The Gentle Magnolia Debates

Mark Binker hit the nail on the head when he described last Friday's GOP gubernatorial debate as less a steel cage smackdown and more of a steel - some would say aluminum - magnolia. Yes, as we took the stage for what I think must be the 12th debate I was convinced that this one would be different. I actually thought that tough, philosophical questions would be forthcoming...maybe opportunities to actually push our fellow opposing candidates. Nah........same old, same old. And it was boring.

Now in deference to the media on the panel and those in prior debates, the rationale for asking us "substantive" questions on dropouts, road problems, you get the drift, is that their listeners had not ever heard us expound on these important topics. So once again we answered the same essential questions with the same essential answers with only minor skirmishes.

I did get to push McCrory on just exactly what he was proposing when he proclaimed that he'd cut every one's income tax. Too bad that he didn't have a clue on any specifics and that my asking really irritated him. He and Fred tilted a little over one of Fred's ads but over the course of an hour and a half it was all stock answers to the questions without any real ability for us to give the audience or the public any real sense of what the candidates are actually all about.

I've about decided to come out with a campaign plan to eliminate all taxes, provide every citizen a high paying job and free health care and fix our schools, roads, mental health system, save our environment and solve all the problems with the
criminal justice system. And since I would simply act indignant if anyone asked how I planned to do it - and there's precious little chance that anyone would ask - I might get elected. It's a great system.