Time to see how the third debate goes between the Minnesota Congressional District 1 candidates Allen Quist (R) and Tim Walz (D) goes. I missed the second one, but I will say as unimpressive as they both were in the first, they were both miles better than President Obama. By the way, typing the party next to each resulted in ® and 
Standing room only, it looks like they exceeded the seating for 350 by quite a bit. I’m watching the streaming video at Mankato Free Press.
Coin flip went to Walz, so he gets to go first. Oh great, confusion by the moderators on what happens first. I hope that doesn’t mean we’ll get a repeat of the first where confusion on turns reigned supreme. Both opening statements were inconsequential, which they normally are in a debate.
Fiscal cliff question leads off and Walz sounds like he is auditioning to be an auctioneer. I wonder what his words per minute rate is. Both candidates ding Congress for it existing in the first place. It looks like the race to who is more bipartisan is on.
Finally, a disagreement on how serious the debt is. “Unleashing the lion of free enterprise” appears to be Quist’s new catch phrase. Walz claims the deficit was purely caused by war spending, which is very dishonest – no surprise there. He somehow segues into a lot of unrelated talking points leading into bipartisanship, which Quist notes.
It seems like Walz is trying to cram as many sound bites into as short amount of time. For a Web analogy, it is like putting as many top searched words into your webpage code to attract clicks from search engines.
Should veterans benefits be cut? Ah, a question planted to help Walz. Quist says he is against cutting veterans benefits, Social Security, and Medicare because you honor your promises. That is my personal view, too. He warns on not having enough money to honor those commitments. Here comes the “lion”… yep, he used it again.
81 viewers on the stream now.
Walz claims Quist wants to privatize Social Security, Quist denies it and hits the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) for suppressing business. There is the lion again. Since I’m Mormon, I don’t drink, but I could see a potential drinking game developing.
There it is again. And again. Even Quist says he is saying it a lot.
Medicare voucher question. Now he has moved into a story from a friend about difficulties in getting an insulin pump. Time runs out. Walz counters with the death of Michael Weiser in La Crescent, MN. Forcing private hospitals and doctors compete by having the government regulate? Oy.
Quist continues his story with his rebuttal time. Bureaucracy causing problems. Walz rants and does not make much of a point other than be angry at people angry at the $716 billion being removed from Medicare. He claims it was reducing fraud and inefficiency!
Obamacare question. Walz backs it, slams Republicans in Congress and gets applause. His mocking the lion gets laughter. Moderator is not pleased with that and admonishes the audience. Quist acts like the comment from the moderator is somehow against him. Bizarre. He does get around to pointing out how the legislation punishes married people financially.
Wow, Walz makes a smarmy comment about Obamacare doesn’t list being female as being a preexisting condition anymore. He uses the word “conspiracy” to put down Quist, which of course is commented on by Quist once it is his turn.
Regulations question, name one that damages economic growth. Quist uses the carbon dioxide regulations that scuttled the Big Stone power plant as his example, points out Walz’s support of Cap and Trade. Walz uses classifying coal ash as a pollutant being wrong, then talks about smart regulation and the need to control steroids because of the meningitis breakout, lead poisoning and more. Amazing dissembling. Quist nails him for strawman arguments. Lion comes out again. Walz painting Quist as an all or nothing candidate.
Strengthening the farm sector question. Walz talks about the farm bill that he worked on in bipartisan fashion and actually passed the Senate. Dings the Senate at the same time. Man he crams a ridiculous stream of words into a short amount of time, some of them even connected to each other in topic. Comments the House is closer to Hell than Heaven.
Quist compliments Walz on his hyperbole and manages to get some laughter commenting on Walz wanting to return to the House. Points out that it is a nutrition bill more than a farm bill. Walz admits and defends that, once again “all or nothing.” Quist uses the words “ungodly coalition of interest groups” twice and I wonder if that will be used against him.
Despite the catch phrase usage, there is more substance in this debate so far than in the entire first one.
Foreign policy question to Quist. He believes Congress needs to be actively involved in military usage according to Constitutional rules. How does limited government apply to foreign involvement is asked. Sop to Ron Paul and isolationist types. Walz talks about money given to countries who hate us because they have energy resources. Domestic energy production, specifically renewables is what he wants developed. Ha, he uses the lion. Quist is delighted and repeats it himself. Walz brings up cyber security and China, so I have to give him credit there.
Moderator says the debate will be labeled “The lion king debate.” Laughter.
What is your plan for making college more affordable? Walz attacks banks for the cost! Wow. More Pell grants, etc. Somebody slip him a tranquilizer so he slows down. Quist connects it to foreign aid, he would end it and put half into education and half into roads. The lion comes out yet again.
At 8 PM, the power went out here and only came back on after 11 PM, so I missed the rest of the debate. Oh well.
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