ANCHORAGE DAILY PLANET
The CNN/New York Times Democratic debate was quite a show. Socialism and taxes and gun grabs, oh, my, mixed with pie-in-the-sky and hand-in-your-pocket visions for America.
With Sen. Bernie Sanders’ raving against capitalism and Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s dodging tax and other questions and Rep. Beto O’Rouke’s mealy mouthing about what would happen to Americans who refused to give up their guns – they would face “other consequence,” he said – it appeared the wheels are getting wobbly on the Democrat’s 2020 presidential clown car.
During the three-hour debate, it was a freebies festival: Free education, federally funded jobs guarantees, multitrillion-dollar Medicare for all, and a $1,000-per-person Universal Basic Income all got their moment in the spotlight. Then, there was taxing the wealthy into oblivion, along with a big doses of fibbery, stretchery and outright dodgery.
The takeaway: Candidates for the Democratic presidential nod want to tax and spend, and disarm Americans. Period.
What the 12 hopefuls were not asked was significant: China, North Korea, immigration, housing, climate change. They were, however, asked about Ellen Degeneres’ friendship with former President George W. Bush, a taboo relationship for many on the Left.
Watching the show, it is difficult to understand how out of touch the candidates seem to be, or how they embrace freebies and making Big Government even bigger.
It is impossible to see any of them leading the greatest nation on Earth.
