I know I’m a little bit late on this one, but Republican AR-02 candidates Tim Griffin and Scott Wallace recently did a 20-Questions style debate at UALR’s Bowen School of Law. Based on the excerpted answers in the article, both were amazingly consistent in their ability to give answers based on Fox News talking points rather than on reality. To wit:
Students then posed the question on health care reform. Wallace explains, ‘The Obama health care plan is a disaster and it’s also going to end up killing small businesses all across this nation and we cannot let the government run our health care system.’
Sigh. Look, (a) “disaster” and “killing small businesses” are meaningless buzzwords; (b) HCR exempts small businesses to a large degree, so I fail to see how it will “kill” them; (c) the government already runs health care for old people, veterans, federal lawmakers and employees, and impoverished minors — are all of those people getting screwed? Oh, and (d) too late; there is no chance the GOP gains enough seats to override a Presidential veto even if they did manage to get a repeal bill passed.
When asked to give a reason they admire President Obama, they agreed he has helped awaken Conservatives, but went on to say they want change. Griffin says, ‘We don’t need more government spending, higher taxes, more government involvement, and more government agencies.’
Saying you admire President Obama because “he has helped awaken [c]onservatives” is one heck of a backhanded compliment. Is it really even admiring someone if the reason you give is based on a collective dislike for that person and his policies? Oh, and isn’t “want[ing] change” the exact same thing that Republicans mocked Obama’s campaign for? (See, e.g., “how’s that hopey changey thing workin’ out for ya?”)
As for the other stuff, “more government spending” was necessary to prevent a financial meltdown (and resulting depression) because that’s what a lender-of-last-resort is supposed to do; “higher taxes” are a complete and utter lie — taxes are at their lowest level in 60 years and 98% of America got a tax cut last year; and “more government involvement” and “more government agencies” are pretty rich coming from the party that supported President Bush, John Ashcroft, the Department of Homeland Security (biggest bureaucracy ever), and the USA PATRIOT Act.
Finally:
During the discussion, both Griffin and Wallace emphasized they are not career politicians, but are involved with the community.
Riiiiight.