GOP Primary Candidates have their HELL NO moment in debate

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By Steve Benen

I’m still working my way through the transcript of last night’s debate for Republican presidential candidates, but there was one moment that clearly stood out for its significance. It wasn’t a zinger or an attack; it was a response all of the candidates offered by raising their hands.

About midway through the event, Byron York asked Rick Santorum about the next phase of the debt-reduction process, as the Murray/Hensarling panel (the “super committee”) begins its work. “Democrats will demand that savings come from a combination of spending cuts and tax increases, maybe $3 in cuts for every $1 in higher taxes,” York noted. “Is there any ratio of cuts to taxes that you would accept? Three to one? Four to one? Or even 10 to one?”

Santorum replied, “No. The answer is no.” He conceded that revenues are down, but argued that was a positive development.

Fox News’ Bret Baier opened the question up to all eight of the candidates on the stage.

...

Baier phrased it this way: “I’m going to ask a question to everyone here on the stage. Say you had a deal, a real spending cuts deal, 10-to-1, as Byron said, spending cuts to tax increases…. Who on this stage would walk away from that deal? Can you raise your hand if you feel so strongly about not raising taxes, you’d walk away on the 10-to-1 deal?”

All eight candidates raised their hand. Literally all of them, if offered a debt-reduction deal that’s 10-to-1 in their favor, would simply refuse.

Let’s note for context that in March — just five months ago — Republicans on the Joint Economic Committee released a report on deficit reduction. In it, House GOP officials outlined their ideal cuts-to-revenue ratio, and concluded that “successful” attempts at deficit reduction meet this goal: “85% spending cuts and 15% revenue increases.” Roughly speaking, that’s about a 5-to-1 ratio in Republicans’ favor — and this is what GOP officials characterized as their ideal earlier this year.

And yet, as of last night, every Republican running for president believes a 10-to-1 ratio simply isn’t good enough.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_08/tentoone_isnt_good_enough_for031484.php

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

What did you expect?

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What did you expect?

They're Republicans and they're acting like it. If only Democrats had this kind of message discipline.

[Dan J 277]

They're Republicans and they're acting like it. If only Democrats had this kind of message discipline.

So are you saying that democrats should purge anyone who might be moderate?

Edited August 12, 2011 by Dan J

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So are you saying that democrats should purge anyone who might be moderate?

I'm saying if the President was Republican and this was a Democratic primary debate, there would be nothing they all agree on (except the Republican is the bad guy, of course). Why be members of the same party if there are no core principles at all?

[ready4ONE 5,400]

I'm saying if the President was Republican and this was a Democratic primary debate, there would be nothing they all agree on (except the Republican is the bad guy, of course). Why be members of the same party if there are no core principles at all?

Being brain dead, goose stepping automatons is a core principle?

[mawilson 2,133]

No tax increases. I love it!

[웃 910]

No tax increases. I love it!

Want to make a bet we'll have $2 trillion deficits soon under these insane idiots

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Ron Paul won. He said so.

[mawilson 2,133]

Want to make a bet we'll have $2 trillion deficits soon under these insane idiots

They're just going to have to find a way to balance the sucker without raising taxes.

I don't care how many grandmas they have to throw off the cliff.

Edited August 12, 2011 by mawilson

[웃 910]

They're just going to have to find a way to balance the sucker without raising taxes.

I don't care how many grandmas they have to throw off the cliff.

Well it should be interesting to see where they take us.

I'm guessing we'll have a GOP pres and Congress in 2012.

Some of them are so far gone that they would choose their voodoo economic principles over a default.

I wouldn't be surprised if we defaulted (voluntarily because of principle ) when we have the money to pay the bills.

That is how teatarded they are and I wouldn't be surprised to see the markets fall 50% in 2 weeks on a default.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Well it should be interesting to see where they take us.

Here is how this is going down:

After he wins the nomination, protocol will require Perry to have discussions with Bachmann about the vice presidential slot, but he will, eventually, turn to Sarah Palin. The general election will force the Texan back toward the middle and he will stop talking about faith and abortion and gay marriage; Perry will campaign on jobs and the economy.

Palin, who is loved by the tea party as much as Perry, will keep the Teavangelicals animated while he tries to talk to the adults to win the election on a single issue: the economy, stupiderest!!! (Forget about Rudy Giuliani; the GOP cannot win New York, don't need it to take the election and Giuliani is wrong on gay marriage for this ticket).

The general election will, quite literally, decide the fate of a nation. Every time Team Obama criticizes the Texas economy for its minimum wage job boom, the president will be accused of attacking the working men and women of America. (Texas has created a large share of the new jobs in the United States in the last decade but studies indicate many of them are at places like Wal-Mart and Carl's Jr.)

President Obama will also get beaten up for presiding over the first bond rating downgrade in U.S. history as well as high unemployment. When the cold rains fall in early November next year, unemployed voters in places like Ohio will step into the booth and dream of a minimum wage job in the Texas sun selling fishing rods at big box sporting goods stores or working in call centers; they will vote against Barack Obama.

And in the process, they will write the epitaph to set upon the tombstone of history's greatest democracy: Perry-Palin, 2012.

[mawilson 2,133]

There's a perception among business people - rightly or wrongly - that this President is anti-business.

I wouldn't be surprised if the pace of job growth picked up dramatically under a Republican President.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

There's a perception among business people - rightly or wrongly - that this President is anti-business.

I wouldn't be surprised if the pace of job growth picked up dramatically under a Republican President.

There is a perception - rightly - that most of the folks on stage yesterday are anti-business. The mere thought of having one of these lunatics in the Oval Office that doesn't even begin to understand what loss of the full faith and credit of the United States government means to the economy is giving real people in the real business world real, actual nighmares.

[웃 910]

They're Republicans and they're acting like it. If only Democrats had this kind of message discipline.