The VP Debate
It was such a vast improvement on the Presidential debate. But both candidates talked in bullet points (albeit full and comprehensible sentences). The moderator did not follow up and did not force the candidates to actually answer the question, as opposed to talking about something far afield from the question being asked.
Senator Harris was concise, compelling and had a wonderful way about her. My major critique is that she overdid it on the facial expressions of dismay and disbelief.
Vice President Pence was calm and articulate and well-prepared on the issues. My two major critiques are that he ran over consistently and then had nothing really interesting to say while running over his allotted time, making himself appear to be both repetitively rude and boring. And he had a particularly hard time sticking to the truth. If you have a good argument to make on an issue, it really helps if you stick to the truth, otherwise your opponent punctures your entire line of argument by pointing out the falsehood. Let me give you one example, Pence claimed repeatedly that Biden would raise your taxes by calling for a repeal of the Trump tax cuts. Harris had to repeatedly correct him by pointing out that only applied if you were making over $400,000 annually — i.e. about 2% of Americans. This is easily verified with a little internet research. There is a legitimate argument about tax policies, but lying about an easily verifiable fact destroys your credibility. Does Pence take the American people for such credulity.
I would have liked to have heard an honest and informed discussion about the economy and its prospects under each plan. The Moody’s report that Senator Harris mentioned says that the Biden plan creates a lot more jobs and much stronger economic growth than the Trump plan, which they had difficulty deciphering. https://www.moodysanalytics.com/-/media/article/2020/the-macroeconomic-consequences-trump-vs-biden.pdf A Goldman Sachs economic analysis from three days ago says that a blue tsunami (i.e. President Biden and a Democratic Senate) would be very good for economic growth. “All else equal, such a blue wave would likely prompt us to upgrade our forecasts. The reason is that it would sharply raise the probability of a fiscal stimulus package of at least $2 trillion shortly after the presidential inauguration on January 20, followed by longer-term spending increases on infrastructure, climate, health care and education that would at least match the likely longer-term tax increases on corporations and upper-income earners.” https://finance.yahoo.com/news/a-blue-wave-of-democrats-come-november-may-be-good-for-economy-goldman-sachs-181544426.html There are tens and tens of millions of Americans who have experienced the dysfunctions of our UI (Unemployment Insurance) system; what needs to be done to fix it?
Likewise, I would have liked to see a real discussion of their respective health care policies. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/where-biden-and-trump-stand-on-11-key-healthcare-issues#16 In shorthand, I understand that Trump wants to repeal the ACA (Obamacare) and make Medicaid a block grant. How does Pence think that gets us to universal coverage or does it just put us in reverse and for what purpose? Biden wants to expand the ACA to help more middle class individuals (400-600% of FPL) and allow people to buy into the “public option” (Medicare). Which people can and cannot access the public option? What is so good or so bad about the public option (essentially a Medicare buy in)? What is he going to do about rising health prices and premiums? What needs to be done to fix the failures of the private insurers’ systems? What will he do about the undocumented uninsured? Covid has exposed the inadequacies of our current system. What should we be doing to rebuild our public health systems?
I would have liked to hear a real substantive discussion about climate change and what should be done. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/heres-where-trump-and-biden-stand-on-climate-change-2020-09-29 After all, California has been ablaze and the Gulf Coast battered by a seemingly never-ending series of storms and hurricanes. Last night was the first time I have heard the Trump Administration acknowledge that the climate is changing and that fossil fuels play at least a part in it. Pence then said the solution is technological advances. Yet the Biden plan is all about setting a timetable, targets and a framework about achieving technological advances. What’s so bad about that and what is your alternative?
Prepared by: Lucien Wulsin
Dated: 10/8/20