Thoughts on the All-American Presidential Forum
First of all, the debate seemed to be very rushed. Several of the answers were cut short and hurried and the candidates were not allowed to elaborate very much on the questions that were asked. Mike did not even get to answer the last question on education.
I thought Mike was great, as always. I feel like he can say more in thirty seconds than most people can say in several minutes. Below are some of his answers. They are from quick notes I was making during the debate, so they will not be word for word.
The first question was on what kind of race legacy the candidates would leave, if elected. Mike said the housing needed to be better for minorities. He also said the crime sentences needed to be fairer, across the board, so blacks did not receive greater prison time, just because they are black. He said the healthcare funding needed to be more proportionate for blacks, because of the higher numbers of certain diseases, such as high blood pressure.
The second question was about employment disparity. Mike said there was not real, equal employment opportunity in America and that everyone needs to have the same chance to have a good job.
The third question was about illegal immigration. The panel wanted to know if the candidate would sign an illegal immigration bill, if it contained a path to citizenship for the illegal immigrates. Mike said no, he would not sign it. He also said we needed to penalize the companies that were using the cheap, illegal labor to keep from paying decent wages.
The fourth question was to name one reform in the criminal justice system the candidate would push for to allow for equal justice for blacks and other minorities. Mike said we need to have more drug rehabilitation and drug courts to cut down on the long term prison time. He also said the “three strikes and you’re out” program was not working because it gave no allowances for different circumstances.
The fifth question was if Washington, D.C. voters should be allowed to vote for representation in Congress and if voters should show a picture ID to vote. Mike said D.C. residents should be allowed to vote for their representatives, but the Constitution would have to be amended to allow for it. As for the voter ID, he said yes, because you have to show a picture ID to even get on an airplane. This, he said would cut back on voter fraud.
The sixth question was about how to allow for greater access to healthcare for minorities. Mike said we need to start by switching the focus to prevention healthcare. He also thinks we need to have ownership of our own healthcare plan and our own medical records, in order to take them with us, if we have to switch doctors or jobs.
The seventh question was about the war in Iraq and how to lessen the burden on minorities. Mike said we need a veterans Bill Of Rights to address the problems they are having, after they have came home from the war. Mike also said they needed to have first access to healthcare and benefits, because they are the ones that fight to keep us free.
The last question Mike was able to answer was about the death penalty. He said he disliked the death penalty more than anyone, simply because he was required to carry it out when he was Governor of Arkansas. He said he never carried it out lightly and only signed the paper to start the process after he had read every page of the case and was convinced it was the only alternative he had.
Overall, the debate was good, except for the way it was rushed. I would really liked to have seen the candidates be able to elaborate a bit more about some of the questions. I am not sure there was a clear winner on this one.
That’s my take!
Larry
