Live Blogging the Republican Debates

 Let's Cruz by in our Carson and Trump the dead Bush, for a virtuous candidate has a worth far above a Rubi(o).  We're Carly going to find someone like that here.  

I can't fit in Kasich.  alas.

here we go.

geeeeez. This is taking forever.


Opening Statements:

Rand:  out the door attacking Rubio and Trump.  Arabs only on the ground.

Kasich:many things need to be fixed and Americans need to stop yelling at each other and unify.

Christie:  attacks Obama and Clinton.  eh.  THINK OF THE CHILDREN!  you idiot.  ahem.  I just did the thing Kasich complained about.  I'll go stand in the corner.

Fiorina:  angry.  grrr.  Dig at Trump.  We can fix everything with a leader.  ME ME ME! She doing things that make me wonder if she's calling to women here.  Now for the red bloods.  Me!

Shrub Mk2: we need a strong leader.  wait.  Obama didn;t cut the defense as much as congress did with the mandatory cuts.  I will keep you safe, secure and free.

Rubio: grew up here.  oh geez.  we are the greatest.  grr.  Obama is a disaster. Wait.  is he dog whistling???  He's not taking shots at the others.  odd.  Slight dig by saying he'll act like a president.

Cruz: america at war with radical islamic terrorism.  All republicans are better than either obama or clinton.  keep america safe first.  hunt down and kill terrorists.  utterly destroy IS.  no jihadi refuges.  No swings at anyone else.  No PCness!  hmph.

Carson: moment of silence for San Bernardino.  Interesting move.   war with radical islamic jihadists.  I can plan.  America is the patient.  no PCness.  Wants to declare war on ISIS.

Trump: people loooooooove me.


First question:

Best way to isolate america from rest of world.

Trump:  not talking about religion, talking about safety.  Kick out those ehre.

Called trump unhinged. 

Bush:  kill isis.  no fly zone.  heh.  let's start a war with Russia!  hnf hnf.  Embed trumps.  Calls trump's proposals not serious.  Trump good at one liners.  hard core dig at Trump.

Trump counter:  Jeb just saying that because Bush loser.  Other presidents sucked.

Bush:  Banning all muslims makes everything harder.  lawyers are hobbling war fighters.  o.O  Calls Trumps not serious.

Rubio: Obama bad.  Trump's proposal nonsense.  ISIS the most scary terrorist group ever. Says Obama's talk made things worse.

Cruz (disagree with trump how):  attacks obama instead of trump.  against syrian refugees.  Ban refugees from ISIS controls big area.  Odd attack on Trump about horse thieves.  -_-

Fiorina (OH NO REAGAN!): republican solutions.  leaders not lawyers or entertainers.  No territory at the caliphate.  at home, update patriot act...oy.

Christie (Americans afraid, LA threat, is this new normal?):  yes, it is.  blame clinton and obama.everywhere in america is a target.  spy on america to save amerca!  WTF!!!!  yes, let's trust a lawyer.

Kasich (how to find radical in the US): need troops on the ground to fight ISIS. Cliamte conference needed to talk ISIS too.  Use joint terrorism task force.  OMG!  encryption.  DO NOT LISTEN TO MY PRIVATE COMMUNCATION JERK!

Balance surveillance and privacy:

Cruz (vote mistake):  ended listen to everyone.  why does he keep talking 'bad guys' like we were 5 yos?

Rubio: keep surveillance going.

Cruz: calls Rubio liar.

Rubio: said Cruz talked about classified info.  bill took away powerful tool.

free for all.

Paul: Rubio wrong.  stricter controls on border.  too much data from NSA and distracts us.  calls Rubio for open border!  whoa.  calls him a liberal loyalist.

Rubio: Paul's bill only got 10 votes.  metadata more strict.  whoa.  wants to spy on american citizens.

Paul: Rubio still misunderstands.  Wants rules and restrictions on immigration.

Privacy.

Christie: says senate is all about angels on a pin.  I'm an exec and know can act.  No one in america cares about stupid debates.  I ... really detest this guy.  Let's talk about doing something, not debating.

Carson (what is anti american): monitor mosques.  listen to anywhere.  o.O  duuuuuuude. doesn't know who is right.  let Rubio and Paul fight.

Bush: Islam is not a problem.  let's surveill everyone.  good gawd.    destroy ISIS there to win.  Don't talk about surveillance in public.

Fiorina: SV refuses to help crack encryption.  meh.  gov idiots.  omg.  Do not be forced, ask them.

Trump (closing internet): use SV to figure out how to kill ISIS online.  ISIS are evil.  hunt isis online.  open to closing part of the internet.

Kasich: not a good idea to shutdown internet.  metadata collection good.  attacks encryption use.

ISIS war of our time:

Cruz (can sand glow in dark?): means use overwhelming air power.  arm kurds.  fight and kill ISIS in Syria and Iraq.  PC is the problem, not incompetence. no city destruction.  lots of wank after that.

Rubio: cannot defeating them only by air strikes.  ground force must defeat them and sunni arabs must defeat them with special forces.  reverse cuts in air force and navy.  win the propaganda war.  Cruz voted against defense authorization.  thinks cruz would veto DA.

Cruz: true about vote.  oppose detaining.  Rubio insulted me.  I am scary than Rubio.  Rubio supports Obama and Clinton.

Rubio: walks a dangerous line with American citizen right.  Cruz won't lead.

How to fight war with ISIS:

Trump: we must tougher on families.

Bush: this isn't serious.  calls Trump's strategy crazy.

Trump: thinks Jeb nice, but US needs tough.

Jeb and Trump attack.

whoa.  online issues.

Trump and Jeb insult each other.


 ugh.  internet problem.  


Whoa.  ok.  Can you be as ruthless as Chruchil..

Carson: tough yes, ruthless no.

ISIS stronger because of hawks:

Paul: US armed ISIS allies.  Libya was a mistake.  Trump is NOT serious.  Geneva convention and 1st amendment.  Do you believe in constitution or not?

Trump:  attacks Paul.  Talks closing down parts of in Syria and Iraq.  Infiltrate their conversations.

Paul: are republicans responsible?  Is regime change a good idea?  we should be a isolationist.

Kasich:  coalition in Syria.  repeat first gulf war against ISIS.

internet problems again.

Rubio asked, but livestream  got stuck.

ok

unstuck.

Christie is ranting about the sequester.

Carson:  attack energy, attack ground but also boots on the ground, do what military says.

break over.

Cruz: regime change bad.  wuh oh.  said we should be like woodrow wilson.

Rubio:  qadafi would going down with or without US.  must work with bad.  anti america dictators must go.

Cruz: regime attack.  moderate rebels are mythical purple unicorns.  I'm the same as netanyahu..

Kasich: assad must go.

Trump (are americans safer with dictators): wasted money.  gets heckled.  better spending the money at home.

Fiorina: Obama said what Trump said.  Clinton wrong.

 Trump: people are different.  attacks Clinton, Obama.  let's be isolationist.  wait.  are you going to destroy ISIS or be isolationist?  Loves Carson.  wait.  what?  Are we seeing Trump-Carson  yikes.

Carson (better off with dictators?): america needs help first.  then think about fixing ME.

Bush:  Saddam killing was good.  attacks Obama.

Paul: regime change is bad.

Cruz: wrong question.

Wolff vs Cruz.

Trump:  can't fight everyone.


Ok.  sorry.

Fiorina: didn't say not to talk to Putin.  Says Putin lies.  duh.  Build strength against Putin.  attacks Obama, Clinton for Iraq withdrawal caused ISIS.  she has a point there.

Christie:  shoot down Russian plane in no fly zone, yes.  Will talk to Putin and warn.  Calls Oabam a weakling.  total lack of respect for the office.

Paul:  says christie would start ww3. bridge attack on Christie.

Christie: attacks obama instead of Paul.


Jeb insults Trump again.


streaming problems again.



Kasich is saying everyone arguing and being stupid.  Bringing together people.

Carson (qualified to be commander in chief): nice slam on politicians only.  however....whoa less talk more do.  That's my line, damnit.

Immigration:

Rubio: I live the immigrant problem.  American people do not trust feds about illegal immigration.  After ten years probation, open to green card after all other measures done.

Cruz: our immigration plans different.  not for amnesty.  Invokes saint reagan.  damn.  Will get Trump to pay for border wall (silly).

Rubio:  Cruz really isn't that different.

Cruz: Rubio wants to muddy waters.  I fought Rubio.  Nice shot about arsonist and fireman the same.

furball.

Cruz: does not intend to allow path to citizenship.

Furball.

Trump:  have a very hard line position.  illegals out.  period. 

Bush (immigration debate won't help debate):  secure the border.  fix the border.

Carson:  refugee camp really quite nice.  Says Syrians want to go home.

Paul (would you send back the 2k Syria): attacks Rubio.

Rubio: parries Paul.  hmmm.

Paul (2k already here): 2k stay.  no retroactive.  charity only for private people to do.

Bible question.

Christie: first job to protect americans.  ignores bible commentary. :)  attacks Obama and Clinton.  No widows and orphans.

Kasich: we do a good job against terror.  vetting program broken.



North Korea:

Fiorina (hydrogen bomb): Kim Jung Un is dangerous.  isolate NK and work with China.  wuh.  o.O  retaliate against china and fight for south china sea.  contain china and then work with china.  hmmm.

Carson: NK dangerous.  NK is a mess.  ...  use economy to contain NK and Putin.  export american energy to do so.  Upgrade military.

Christie (cyber attack): cyber war if china attacks.  uhm.  doesn't seem to understand understand what cyberwarfare about.  he's talking hacking and doxxing china.  o.O  attack Obama and clinton again.

Bush (concerned about cyber attack): completely agrees with Christie.  brings up email servers again Clinton.

streaming problems again.

Trump says he was against Iraq.  Nuclear weapons too important.  Biggest problem is nuclear proliferation.

More streaming problems.

calling it here.  sorry

Live Blogging the Republican Debate (again)

Here we go again.  We have 8 candidates left now in the big kids table.

The economy is the focus for tonight.

Minimum wage first.

Trump: not sympathetic to minimum wage.  taxes too high.  raising it will make US uncompetitive.

Carson: going off topic.  gah.  everytime minimum wage raised, less jobs.  especially hurts black.  wages are to blame.  educate, don't raise minimum wage.

Rubio: a)  mumbling about his folks.  bah.  answer a question.  old or new. no raising the wage.  haha invokes robopocalypse!!!!  goes off topic again.  b) repeal obamacare. 

National Debt, how to cut government spending:

Kasich:  cut taxes, including business taxes.  hrm.  see website for details for tax reduction & balance budget.  move medicare growth from 7% to 5% growth.  freeze non defense discretionary spending.  do not freeze defense spending.

Recession expected, tax reform:

Cruz: economy most important.  snipes at Obama.  IMF wrong.  3 ways to make economy grow.  tax reform, 10% flat tax.  2nd, regulatory reform.  3rd sound money.  wuh?  Reagan had sound money.

Kasich: interrupted.  attacks value added tax.

40% Americans not looking for job.  what to change for 4% growth:

Bush: tax reform first.  corporate 20%.  regulatory repeal all of Obama's.  regulation of internet.  clean power.  waters of US.  repeal all because the cost is more than social benefit.  gets in a Clinton attack.  poverty.  I see some energy for a change.

Jobs under Obama, Bush, and Clinton:

Fiorina:  ... anecdote time.  ugh.  big government is bad.  politics is the big business.  five things.  zero base budgeting.  reform tax code (simple 3 pages).  total review of regulations.  have to hold gov employees accountable.  I missed one somewhere.

Income inequality:

Paul: does matter.  blames democrats.  ugh.  look for root causes.  blames federal reserve.  brings up negative interest.  republicans the heroes.  baaaah.


This feels like a Q&A rather than a debate.


Double Standards in Media:

Carson: all candidates should be vetted.  claims media is lying.  takes a shot at Clinton about Benghazi. 

Illegal Immigrants:

Trump:  loves the court decision.  claims illegal immigration is hurting everywhere.  blame the immigrant.  needs borders, giant wall in the south.  country of laws.  kick out the illegals and then allow people in legally.

Kasich: comments on Trump.  invokes Reagan.  claims Trump is ridiculous.  Put in the wall, but the 11M are staying here.

Trump:  invokes Ike.  bashes Kasich.

Bush: calls Trump nice.  12M.  to send them back is not possible.  not american.  Says Clinton loves the immigrant debate.  has a point.  says everyone ought to have a path.

Trump:  says its unfair to those trying to come in legally.

WHOA Robopocalypse question:

Rubio: calling this a transformation.  compares candy crush to telephone.  erm.  talks health care, reform, outdated higher education.  I think he's missing the point.

How can you reduce Entitlements, why?:

Cruz:  no changes for seniors, for younger workers different.  wants to talk immigration, anti immigration.  says illegals reduce wages.  legal immigration, not illegal.

How do we get rid of regulations, health care:

Fiorina: kill Obamacare.  her favourite words!  crony capitalism.  blames big government.  real free market for health care.  strokes her harp about her awesome.  secret sauce of america...uh.  yeah.  no comment.  kill regulation.  meritocracy.  loooves her some scott walker.  let states manage high risk pools.

Flat tax:

Carson: everyone should pay fairer.  Get rid of all deductions and loopholes.  does care about the poor.  rebate at the poverty level.  grow economy to fix poverty.

Will your budget crisis with your tax plan:

Paul:  wants to choke government.  part of a balanced budget plan.  claims 1% cut across the board will balance board.  14.5% for corp or people, no payroll tax.  home, mortage and charity deductions.

Explain your tax plan:

Cruz:  current system no fair.  more words in the tax code than the bible.  o.O  wtf does that have to do with the price of tea tax in china.  same flat tax for rich or poor.  corp get a flat tax.  kill irs.  look at website.  exporting corp/biz get tax exemption.

Tax reform, will you guarantee it:

Bush:  fight as hard as can.   dude.  real incomes are down a lot more than that.  look at the diff between 1975 and now.

 Tax plan, large expansion for child tax credit costs too much?:

Rubio: nonsense.  kids most important. this is pro family tax code.

Paul:  calls Rubio's kid tax credit a welfare.  calls him not tax.

Rubio:  this is payroll tax is people's money.

Paul/Rubio DOG FIGHT!

Paul: Calls Rubio liberal in spending.

Cruz:  national defense is affordable.  sugar subsidies, kill them.

Fiorina:  tax reform with zero base budgeting.  bucks the

Trump:  military bigger and stronger.  any republican tax plan.

TPP trade treaty:

Trump: bad deal.  helps China (wuh).  worst trade deal ever.  Trade is bad for the US.  China is NOT part of the TPP.  o.O  I cannot understand what he is talking about.  does he expect China to join the TPP then?

Paul:  POINT!  Points TPP doesn't include China.  Should negotiate from strength and claims congress is 'fixed.' in the vet sense.

Terrorist Attacks increased, support Obama or not in Syria, Afghanistan:

Carson: Special forces in syria good.  talks Putin, has to oppose Putin.  calls Obama's strategy ineffective.  Losers...uh.  Says to fight in Iraq to defeat IS.

Homeland security:

Bush: biggest threat.  bashes obama. create safe zones.

Is Russia top problem, what does pres trump do about Russia:

Trump:  says there are many problems.  likes Putin.  o.O  wtf.  For Russia's help against IS.  Ukraine, says Germany are sitting on their butt.  says we can't be police man of the world.

Bush: trump wrong.  calls Trump a board game player.

Trump: says Assad bad, but rebels no idea.  says look at the mess we've made in the middle east.  wtf.  these guy is ... whacked.

Fiorina:  not negotiate in weakness.  Mocks Trump.  rebuild military.  oppose Putin.  America must lead.

Putin/Syria/Iran:

Paul:  no fly zone, better realize we are saying we are going to fight the Russians.  mocks Fiorina for not talking to Russians.  Not arm IS.  takes a shot at McCain indirectly.  o.O  we didn't attack assad.

Rubio:  calls Putin to be mafia.  he's getting Putin.  frack.  o.O  Gets into the IS is coming for us thing again.

China, cyber attacks and Chinese investments, should we stop them:

Kasich: states cyber war could be used against China.  aggressive foreign policy.  for TPP.  compliments obama on south china sea.


break.  looks like there was some debate after all.  The control isn't perfect though by the moderators.  Trump tried to sound like he was the boss there.  Fiorina keeps jumping in.  Worrisome that it feels like Paul has given the most thought to his positions.  I disagree with them, but he's given some thought while the others don't seem to have.  Well, Rubio some.


 Would you bail out banks?

Bush: bashes dodd-frank.  raise capital requirements.  won't need to bailout banks.  says community banks getting trashed.  There are a lot less of those in california.  bashes clinton. 

break up banks?:

Carson: anti enlargement for big banks, corporations to grow.  avoiding breaking up banks question.  o.O  claims regulation is the problem.  o.O  regulations hurting real problem, not rich.  does not want to bust the bank trusts.

Rubio: gov made banks big.  regulations problem.

Kasich: wall street is too greedy. hahahahhaa.  that's what wall street has always been.  values first.

Would you go after wall street:

Cruz: will hunt wall street crooks. no bailing out the banks.  bashes fed.  gold bug.  gah.

Kasich:  mocks cruz.  mocks obama,  says congress running fed bad. 

Cruz/Kasich dog fight.

Fiorina jumps in!  Calls Dodd-frank is socialism.  gov caused real estate bubble. 

Clinton more experienced, why you better?:

Rubio:  pick based on future for the country.  answered q

Cruz:  bad policies under Clinton.

Overseas tax havens:

Trump:  10% tax on money come in.

Climate Change:

Paul:  repeal regs.  balance environment vs economy.  pro coal.

Bush: 10% carbon emissions thru fracking.



Fox just cut off climate change discussion.   talk about expected.




Closing Statements:

Paul:  We're best.  Only fiscal conservative.

Kasich:  worry about dem win.  traditional conservative.

Fiorina:  bashes Clinton.  vote me.

Bush:  vote me, support vets.

Cruz:  family story.  invokes saint reagan

Rubio:  Washington out of touch.  Republicans only can save america.  Vote me.

Carson:  America special.  nti PC.

Trump:  vote me.  I'm awesome.  bashes clinton.