***Official*** CNN/YouTube GOP debate

[KneeCo]

[ QUOTE ]
As far as Federal laws go though, he'd like Roe v. Wade overturned and it to return to the states. There's basically nothing within his power as President though on this issue.

[/ QUOTE ]

Umm... you know the Pres appoints Supreme Court Justices, right?

No way he would appoint a judge who didn't want RvW flipped, cause you know he wants to keep the gov't out of your business, but your uterus belongs to him.

(In defense of Paul, pretty much every Rep will appoint about the same judges on this issue, so if you're going to vote for a Rep this shouldn't be a Ron Paul deal breaker for you, but it can be a Rep deal breaker for you.

If you're pro-choice/women you can't rationalize your Rep on the grounds that the Pres can't make abortion unconstitutional because he does have power on the matter through SCJ appointments, you can however suggest that there are other issues which take precedent in your opinion, that's a value judgment).

[phillydilly]

Alright, I've read on here and other places a lot of people saying Huckabee won.
I totally disagree with that. I'm going to go thru the transcript and look at each question he had:

Huckabee got killed on the immigration issue with regard to scholarships for children of illegal immigrants.
Next question was three departments he'd eliminate. Mentioned IRS and Flat tax. Ok, the usual, nothing notable here
Signed no tax pledge everyone else did, no big news here
Response to Thompson's video. Says he cut taxes. After debate CNN fact checks that he had a net tax raise of half billion dollars
Next question was abortion/death penalty. Gives a nice little christian conservative answer. Anderson gives a tough follow up with WWJD.
Next question they ask the baptist minister if he believes in the bible.
Now for Huckabee's video. Good little Christian Conservative, woo hoo.
Another question, this time gays in the military. Kind of plays off Hunter's answer
Log Cabin Republicans, "I'll take everyone's support." haha.
Space Exploration. Real toughy there. Send Hillary to Mars! oh Huck you kill me!
Black on Black crime. Quote "disproportionate amounts of help" nuff said

Let's review.
Scholarships to illegals. Net tax increase. Get the minority vote by giving them disproportionate help.
But dont forget this! Lot's of nice little ah shucks jokes and playing to the christian base.

[Copernicus]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

There is some merit to the unit cohesion issue. I think the gay general asking if the candidates believed that gays could serve "professionally" in the military was valid.

An openly flaming gay "HEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYY" soldier/sailor likely would impact unit cohesion and morale.

A professional soldier/sailor that happens to be gay I'm sure would be fine and 99% of folks wouldn't have an issue with it.

I just don't think the military wants the headache of having to deal with the "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYY" flaming gays so they choose to keep all of them out.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow.

Would there also be merit to keeping racists out the military? How about muslims? Or just people who are generally annoying?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't have an opinion on gays in the military or gay marriage etc, to me its just minutae and to decide a presidential election on those issues is ludicrous. Hell, there were at least 3 guys in my basic training unit that proclaimed the virtues of sheep as partners.

However, the obvious rebuttal to "racists, muslims, generally annoying" is that sexuality is the most primal urge we have, and it is likely to be far more disruptive than opinions.

[DING-DONG YO]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

There is some merit to the unit cohesion issue. I think the gay general asking if the candidates believed that gays could serve "professionally" in the military was valid.

An openly flaming gay "HEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYY" soldier/sailor likely would impact unit cohesion and morale.

A professional soldier/sailor that happens to be gay I'm sure would be fine and 99% of folks wouldn't have an issue with it.

I just don't think the military wants the headache of having to deal with the "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYY" flaming gays so they choose to keep all of them out.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow.

Would there also be merit to keeping racists out the military? How about muslims? Or just people who are generally annoying?

[/ QUOTE ]

A flamboyant racist in the military would last about as long and be as detrimental (probably more so) as a flamboyant gay person. The difference is they could get rid of the racist without causing a huge media firestorm.

[ QUOTE ]
Or just people who are generally annoying?

[/ QUOTE ] Now we're talkin.

[DING-DONG YO]

[ QUOTE ]
to me its just minutae and to decide a presidential election on those issues is ludicrous.

[/ QUOTE ]

Despite my comments above, I 100% agree with this.

[xorbie]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
to me its just minutae and to decide a presidential election on those issues is ludicrous.

[/ QUOTE ]

Despite my comments above, I 100% agree with this.

[/ QUOTE ]

So do I. Doesn't make me less annoyed by overtly bigoted arguments being used to explain why gays somehow shouldn't be allowed in the military.

[Case Closed]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm going to go thru the transcript

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, that's your problem. I fully disagreed with most of what Huckabee said last night, but I know he won the debate in the eyes of the voter. To me he further is his Christofacist image that I want nothing to do with. But he composed himself well in answering every question, never faltered and gave some impressive rhetoric. It seemed as though all the other republicans were fighting for their lives up there on stage while Huckabee was just shooting the breeze talking about his beliefs and how he loves God and America.

In a televised world words don't matter.

[DING-DONG YO]

Well good for you.

Now let's go to the real world, since your obviously can't take your PC blinders off and consider the point I was trying to make and would rather resort to name calling.

Is it unfair that gays aren't allowed in the military and would they make just as good soldiers as non-gays. Absolutely.

Would they erode unit cohesion? They most likely would because, like it or not, most of the folks in the military would not take well to it. Maybe it isn't fair, but that's what must be done, at least until your rank and file members of the military are more accepting. And that will probably be in 50 years.

There's more to it than "discrimination"

[xorbie]

[ QUOTE ]
Well good for you.

Now let's go to the real world, since your obviously can't take your PC blinders off and consider the point I was trying to make and would rather resort to name calling.

Is it unfair that gays aren't allowed in the military and would they make just as good soldiers as non-gays. Absolutely.

Would they erode unit cohesion? They most likely would because, like it or not, most of the folks in the military would not take well to it. Maybe it isn't fair, but that's what must be done, at least until your rank and file members of the military are more accepting. And that will probably be in 50 years.

There's more to it than "discrimination"

[/ QUOTE ]

No, there isn't. The bold meets the criteria for "discrimination" to the tee.

[DING-DONG YO]

yes there is. Read the rest of my post.