Still having our serious discussion (hahahaha) about the economy with the frontrunning Republican presidential candidates. They would be, in order:
Donald Trump
Ben Carson
Marco Rubio
Carly Fiorina
Jeb Bush
Ted Cruz
Mike Huckabee
John Kasich
Rand Paul
Chris Christie
Unfortunately, unless you have a cable subscription including CNBC, you can't watch live. If you do have that subscription and want to subject yourself to this, here's where to go.
Wed Oct 28, 2015 at 6:33 PM PT (Kerry Eleveld): Ben Carson says he's in favor of getting rid of ALL government subsidies. (Yes, all. I'm betting he tries to walk that back very soon.)
Wed Oct 28, 2015 at 6:35 PM PT: Why would you tax labor at a higher rate than investments, Harwood asks Jeb! Jeb! glosses over the question to basically say "lower taxes, less government, profits!!!" Where have we heard that before.
Wed Oct 28, 2015 at 6:41 PM PT: Kasich asked if he wishes he had the kind of revenue Colorado is getting from pot sales. Kasich says Ohio is doing just fine, thanks, and by the way he's worried about a drug culture and all the overdoses. Because there are so many overdoses from pot. Then he launched into a commercial for Ohio's economy. It's great, donchaknow.
Wed Oct 28, 2015 at 6:45 PM PT:
Wed Oct 28, 2015 at 6:49 PM PT (Barbara Morrill): Donald Trump often is packing heat, but he keeps people off balance, so go ahead, make his day. Says gun-free zones are "feeding frenzies for sickos." He also wouldn't mind seeing his employees carrying guns.
Wed Oct 28, 2015 at 6:54 PM PT (Laura Clawson): Q for Fiorina: You ran a company that offered a 401(k) but lots of workers have no employer retirement programs. Should the government require that? Fiorina's answer is, of course, no. Fiorina's answer on anything involving businesses being required to do any tiny thing for workers is no. In fact, in this answer, she comes out against the minimum wage. Not raising it, but its existence. "There is no constitutional role for the government to be setting minimum wages." This is a presidential candidate from a major party. She opposes the existence of the minimum wage. Just so you know.
Wed Oct 28, 2015 at 7:00 PM PT (Meteor Blades): Christie talks about keeping government out of doing anything on climate change. Let the private sector handle it. He praises Iowa's cheap electricity from wind turbines. That's how to do it, he says. Without noting that those wind turbines in Iowa wouldn't be there without both state and federal government policies.
Wed Oct 28, 2015 at 7:01 PM PT (Kerry Eleveld): Christie mocks a question on whether Fantasy Football should be regulated. He yells: we're trillions of dollars in debt, we've got ISIS knocking on our door, and we're worried about Fantasy Football??? (Lots of applause. Maybe his best moment in months, frankly. He's still toast.)
Wed Oct 28, 2015 at 7:07 PM PT: Finally closing statement time, after everybody but Huckabee gets to talk about how badly they want to destroy Social Security. Promises, promises on closing statements. Just give us the damned closing statements already.
Wed Oct 28, 2015 at 7:09 PM PT: Carson on his Medicare plan--it's an opt-in to opting out of Medicare. Make sense? No, not really. But he talks about a lot of numbers, and how we need to use our intellects and not the government's intellect to do something because government is bad. Seriously, this guy is leading in the polls? Seriously?
Wed Oct 28, 2015 at 7:15 PM PT (Kerry Eleveld): Christie claims that finally, we're having a debate about "ideas" (unlike the Democrats). It's been "civil" and "smart." The Democrats was just a parade of you'll get this for free and that for free. (Omg, what planet is Christie living on? Maybe he's renting space on Carson's planet with the last of his campaign funds.)
Wed Oct 28, 2015 at 7:21 PM PT: Closing statements: Paul--liberty thrives with a small government. I'm gonna filibuster (which he's not because it's not a filibuster) for small government. Christie--are you fed up with Washington? Debt, deficit blah blah. He's deadly serious about changing this culture. He's tested and ready. Cruz--yeah, everybody talks about taking on Washington but I do it, shutting down government on Obamacare and immigration and his dad fled Cuba for freedom so he'll call Mitch McConnell names. Fioria--pretends that she's a calm, sane person. Says she'll get results and cut government and is Hillary Clinton's worse nightmare. I think she's everyone's worse nightmare. Carson--yeah, still incoherent but we can't give up the nation for the sake of political correctness. Trump--we used to be a winner, but now we're a loser. Blah, blah, blah stuff that we've heard before. And Trump and Carson are responsible for renegoiating this debate down to two hours? (Harwood: the debate was always going to be 2 hours). Rubio--I owe so much to America, but government is completely out of touch and my American dream isn't available to everybody. Jeb!--DC politicians suck. I'll change the culture in Washington. He'll be a uniter! Not a divider! Yep, he's a Bush. Huckabee--still being nice Huck, talking about what all these people on stage have that's deep inside of them to save the nation. He doesn't want his grandchildren to face the "charred remains" of America, so he's going to save it. Kasich--idealism, you can still change the world. Washington sucks, but we need to rebuild our families (?). We renew American from the bottom up starting with families and God bless America. We're out.