The GOP debate in the Upstate SC...highlights...and low lights

First, Justice Scalia's death made it start pretty somber.  As a sign of respect, they started with a moment of silence for the Justice.  Five of the six bowed their heads in a sign of respect.  Donald Trump didn't.  Basically, shows his lack of character and respect for others.  As far as the overall debate, well, there was no clear winner.  Jeb, Rubio and Kaisch tied for the "top" spot, although Kaisch talked over his time consistently.  Rubio was extremely impressive and far better than the rest of the stage.  Jeb was really the only one that consistently had plans, not just talk.  Rubio also stuck to his plans, while Trump and Cruz really didn't have as much substance.  I'm not even sure why Dr. Carson hasn't bowed out.  They didn't give him much talk time, in his defense, but he's just not that charismatic, and well, we really need a leader that can represent us in a "big" way.  Perhaps that's why so many are drawn to Trump.  But we need a leader not a buffoon.  Another thing that annoys me...All but two of the candidates continually broke the debate's rules which were clearly presented at the beginning of the debate.  Rubio and Jeb were the only ones that consistently tried to remain within the rules of the debate.  So here's my evaluation of the debate:

Trump--attacked the Bush family and got booed.  He actually got booed a lot.  Actually made me very proud to be from South Carolina.  His attacks and poor behavior were not applauded like it was elsewhere.  Maybe that's because people are getting tired of the show and are actually starting to take the election seriously.  Trump was asked point blank what he would do to pay for his ideas and all he did was jump up on a soapbox and say he was going to "make America great again".  So basically, he has no idea how to do any of the "great" ideas that fly out of his mouth.  Other than the attacks on the other candidates, he has no concept.

When he was called on his liberalism, contributions to the Clintons and his very, very typically democratic answers that call for more government and more taxes that would be needed for his crazy plans to build a wall and free healthcare for everyone, he didn't have an answer but another attack.  It's not a boxing match and frankly I wanted an answer.  How does he think he will pay for these crazy ideas?  An $8M wall?  Seriously.  A Great Wall worked so well for China trying to keep the mongols out that mongols took over the country and ruled it for over 400 years.  Moronic.  Let alone the cost of it.  He's like a little kid who starts screaming when mommy says no.

One thing he did offer up a plan, sort of, was when he kind of touched on what he would do as far as ISIS.  He suggested that he would work with Putin.  Is that the same Putin that is being compared to Hitler and Stalin?  Who has illegally shot down a commercial jet airliner in Georgia?  Who has been invading surrounding countries and is trying to rebuild the USSR?  Yes, one in the same.  Great, just great.

One side bar, he also didn't follow any of the debate rules.  He interrupted the other candidates on multiple occasions which was clearly not only rude, but made it difficult to hear what they were saying.  He seemed like he was going for the entertainment factor rather than substance.  Of course, whenever he was asked for substance, he delivered rhetoric and attacks.  He attacked every single candidate on the stage and the entire Bush family, including Barbara Bush.  Just wow.  So his wife is free game.  He's been married 4 times.  Every time he's been divorced because he's screwing the next wife.  Three of 4 were not even American citizens.  His current wife is naturalized but she has ties to the Russian block, the old KGB, aka. the Russian mob.  Since he's actually suggesting we work with Putin, maybe he's already in the old KGB's pocket.  Sure as hell has been careful about not advertising the fact for all his border rhetoric it obviously doesn't apply to his own household.  

Cruz--well, he seems to know what he's talking about, but he's again telling everyone what they want to hear.  He didn't do very well either.  He's got a whiny nasally voice and he's Canadian born to a former Castro fighter who loved our country so much when he came here he went and became a Canadian citizen.  Arguably, not eligible for the Presidency.  Almost lucky for him that Justice Scalia died.  The most conservative, down to the letter of the Constitution interpretation, would definitely have denied his candidacy when it's challenged if he makes it that far.

Unfortunately, Cruz also said that he fought amnesty and attacked Rubio.  The thing that blows my mind is that he himself benefited from amnesty.  We have given amnesty to Cubans for decades.  Cruz also has proposed an increase of green cards and other increases in immigration policies in the past, and by past I mean during the current Presidential administration.  So it's a little confusing what he is proposing now.  He brought up his dad washing dishes and now travels the country as a preacher.  He left out the part about his dad went to Canada and became a Canadian after he came here because he loved this country so much.  It just seems like he's full of it when he talks on immigration.  He's benefited from it, so as an American, wouldn't he want others to benefit from it?  What he's saying doesn't make sense based on his background and his record.

He also got called on his lying about Dr. Carson during the Iowa primaries and all the additional flip flops and he floundered there too, excuse the pun.  

Kasich--He claims that Ohio is doing really well.  Not so great an example.  Ohio isn't doing that well.  He's actually one of the lowest rated governors in the country right now.  Next, he did say he was all for Obamacare, not doing away with it.  Then when called on it by Jeb, well, he flip flopped right on the stage.

He overtalks but he sounds decent on immigration.  He, Rubio and Jeb are all on the same page.  There is no way financially, let alone logistically, to deport 11.5M people.  Who would round them all up?  Who would process them all out?  How do we pay for all that and then pay to send all 11.5M back to where we need to ship them?

He did sound Presidential and for the most part, he avoided the Christian religious zealousness that has been dividing the Republican party since the Reagans.  (Incidently, for those of you severe right wingers, the Reagans were pro-choice.)  As a moderate Republican, I'm looking for a candidate that avoids cramming Christianity down my throat.  I don't try to legislate my religious beliefs and I'm getting sick and tired of having so-called conservatives making it their number one reason to vote.  So Kasich avoided making any blanket statements that might cause more divide in the party.

Rubio--He's a strong debater and definitely follows the rule of the debate as given.  I'm a little worried about his youth, but he's got a far more professional and mature posture than most of the group.  I really liked that he highlighted that we need to instill a sense of optimism and leadership like Reagan did.

He's followed what he says and in most cases he's a moderate.  Except when it comes to gay rights and women's rights.  He made it very clear that he is a far right winger on those two issues.  As a moderate Republican who is not Christian, my religion doesn't agree with his.  I believe in the First Amendment. My religion doesn't teach a defined woman and man marriage.  My religion defines life as when the soul enters the body which most in my religion view as after the heartbeat and brain waves start.  I cannot support a Christian that wants to cram Christianity down my throat.  That's not what the First Amendment says--hell, Ben Franklin was an atheist.  Not all the Founding Fathers believed in Christianity either.  So I'm loath that I have to say I wouldn't vote for someone that otherwise is a moderate.  I just can't go backwards on those two issues anymore.

Jeb--He highlighted his plans every opportunity, and yes, unlike most of the others on the stage, he has real plans that he described.  He is actually standing on his record.  Florida did actually become one of the more successful states under his leadership, and he did a good job of highlighting his record.  What I thought was idiotic was people were searching on the internet how tall he was when he talked.  What in the world people?  Like that defines a President?

On the attacks from Trump, he very successfully blocked the blows against his father, brother and mother.  The fact that he even had to defend his mother is completely ridiculous.  Trump just has no couth. I'm not sure that anyone that has such a blatant lack of class should be President.  What an embarrassment.

Jeb is probably far more well versed in immigration issues than any of the other candidates and he took the moderate conservative position on the issue.  Florida is one of the states with a lot of immigration issues and he pulled no punches when he was attacked by Trump on this also.  He defended his record and explained poignantly what the issues were and how they had successfully dealt with the issues in Florida.

As far as foreign policy, he knows more because frankly his older brother and father have been Presidents.  I would have been disappointed if he hadn't.  Again, his moderate approach appealed to me.  When attacked  yet again, he was direct as to how he would handle the Middle East, the European NATO region--working to restrengthen our allies, and the issues North Korea and China.  No other candidate even had a plan for the Middle East, let alone addressing the other elephants in the room.

Carson--He's talking some sense about how to get people out of poverty.  He was very ignored during the debate, and perhaps that is because he's not really doing well so far in the first two states' primaries.  Unfortunately, he is a complete outsider and that hasn't been working either.  The system works because there is some seniority that needs to be in tune with how things work.  If you want to change a system, you first have to learn the system and then change it.  You don't win at chess by moving the pieces like they are checkers.  You win at chess by learning the game and then changing the game within the rules.

He lost me completely when he quoted Stalin about how to take America, the United States, down.  Since Stalin failed miserably, Stalin had no idea what it takes to break Americans and America, and while Dr. Carson proved he was well read and educated, using that quote proved that he doesn't have a good concept of what America is as a whole, just like Stalin didn't have a clue.

So after watching the whole debate, here's my final thoughts.  Jeb has taken the lead in my mind from Rubio.  I like Rubio.  I like him a lot.  But I just cannot in good conscience keep voting for the religious right.  I'm not Christian and I'm sick of the Christian right telling me that the laws must reflect their religion.  Kasich made an impression, but not enough for me to follow, especially when I checked Ohio's record.  Just another politician pushing lies to get what he wants.  So basically, I'm now hoping for a Jeb/Rubio for 2016 on the Republican ticket.  When the primary rolls around on the 20th here in SC, I'll most likely be casting my vote for Jeb.