# Mitch Daniels Calls For More Honest Debate **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 19, 2011, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781 "2011-09-19T02:55:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/1 "2011-09-19T02:55:26Z")
[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/us/politics/mitch-daniels-calls-for-a-more-honest-campaign-debate.html?hp](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/us/politics/mitch-daniels-calls-for-a-more-honest-campaign-debate.html?hp) The Republican party and its nominee-whoever it may be-must not forget these words: > [@](#): > > “Somebody else could still enter and have a competitive chance,” Mr. Daniels said in a weekend interview. “The candidate I could get instantly excited about is someone who is willing to level with the American people and assume they are prepared to listen to the mathematical facts and agree that whatever other disagreements we have aren’t as important.” > [@](#): > > “It’s quite possible that some Republican could win next year by just being not the president, but then what?” Mr. Daniels said. “They should campaign to govern, not just win an election.” And I assume here he means the Red Chinese: > [@](#): > > He outlines in stark terms what he views as the nation’s precarious economic condition, suggesting that Democrats and Republicans alike have failed to adequately prepare for a new “Red menace” facing the United States. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/2 "2011-09-19T07:08:17Z")
> [@Mitch](#): > > “I don’t think any of this is very helpful,” Mr. Daniels said. “If there’s a problem with ‘Ponzi scheme,’ **it is that it’s too frank, not that it’s wrong**. But by stopping there, he might be unnecessarily scaring people.” Lol he’s BSing. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/3 "2011-09-19T11:36:41Z")
He could be using Red Menace to mean debt, as in red ink. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/4 "2011-09-19T12:54:54Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Lol he’s BSing. Ponzi schemes require a profit making motive. Such does not exist with social security, and never did. It also requires deception. No one is deceived on how Social Security works. To say it is a Ponzi Scheme is a lie. Anyone who knows the term like he does should also know its requirements. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/5 "2011-09-19T13:15:37Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > And I assume here he means the Red Chinese: I don’t think anyone has used the term “Red China” in your lifetime. In my opinion he was talking “red ink”. We’ve seen this movie before- little know candidate announces for president and gets his panties in a twist because the big bad media won’t include him in debates and then tries to get attention in other ways. Mitch Daniels will be out after Iowa, if not before. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/6 "2011-09-19T13:21:31Z")
Mitch Daniels stated MONTHS ago he has no intention of running, and has repeated that assertion about every six weeks since. Of course, being that I live in his state I get to hear from him more often than most. Mitch is NOT running for president, he’s been very, very firm on that. ETA: Yes, I’m pretty sure the “red menace” referred to is red ink. Something that, so far this recession, Indiana has avoided. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/7 "2011-09-19T13:27:29Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Mitch Daniels stated MONTHS ago he has no intention of running, and has repeated that assertion about every six weeks since. Of course, being that I live in his state I get to hear from him more often than most. Mitch is NOT running for president, he’s been very, very firm on that. What was I thinking? Of course you’re right. Shame on me for my brain-dead reply. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/8 "2011-09-19T13:50:10Z")
China hasn’t been really “Red” in decades now. Pinkish, maybe. Although the really appropriate color for them right now may be “Green”, and not environmentally so. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/9 "2011-09-19T14:18:37Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I don’t think anyone has used the term “Red China” in your lifetime. In my opinion he was talking “red ink”. Not to mention “Red China” isn’t a new red menace, its the old red menace. Agree he’s referring to red ink. As to the rest, its just another iteration of politicians clucking their tongues at a system they’re not going to actually challenge. If Daniel’s was running, he’d be there promising to balance the deficit through tax-cuts and getting rid of NPR with the rest of them. And the voters would be loving it. In anycase, I’m glad George W. Bush’s budget director is here to chide the country for running up deficits. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/10 "2011-09-19T15:27:30Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > China hasn’t been really “Red” in decades now. Pinkish, maybe. Although the really appropriate color for them right now may be “Green”, and not environmentally so. Why? Is it because they’re floating on a sea of greenbacks? Or am I missing some other subtlety here? ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/11 "2011-09-19T15:28:48Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Ponzi schemes require a profit making motive. Such does not exist with social security, and never did. It also requires deception. No one is deceived on how Social Security works. > > To say it is a Ponzi Scheme is a lie. Anyone who knows the term like he does should also know its requirements. I’m confused by this post. Do you think I disagree for some reason? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/12 "2011-09-19T16:00:18Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > Why? Is it because they’re floating on a sea of greenbacks? Or am I missing some other subtlety here? Because they’re much more focused on making money than following Mao. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/13 "2011-09-19T16:25:44Z")
> [@Mitch Daniels](#): > > “It’s quite possible that some Republican could win next year by just being not the president . . ." No, it isn’t. Some Democrat other than Kerry might have done exactly that in 2004, but no Pub can pull it off in 2012. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/14 "2011-09-19T16:25:58Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > If Daniel’s was running, he’d be there promising to balance the deficit through tax-cuts and getting rid of NPR with the rest of them. And the voters would be loving it. Which is why Daniel’s isn’t running - he’s raised some taxes. Worse yet, after an attempt to privatize the public aid system became a disastrous failure he brought the whole system back into the public sector, admitting that in this case the government did it better. Among other things. Daniels isn’t running for president because he’s far too liberal a Republican - that is, he applies common sense to problems rather than pure dogma - for the whackos in the GOP to stomach. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/15 "2011-09-20T01:04:02Z")
Apparently the “Red Menace” means both Communist China and the debt. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/political-bookworm/post/in-new-book-mitch-daniels-warns-of-a-china-provoked-disaster-for-the-united-states/2011/07/19/gIQAPHwFOI\_blog.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/political-bookworm/post/in-new-book-mitch-daniels-warns-of-a-china-provoked-disaster-for-the-united-states/2011/07/19/gIQAPHwFOI_blog.html) ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/16 "2011-09-20T01:13:18Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Apparently the “Red Menace” means both Communist China and the debt. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/political-bookworm/post/in-new-book-mitch-daniels-warns-of-a-china-provoked-disaster-for-the-united-states/2011/07/19/gIQAPHwFOI\_blog.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/political-bookworm/post/in-new-book-mitch-daniels-warns-of-a-china-provoked-disaster-for-the-united-states/2011/07/19/gIQAPHwFOI_blog.html) He thinks Congress will declare war on China because China won’t buy our treasuries anymore? That seems at least as crazy as anything Bachmann or Perry have said. ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/17 "2011-09-20T22:57:24Z")
I agree with Govenor Daniels. However, the honesty begins not with acknowledging the problems with Medicare and Medicaid funding, but with the proposed solutions to the problem. The GOP candidates have been very clear that raising taxes to support these programs are off the table. So what, exactly, is their honest answer to the problem? When Obama or any other Democrat gives the obvious answer their position implies–benefit reduction–they scream that Obama shouldn’t be scaring seniors. If you want them to be honest, ask them if they supported Paul Ryan’s plan. And as for Social Security, the honesty begins with acknowledging the validity of US treasury debt as a repository for the trust fund. Despite attempts by the Tea Party to sabotage US finances, everyone in the world still considers US treasuries to be the safest investment on the planet. If the money isn’t put there, where, exactly, would they like to store it–the stock market? Maybe buried in a secret vault under the Capitol dome? ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/18 "2011-09-22T01:04:20Z")
“Somebody else could still enter and have a competitive chance,” Mr. Daniels said in a weekend interview. “The candidate I could get instantly excited about is someone who is willing to level with the American people and assume they are prepared to listen to the mathematical facts and agree that whatever other disagreements we have aren’t as important.” Somebody else indeed! Like the Golem of Prague, this mystery man is surely made of mud and prayers. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/19 "2011-09-22T16:40:02Z")
Daniels was on the Daly show a couple days ago. He was not revealed as an intelligent fiscal conservative at all. He came out as just another right wing Repub . The episode is available on line. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781/20 "2011-09-22T16:46:30Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > “Somebody else could still enter and have a competitive chance,” Mr. Daniels said in a weekend interview. “The candidate I could get instantly excited about is someone who is willing to level with the American people and assume they are prepared to listen to the mathematical facts and agree that whatever other disagreements we have aren’t as important.” > > Somebody else indeed! Like the Golem of Prague, this mystery man is surely made of mud and prayers. Completely wrong. That guy isn’t mythical. Daniels knows he’s out there. He might even have a suggestion! -Joe [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitch-daniels-calls-for-more-honest-debate/596781.md?page=2)