; should stand on values; believes that God wants everyone to be free
Kerry: Everything (not just freedom) is a gift from the guy upstairs; respect right to follow whatever religion however they choose
*Will you set a priority to get the country to reband as it did after 9/11?
Kerry: Respects the president for his speech after the attack; country is extremely polarized today. Country should come together to work out our problems; work with McCain to reform political campaign so to get mroe money in the system
*What is the most important thing you've learned from the women in your family?
Bush: Laura is very supportive, is helping him on the campaign. Loves his daughters.
Kerry: His mother inspired him to run before she passed on; his wife and daughters help keep him honest.
Heather: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HE ADMITS IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HE CAN'T SPEAK ENGLISH!!!!!!
Heather: Bwahahahahahaa!
Heather: Victory!!
Well, there you have, my little recap of the debate. I personally think that Kerry pulled out ahead once again, but only time will tell. If you missed the debate the transcript can be found at http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/13/debate.transcript/index.html. At any rate, I think I'm gonna try to get a decent bit of sleep tonight, so I shall see youse guys later.
Catch you on the flip side...
^_^ Caitlin
Your friendly neighborhood Latin nerd
Quote of the Day:
"Being lectured by the president on fiscal responsibility is a little bit like Tony Soprano talking to me about law and order in this country." Senator John Kerry (D, Massachusetts) during the Oct 13 debate.