The Republican Debate: What Brian Should Ask (But Probably Won't)

By Sniffles

Compared to their pathetic performance in 2008 and at the GOP debate in New Hampshire earlier this year, the FOX "News" actors at the August pre-straw-poll yapfest in Des Moines actually did an okay job. They asked some tough questions and even tried a few follow-ups. They posed a query that became a revealing — and valuable for the Democrats — soundbite-slash-visual for 2012. (See image above.) In short, FOX set a reasonably high standard for future debates.

And whoops, one of those is tomorrow night! It's such an important event, in fact, that for the first time in history, a Speaker of the House refused the President's request to address Congress at the same time. Under such momentous pressure, what will Brian Williams and his co-moderators do?? Will they cop out and throw softballs, or will they hold the 2012 clown college accountable for some of their most outrageous statements?

We cats aren't so foolish to assume that blow-dried Bri will be as tough as he should be. But in the wan hope that he might, we have assembled a list of questions that he should ask. Here goes!

Questions that all the 2012 Republican candidates should answer:

• Should creationism be taught in public schools? Will you push legislation to do so?
• Should FEMA be dismantled? Is there any constitutional role for the federal government in disaster relief?
• Should the National Weather Service be abolished?
• Should the U.S. Geological Survey be abolished?
• Is there any role for the federal government in healthcare? If not, do you then strongly condemn what George W. Bush and Congressional Republicans did in the Terri Schiavo matter?
• Can you swear that you and your immediate family have never benefited from any federal programs, subsidies or payments, including Medicare and Social Security?
• What Constitutional amendments should be repealed and why? 

Questions for individual candidates:

For Michele Bachmann: Does the recent shakeup in your campaign and the long history of turnover in your Congressional staff mean, as some have charged, that you lack the executive talent to be President?

For Herman Cain: Please name one Muslim American you admire.

For Newt Gingrich: You say that there was nothing wrong with your recently revealed purchases at Tiffany's. What has been your average income, then, for each of the last five years? 

For Rick Perry (if he shows up):

• Direct election of US Senators by the people — yes, or no?
• Social Security — Ponzi scheme, or not?
• If you object to the Supreme Court as nine "oligarchs in robes," will you now publicly disagree with their ruling in Bush v. Gore? 

For Mitt Romney:

• How many US plants did Bain Capital buy and close during your tenure there? How many jobs were lost? How many were exported?
• When will you release your tax returns? 

For Ron Paul:

• If you are elected President, how and when will you move to abolish the Federal Reserve?
• As a strong libertarian, how do you balance those principles with your support for federal limits on a woman's right to choose?
• How much of your medical education do you think was subsidized by federal healthcare spending? What percentage of the cost of educating today's physicians is subsidized by federal healthcare spending? How do you plan to deal with a resulting physician shortage if you abolish federal healthcare spending?

Finally, a last question for all:

Do you agree with Charles Koch's recent statement that the election of Barack Obama is like having Saddam Hussein as President — and if not, will you publicly repudiate him now?