Political Debate Prognostication

I suppose I will be guilted into watching the Presidential Candidates debate this evening. Ho hum. These fellas will have spent countless hours preparing themselves for the arduous task but will we learn anything.

Will Romney actually give any particulars about he plans to accomplish what he says he’s going to do? Will he explain how he will increase 12 million jobs? Will he tell us what tax loopholes he will close and if they will affect him and those like him? Will he explain now on earth a reduction of the top tax rate of 25% can possibly increase government revenue? Will he tell us how he can increase military spending and reduce the deficit ala Ronald Reagan (who couldn’t do it either)? Will he show us exactly how he will grow the middle class (meaning change the wealth distribution in the country)? Will he show how a profit based businessman will lead us to more efficient government? (I used to believe more in capitalism and government cooperation when I was young and more naïve.) Will Romney come across and a real human being identifiable to the middle class.  Will his makeup fall off and we find a resurrected Ronald Reagan? Will he say anything of import?

Will the President explain why he didn’t really go big in the bailout so that he would actually grow the economy and not just save some big business? Will he talk about safe guards built into such future undertakings, if heaven forbid they need to take place, where the CEO’s and others don’t make out like bandits and public expense? Will he show us how and will he pledge to rein in big business and special interest PAC groups from having undue sway in the political process? Will he propose legislation making it illegal for ex-politicians to become lobbyists and the like? Will he show commitment and methods to break up Wall Street banks so that cannot be too big to fail? Will he show how we can actually increase the income of average workers? Will he show how he will deal with the environmental issues of the day to make our world safer? Will he support a carbon tax or a “cap and trade” program? Finally, will he show how he can kick a bit of extreme right wing butt so congress can get something done?

Well, a fella can dream. My guess is that Obama will come out as the more appealing and best informed and the most middle class oriented because he is. My guess is that Mitt will not fall on his face, he will give a few more specifics but not enough to show how his ideology will actually work. (Nobody can explain trickledown, supply side economics as effective because it isn’t.)

Finally my guess is that it will be like the proverbial ballgame which each will have their fans who will declare victory despite what is said. And all the political pundits will explain to us what each one said with Readers Digest versions of the understanding of the debate.

I’d just love to be wrong about all this. Remember, tonight’s debate is on national issues, then we get to listen again to international debate; more fun and game with Dick and Jane or rather Obama and Romney.

On second thought, perhaps I should have titled this article, “Political Halitosis” but there is enough of that on Facebook.