Parker once lived in a cage environment created by liberals and big government. But after gaining her freedom, she determined to never go back and she now scares big government liberals. Many who have never lived the government cage still wear an unseen big government leash. As a result of being dependent on government, people find the leash being tugged to control their actions, choices and decisions. While most people do not see us living in a George Orwell's 1984 country, they do see significant signs of living in the liberal progressive world of John Galt identified in Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged.
Parker's article identifies many of the points that my wife and I have discussed. But I have not put pen to paper detailing the points. My opinion is that the Republican debates, not the candidates, "suck." Not because of the candidates, While I do have my opinion on the performance of the candidates, the important variances in the debates so far has been in the conduct by those putting on the debates.
I am disgruntled that Republican presidential debates have been made into a circus farce by those conducting the debates. With respect to the debates, I am even getting the strong indication that the "fair and balanced" network is no more "fair and balanced" than the "mean streak" liberal media. Ratings, hidden agendas and self aggrandizement appear more important to the sponsors, to those conducting the debate and to those asking the questions. There are a very few exceptions.
The holders of the debates and the media - including Fox News - pundits seem intent on shaping the debate toward whom they wish to be selected verses letting the candidates have equal time to share and have appropriate questions of interests to conservatives who will be selecting their Republican nominee. There will be future presidential debates between the Republican and Democrat nominee (most likely Barack Obama). Star Parker identifies important questions omitted from the debates of interest to conservatives.
Although I had intended to just excerpt parts of Star Parker's article, in the interest of education, I am sharing her complete article. At the end of the article, there are links to other published sources of her article where you can also leave comments.
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| Star Parker |
Maximum style, minimum substance. Focus on sizzle, forget about the steak.
These events are supposed to be about quality information, raising the bar, and producing a thoughtful, informed electorate. But they are being produced to provide entertainment, and we are barely getting that.
Technology doesn't take the place of substance. YouTube and real-time polling are not substitutes for thoughtful, provocative questioning.
Can it really be, after all the heat he has taken on Social Security, that Rick Perry was not pushed on how specifically how he would reform it?
Can it be, as expert after expert has laid out the long list of failures of Romneycare in Massachusetts and its unquestionable similarities to Obamacare, that Mitt Romney was not called out on his sidestepping and denials?
Can it be that, on a day where the stock market in our country dropped 3.5 percent and in China by 5 percent, that candidates were not asked what they think is wrong with the global economy?
Can it be that, when many experts agree that government meddling in housing and mortgages was central to the recent financial collapse, there has not been a single question on why Fannie and Freddie are still standing, propped up by government, and untouched?
Why, when everyone knows that Rick Santorum is a social conservative, would the question on "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the military be directed at him? His answer was a surprise to no one. Why wasn't Romney the one questioned on this?
Why, instead of wasting time on stupid questions like "Who on this stage would you choose as your vice president?" would the question not be asked "Who is your favorite justice on the Supreme Court"?
Both Romney and Michele Bachmann have said they will repeal Obamacare on day one. Shouldn't someone ask what happens on day two? What would they do to fix our health care system, which clearly has problems?
With all the focus on Social Security, policy experts generally agree that the problems of Medicare are much bigger and more complex. Yet, there has not been a single question about how to reform Medicare.
But perhaps even more fundamentally, the cable sponsors of these events have failed grotesquely to bring out the fault lines that divide these Republican candidates and the Republican Party.
Where are these candidates on Roe v. Wade and the role of law in protecting unborn lives?
Where are these candidates on preservation on the integrity of traditional marriage?
With all the talk about states' rights, why are there no questions about the appropriateness of a federal court overturning a popular vote in the state of California -- Proposition 8 -- to preserve the traditional definition of marriage in their state?
Or the denial of the District of Columbia government to even allow a vote of its residents on this issue before declaring same-sex marriage legal?
Does the collapse of the traditional family in America -- something undeniably happening as we rapidly approach having half of our children born to unwed mothers -- even matter? Should candidates not be forced to weigh in on this?
The downward spiral into an exclusively technocratic discussion about the economy -- like we're all laboratory mice in a box with politicians pushing the buttons -- obfuscates key differences between these Republican candidates and the two parties.
It is a symptom of the big problems of our country that we appear incapable of having presidential debates with serious questions.
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Star Parker is president of CURE, the Center for Urban Renewal and Education, and author of "Uncle Sam's Plantation: How Big Government Enslaves America's Poor and What We Can Do About It.
View her article at either of the following:
GOPUSA: Parker: Presidential Debates are a Farce
Wasdhington Examiner: Why the presidential debates aren't serious
Tags: Star Parker, GOP debates, debates, conservative issues, questions not asked, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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