The debate in South Carolina

I never watch televised political debates, but I do read commentary about them.  Herewith some excerpts re the most recent debate:

They are all seeking even further drastic cuts in federal income taxation. Ron Paul even goes to zero. How on earth are they going to cut the debt if they slash the top rates even further? The radicalism here is breath-taking.

Jeers and boos for someone who has Mexican ancestry [Romney]. Wow. The rank xenophobia in the GOP base sometimes surprises.

"Rich white people don't get the death penalty very often." Yes, I just heard that at a Republican debate. That's that racist Ron Paul for you.

Juan Williams tries to find out if Gingrich can even understand why some of his rhetoric may offend some. Newt responds by backing child labor in schools. Juan Williams hangs in. The crowd boos the black moderator.

Now Romney tries to coopt the bloodlust. "We are under attack." If you believe that the US is under attack, and that this gives the US the right to go anywhere and kill anyone, then this is your party.

A chilling defense by Romney of the right to put people in prison for "treason" without any due process... this party that allegedly believes in individual freedom is completely comfortable with the abolition of habeas corpus whenever an administration cries out: "terror suspect!"

This is Jon Huntsman's best debate by far.

Another discussion of No Child Left Behind with no mention at all of its architect, George W. Bush. In fact, I think it's an amazing thing that over 16 debates, the last Republican president has gone unnamed. He doesn't exist.

From my perspective, Romney was cringe-inducing, shudder-worthy, and plastic beyond measure. I suspect he's going to try and rig this year's tax returns to hide his far lower rate of taxation and far, far, far higher income than 99.999 percent of the population. It was a weak answer.

The embedded image is a photo of a cartoon that has been on my bulletin board since 2004; the original can be accessed in the archive of Real Life Adventures.