# What? Not one thread about the GOP debate in Iowa last night? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 12, 2011, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438 "2011-08-12T10:56:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/21 "2011-08-12T17:38:53Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Bachmann accusing Obama of not cutting the deficit by a large enough amount was downright laughable. Who was it again that proposed $4T in cuts, and who was it again that shot it down? Spin, lies and bullshit, and they don’t even try to hide the fact. Dude, what are you talking about? She can turn the economy around in three months. It’s not that hard. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/22 "2011-08-12T18:51:05Z")
That hand-raising nonsense was just more bullshit. Few (if any) of them actually believe that lie and are just running scared from the loony right. Even the [GOP economists](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/13/business/economy/voices-faulting-gop-economic-policies-growing-louder.html?_r=1&hp) are turning on this coalition of numbskulls, and predicting dire consequences if more revenue isn’t raised. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/23 "2011-08-12T19:00:08Z")
Hey, did anyone else notice that Santorum denounced Iran for its “trampling” on the rights of women and gays? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/24 "2011-08-12T19:03:47Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Bachmann declared the mandate for purchasing healthcare was unconstitutional. That is an error. It has been given passes by several courts and rejected by some. Until the SC gets it, it is up in the air. > She also said submitting to her husband was merely the same thing as respecting him. I don’t think so. She could have said I respect his decisions and no problems would have followed. But she said she took up tax law because he said she should. A woman should submit to her husband was the explanation. Not the same thing. I think you’ve picked the least controversial things she said. As you acknowledge, several federal courts have held the mandate unconstitutional. SHe has an arguable claim of being correct – she’s wrong to announce that as though it’s a settled principle of law, but I bet I can go back less than a month and find ten examples on this board of people making similar announcements: claiming such-and-so is unconstitutional when the caselaw either weighs against them or is split somewhat evenly. And since she’s told you that she views “submit” and “respect” as synonmous terms in this context, your objection to this seems to be that you don’t. I’m sure you don’t – but she does. That’s not a crazy or inconsistent view for her to take. Of all the nutso, crazy, outright wrong claims she made during the evening’s event, those two are mere blips on the radar. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/25 "2011-08-12T19:07:36Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > The party chose this path 20 years ago. Getting the GOP away from anti-tax absolutism is going to be incredibly hard. You’ll be surprised how fast things change if they lose a few elections in a row. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/26 "2011-08-12T19:12:22Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Dude, what are you talking about? She can turn the economy around in three months. It’s not that hard. Now we’re talking. This was utter delusion. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/27 "2011-08-12T19:37:00Z")
Overall, I don’t think the candidates will be changing rankings with any of the others as a result of this debate. It does seem to be a bit early for this kind of stuff, but I guess the extra long campaign season of 2007-2008 prompted someone at Fox to think that 2012 would turn out needing the same exposure time. Prob’ is, in 2008, there was no incumbant running for President. Edit: I listened to it while playing my nightly computer games. It seemed that Ron Paul got the loudest applause with his isolationist view points. Maybe all the Ron Paul supporters were up front nearest the mics. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/28 "2011-08-12T20:13:30Z")
> [@](#): > > And since she’s told you that she views “submit” and “respect” as synonmous terms in this context, your objection to this seems to be that you don’t. I’m sure you don’t – but she does. That’s not a crazy or inconsistent view for her to take. She chose her profession based on what her husband told her to do. That goes a fair ways beyond just “respect”. Or at least, beyond what most people mean by that word. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/29 "2011-08-12T20:20:17Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > You’ll be surprised how fast things change if they lose a few elections in a row. Well, they lost two in a row (2006 and 2008), and it only intensified their craziness. I don’t believe there will be a Peak Wingnut moment - that is, there will be no moment in this decade, at least, when the GOP collectively gets noticeably more sane. It will keep on getting crazier and more radical, and the pundit class will keep on saying both sides do it because the Dems have Sharpton and Kucinich and a few more like that. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/30 "2011-08-12T20:49:23Z")
I watched it (OK, I had it on while I was in the room anyways). I think the main surprise was how much the field seems to have basically laid down for Romney. He’s the front-runner, and he’s a pretty easy target, but neither Bachmann or Pawlenty really attacked him. They both seem to be running for President just to run for President, rather then actually trying to win. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Jocko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncle_jocko/32/2932_2.png) [@Uncle\_Jocko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Jocko)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/31 "2011-08-12T21:07:21Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > Edit: I listened to it while playing my nightly computer games. It seemed that Ron Paul got the loudest applause with his isolationist view points. Maybe all the Ron Paul supporters were up front nearest the mics. 😉 Similarly, I was working on some stuff at the start of the debate while my son had it on in the next room. Right at the beginning, I heard Bachmann delivering her rip-roarin’, guaranteed-to-please shout of “Making Obama a ONE … TERM … PRESIDENT!” I only heard a somewhat tepid response to that, and nowhere near the orgiastic wall of sound I’m sure Bachmann was expecting. Kinda surprised me, really. Are my fellow Iowans - even the GOP ones - not as far around the bend as I supposed? On the other hand, I was in a different room. Maybe it was a lot louder than I heard it. And my fellow GOP Iowans do keep electing Steve King to Congress, so I don’t have my hopes up. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/32 "2011-08-12T23:37:28Z")
> [@Uncle\_Jocko](#): > > Similarly, I was working on some stuff at the start of the debate while my son had it on in the next room. Right at the beginning, I heard Bachmann delivering her rip-roarin’, guaranteed-to-please shout of “Making Obama a ONE … TERM … PRESIDENT!” I only heard a somewhat tepid response to that, and nowhere near the orgiastic wall of sound I’m sure Bachmann was expecting. Kinda surprised me, really. Are my fellow Iowans - even the GOP ones - not as far around the bend as I supposed? > > On the other hand, I was in a different room. Maybe it was a lot louder than I heard it. And my fellow GOP Iowans do keep electing Steve King to Congress, so I don’t have my hopes up. My $.02: They’ve gone too far, which is a common failing of political strategists. In their relentless effort to make Obama into some sort of devil, they pushed too close to the edge in the debt ceiling debate, the ground crumbled underneath them, and they’re falling into the Pit of Contempt. Not only are the Dems pissed off at them, but their own base is shouting them down and demanding answers. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/33 "2011-08-13T00:48:46Z")
I liked when Cain said “A poet once said, ‘Life can be a challenge, life can seem impossible, but it is never easy when there is so much on the line.’”. Which is not actually from a poem but from the Donna Summer song “The power of one” which is from the movie Pokemon: the movie 2000. The best part though was when Bachmann went after T-Paw with a battleaxe and fed on his entrails. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/34 "2011-08-13T04:44:33Z")
Eh, song lyrics are a subset of poetry. But I’ll admit that it’s hilarious for a candidate to be quoting from a Pokemon movie. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/35 "2011-08-13T13:21:21Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Hey, did anyone else notice that Santorum denounced Iran for its “trampling” on the rights of women and gays? :dubious: ms maddow did, and mentioned it on her show. she was a bit bemused by it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/36 "2011-08-13T16:18:09Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > I think the main surprise was how much the field seems to have basically laid down for Romney. He’s the front-runner, and he’s a pretty easy target, but neither Bachmann or Pawlenty really attacked him. They both seem to be running for President just to run for President, rather then actually trying to win. Hey, it worked for Romney, right? You pay your dues the first time around, getting your brand out there and positioning yourself as a credible candidate before gracefully bowing out and endorsing your worthy opponent, for to then be the obvious front-runner the next time there’s an opening: that’s how Reagan did it, it’s how Bush did it, it’s how Dole did it, it’s how McCain did it… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/37 "2011-08-13T16:30:13Z")
They’re also all running for the VP slot. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/38 "2011-08-13T16:47:32Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Hey, it worked for Romney, right? You pay your dues the first time around, getting your brand out there and positioning yourself as a credible candidate before gracefully bowing out and endorsing your worthy opponent, for to then be the obvious front-runner the next time there’s an opening: that’s how Reagan did it, it’s how Bush did it, it’s how Dole did it, it’s how McCain did it… That might be it. Still, in those previous examples, McCain actually _tried_ to beat Bush, Reagan actually tried to beat Ford, Dole actually tried to beat Bush I and Romney actually tried to beat McCain. They ended up in the number two slot because they lost, not because they didn’t want to win. Pawlenty and Bachman don’t even seem to be bothering to try to displace Romney. > [@Chronos](#): > > They’re also all running for the VP slot. How often does the Prez nominee actually choose the runner up as VP? Kerry chose Edwards, but thats the only case I can remember. Biden wasn’t anywhere close to second place in the Dem primary in '08, Palin didn’t run in the primary, ditto Lieberman and Cheney. Gore started to run in '92 but pulled out before the race even really started after his kid was hit by a car. I can’t even remember where Kemp came from. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/39 "2011-08-13T20:36:13Z")
I’m a GOP voter just begging for someone, ANYONE to vote for. The debate in Iowa was brutal. Samples: Santorum: A state does NOT have the power to legalize SSM because of our moral foundation? I am against a national mandate for SSM, but I can’t for the life of me see how an individual state cannot legalize it. Paul: Let’s go back to 1877. No U.S. involvement anywhere and back on the Gold Standard. Also, get off my lawn. Cain: Cities have a freedom of religion so they can decide to ban mosques. Bachmann: No debt ceiling increase AT ALL. I’m as fiscally conservative as they come, but we go from a $1.4 trillion deficit to zero in one month??? Also, how does Massachusetts requiring its own citizens to purchase health insurance violate the tenth amendment? Pawlenty: I’m falling in quicksand, but maybe I can bring Bachmann down with me. Also I used a 40 second setup for a mildly amusing soundbite to make Romney seem rich and therefore (I assume) out of touch. I also raised taxes to balanced Minnesota’s budget, but won’t agree to a 10:1 spending cut to tax hike proposal to balance the federal budget, because I’ll be damned if I’m the only one who doesn’t have my hand up. Romney: I’m not fucking up as much as everyone else, so I’ll play it safe for now. Plus my health care plan is nothing like Obama’s except where it is identical. Gingrich: I am outraged that someone would dare ask a “gotcha” question like “Why did your entire campaign staff quit?” That clearly has no relevancy to a political campaign. As a prior poster said, Newt, had a line teed up for him, but he blew it on an obviously “non-gotcha” question. Huntsman: I’m a social conservative from Utah, but I also support civil unions for filthy homosexuals. I don’t even know why I bothered to show up. Maybe it was to look goofy after every question. Seriously, though. Give me SOMEONE to vote for who has a chance. Surely there is one Republican in this country who is semi-articulate. I think Newt has the most promise if he could get rid of that constipated, smug look that he has plastered on his face all of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438/40 "2011-08-13T21:32:47Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > Seriously, though. Give me SOMEONE to vote for who has a chance. Surely there is one Republican in this country who is semi-articulate. Obama. He’s fairly Republican. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-not-one-thread-about-the-gop-debate-in-iowa-last-night/592438.md?page=3)