Tuesday 16 October 2012

The Second Presidential Debate

These style of standing debates are strange to a non American's eyes. The candidates always come across as students standing before the dean or a principal. I do like that the audience has more influence over the course of the discussion. There's something about this kind of intimate, forum style that forces the candidates to be more open. Not hiding behind a lectern exposes them as naked, open, more human.

So what of the issues?

Obama has, throughout this campaign, gone after Romney over taxes and the issue of tax rates for the top bracket vs the middle class. Romney, it is claimed, wants tax cuts for the wealthy and for the rich to play by a "different set of rules." Yet when Romney declared that the top earners would not receive tax cuts, and the middle class would, Obama dismissed this, asking how the Governor would achieve it.

Obama is more concerned about the government losing revenue than he is about businesses losing staff because of high taxes.

Obama continues to portray the businesses of America as evil corporate 1 percenters, while ignoring the shop owners, and small start up businesses working from the back of their garage.

And on energy? it's the same old business. Talking up expensive, unreliable green power. Dissapointingly, Romney also pledged to support green energy; but only, I believe, to try to court the student vote. Liberals arevt going to vote for Romney no matter how moderate he appears. But if he can atleast appear open to the possibility of renewables... maybe...

So the winner? Well, Obama definitely came out stronger than last time. He's been practising without a TelePrompter. Ha.

The O camp will be happy with that performance. Now it all comes down to Florida. Which, along with Ohio and Pennsylvania, is likely to be where the election will swing. Right now it's neck and neck. But three weeks is an eternity in the world of politics.  

      

No comments:

Post a Comment