THE NEVADA DEBATE.... MY NOTES AND THOUGHTS

Protesters outside debate site in Las Vegas…. Sounds like 25-30 max chanting ‘they got bailed out – we got sold out’  - in the Las Vegas dry heat – I bet their mouths are parched!

‘With nothing less than America’s future at stake’….. you said that right, CNN

Introductions…..

Bachmann, Gingrich, Perry, Romney, Cain, Paul, Santorum (no Huntsman – a good thing)

Cain got the loudest applause…………… standing for national anthem – nice touch– this is a first for the debates

And away we gooooooooooooo

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Format:  one minutes to reply, 30 seconds to rebut… each candidate gets a minute intro

Newt wins the intros……. He knows who the enemy is…

First question from an audience member…. WHAT'S YOUR POSITION ON REPLACING THE INCOME TAX WITH A SALES TAX?

Bachmann:  can’t give Congress a new revenue stream  and beware of VAT.

Cain:  Read the 9/9/9 analysis – it IS a jobs plan and it does not raise taxes on the poor

Santorum:  Cain’s plan will have 84% of Americans paying more – no breaks for families – bad tax

Cain:  not true… not a VAT

Perry:  some states have no tax – Cain adds one – 9% on everything

Paul calls plan dangerous and regressive – will tax people who aren’t paying taxes now

Romney has 59 point plan….. Romney is an asshole… demagogueing Cain’s plan – Romney wants to reduce taxes on everyone – TOO MUCH TIME, MODERATOR!

Newt…. Said it would be a hard sell – like it just was on the panel – complimenting Cain’s plan – Cain has us talking about something serious, which is a good thing – Newt favors narrow cuts, like 0% capital gains

Bachmann – every American should pay SOMETHING – BIG CHEERS FROM AUDIENCE – flatten tax code and remove regulations – excellent answer

Perry:  called Romney a failure…. Focus on 9% unemployment and get people working – started again on energy production…  energy independence is the way out

Romney:  Perry’s right about energy but other areas need to get moving – manufacturing, etc.  Repeal Obamacare

Santorum:  Income mobility – letting those at the bottom of the scale rise – have to get back manufacturing base – repeal regulations to spur manufacturing, bring jobs back from overseas – nailed Romney on Obamacare using his plan

Romney /Santorum:  arguing – Romney nailed on his Romneycare

Santorum:  state of Mass is now trying to lower costs – expanded access without controlling costs

Romney:  people of Mass like the plan by 3/1 

Newt:  Focus – Boston Herald reported state of Mass is fining a small business 700,000 because his health care isn’t sufficient – NAILED ROMNEY – CHEERS

Whoa – Newt calls Romney a liar!  Romney accuses Newt of supporting individual mandate - Newt supported individual mandate with Heritage Foundation against Hillarycare – not the same as Romneycare or Obamacare

Bachmann:  Obamacare so unpopular that even the Obama admin is throwing out parts of it…

BREAK------------------------------------

[lively so far – everyone after Cain and Romney – Newt is getting all the applause; Paul not getting much face time; Santorum strong on jobs]

WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE TO OBAMACARE AND SHOULD WE KEEP ANY PART?

Paul – keep nothing – too many programs already – allow people to opt out of GOVERNMENT medicine – CHEERS‼‼  Need more competition and let people have control…. EXCELLENT ANSWER

Cain – keep none of it – repeal it because it’s a disaster – H.R. - 3400 – market driven reforms

Perry:  Texas has high rate of uninsured kids…. Perry said Texas has more doctors  - accused Romney of hiring illegals

Romney – nailing Perry on immigration – 60% increase in illegal population

Perry – calls Romney liar – had illegals working for him – Mass paper reported it – accuses Romney of being in favor of amnesty – Romney admits to having illegals after denying it – Perry said it took him a year to fire ‘em – Perry didn’t come out too great on this round

AS PRESIDENT WOULD YOU PUT UP A FENCE ON THE SOUTHERN BORDER?

Cain re: your comments on electrified fence…. Yes – secure border with fence, technology and boots – no apology for wanting to protect America – promote existing path by cleaning up bureaucracy – and empower states to do what federal government is not doing

Perry – is fence possible?  10-15 years to build it – better to build a virtual fence – to really stop activity is boots on the ground –

Bachmann – says Obama has illegal problem – aunt and uncle that are illegal – she will build a fence on the entire border – costs us $113 BILLION a year for illegals – English as official language – immigrants will not receive subsidies

Perry says federal government has failed to protect the border.

Romney:  turn off the magnets – jogs, freebies  Audience boos Perry for attacking Mitt

From a Latino in the audience:  WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO LEGAL LATINOS AND HOW WOULD YOU WIN OUR VOTE?

Newt:  anyone who understands America should be proud of our willingness to accept people from all over the world.

Paul:  are laws anti-Latino?  Must remove incentives for illegals to come here – stop putting people in groups  - need to see people as individuals

SHOULD THE 14th AMENDMENT BE REPEALED?

Cain – didn’t answer – talked about jobs plan

Perry – talked about getting people back to work - does not support repeal

Bachmann – anchor babies issue of legislation  - need to deal with it

Santorum:  basis of strength is the family, not the individual – latino families know this and see erosion of family – family and faith are being crushed

Paul:  need to run border better – bring troops home to guard the border

DO YOU SUPPORT OPENING A NATIONAL NUCLEAR REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN FOR NUCLEAR WASTE? (pertinent to Nevadians)

Newt – need to find a solution for waste rather than having them scattered all over the country – need to let geologists determine safest place

Paul – what right does 49 states have to tell one state we’re gonna put our garbage there?  Romney agrees and says Nevada should be the ones to decide…

Perry – agrees with Mitt…. And Paul – let states decide – follow the 10^th Amendment

PROPERTY OWNERS DEVASTATED BY R.E. BUBBLE – WHAT WILL YOU DO?

Santorum:  Says all supported TARP… 

Perry said no he didn’t – 

Cain says no, Romney said no…. 

Perry asked Congress to cut regs and taxation NOT to pass TARP – Perry says government needs to get out of markets and let them work – get economy going… 

Cain – I’ve said before – we were in a crisis – supported concept of TARP – did not like what Obama did – need to get government out of the way- 

Bachmann:  talks to people about housing and foreclosures – people losing their homes and Obama has failed you – I will not fail you on and will change things

YOUR THOUGHTST ON OCCUPY WALL STREET

Cain – still says if you don’t have a job blame yourself – CHEERS FROM AUDIENCE – occupy is directing anger at wrong thing – should be in front of the White House protesting!  MORE CHEERS (best answer in debate)

Paul:  Does Romney understand…. Says Cain’s blaming victims for problems… FROOT LOOP ALERT!  How many have gone to jail?  Blame economic policies

Romney – said protests were dangerous.  President failed on the economy – made harder on every issue – Obama has no jobs plan even now and he’s campaigning

BREAK ------------------

[Romney is great at enumerating the problem but will NOT give solutions – only platitudes….. Perry is off the tracks and seems easily rattled -  seems to be one question behind – better check his facts because the crowd isn’t behind Perry… Santorum nailed the family issue and got cheers – Paul got laughs by saying the government doesn’t run anything well – Bachmann got off track talking about moms losing their homes – Cain had a great round and stuck to his guns on the fence and particularly on taking responsibility if you don’t have a job]

QUESTION ON RELIGION – DOES CANDIDATE’S FAITH MATTER?

Santorum:  morals and values matter –lengthy,  excellent answer

Newt:  of course it matters – how can you have a country founded on faith and it NOT matter – don’t judge others [APPLAUSE] – how can I trust you with power if you don’t pray? Don't care who you pray TO but gotta have faith

Perry – rambled and didn’t  talk about the pastor who said Mitt was in a cult – says he didn’t agree with what the pastor said

Romney – not gonna lose sleep over comments – but has a problem with the man saying we need to choose based on religion – that’s not tolerance - insisted on an apology after saying that wasn't the worst comment he'd ever had said about him

DO YOU SUPPORT DEFENSE SPENDING CUTS?

Bachmann – talked about assassination attempt and then Obama engaged troops in a 4^th country – we are disrespected in the world because of Obama’s failed policies – need to stand up against Iran

Newt – supercommittee can’t achieve magic number we will have to shoot ourselves in the head and then be glad they only want to cut off a leg – says the committee is stupid – GREAT ANSWER – said he’s a hawk but a cheap hawk – setting an arbitrary budget number for defense is stupid

Paul – withdraw military – cut spending – can’t afford it – come home

WOULD YOU NEGOTIATE FOR A HOSTAGE?

Cain – do not negotiate with terrorists but look at individual situation –

Santorum – would not negotiate with terrorists – not cut a penny from military budget – government’s primary duty is to protect us – biggest threat is Iran

WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO SEND FOREIGN AID WHEN WE NEED IT HERE?

Perry – need a real debate on foreign aid – need to defund the United Nations – PLO creating conflict in U.N. – why are we funding it

Romney – explains what foreign aid is…. Listed ways to cut budget

Paul – would cut all foreign aid, including Israel

Bachmann – no – should NOT cut aid to Israel – criticized Obama for how he treats Israel – countries we have liberated should reimburse the United States – do NOT negotiate with terrorists

Cain – stop giving money to enemies

Newt – Reagan said negotiating for release of Iranian hostages was a terrible mistake

BREAK------------------

[Perry is the weakest man standing – he’s uninformed and erratic.  Bachmann is very well informed and making strong points – Cain is comfortable and spontaneous but his answers on foreign things lack clarity – Newt knows his world stuff – Romney would rather reiterate what the problem is than say how to fix it – and Santorum sounds more sensible as time passes.  Romney has gotten some loud cheers but some groans as well.  Paul lost the audience on foreign stuff, which he’s done in every debate because his positions are dumb.]

WHO CAN BEAT OBAMA? 

Moderator said:  41% say Romney; 1% Santorum...Why go with Santorum?  

Santorum:  said people aren’t paying attention and he’s the only one who’s won a swing state AS A CONSERVATIVE…. Excellent answer but I couldn’t type that fast!  Sorry!  Santorum flat out nailed the question.

Romney – thinks people are looking for someone to beat Obama – yada yada  - ANSWER THE QUESTION!  Pffffttttt

Perry – need to contrast with Obama

Romney – called Perry out on being on Al Gore’s campaign and said half the jobs were for illegals – Perry said was not true – Perry called Mitt a failed governor

Cain – tied in polls – who should be president!  Cain said he should be president – Romney is Wall Street – Cain is Main Street -   problem solver VS a president who hasn’t fixed anything

Romney touting his jobs experience.  Blahhhhh

Newt – says he has substance – will challenge Obama to Lincoln/Douglas format

AND THE WINNERS ARE:  GINGRICH AND CAIN - the two at the bottom of the money scale  

(PERRY AND ROMNEY both stunk but they have the most money and money talks.......... )

And there you have it...