ELECTION 2016 - THE FIRST DEMOCRATIC DEBATE

1.) Overall, I wouldn't vote for any of these people although there were times where I agreed with one or the other on isolated specific issues. Interesting to see which of my questions came up - Guns for Bernie Sanders, Zero Tolerance for Martin O'Malley, Race for Jim ebb, and Iraq War and Flip Flops/Trustworthiness for Hillary Clinton.  My dem debate questions - http://rgdinmalaysia.blogspot.my/2015/10/15-questions-for-first-democratic.html

2.) Bernie Sanders had a rough night. Started off weakly (He took a terrible beating on guns) also his continual shifting back to income inequality talking points on a number of the questions made him look scripted, unprepared. His habit of speaking in a louder than necessary voice to answer questions makes him look like a kook (compare him to the way O'Malley and Webb speak). That being said when the question really was income inequality, his answers were passionate and powerful as was his answers on maternity leave and worker issues. He is also right on immigration - Guest worker programs that make slaves with no rights out of immigrants are what countries like Dubai have.

3.) I'd forgotten about Glass-Steagall (glad they asked the question) but it is a defining issue, an important one - Separating the trading/securities aspect of banks from the consumer savings side. The fact Hillary Clinton opposes its reinstatement (The original law was overturned under the leadership of her husband in 1999) should be a disqualifying position for her (like her foreign policy views). It's not debatable that its overturning was a major cause of the 2007/2008 recession. O'Malley did a good job on this issue describing the law as a "firewall".

4.) All the candidates answers on Syria were incomprehensible and completely divorced from reality No fly zone? Vladimir Putin already has that in place. Destroying ISIS military capability? I think Putin is doing that now. Saving the non-ISIS Syrian resistance? No such animal exists. Wish Putin could have appeared via satellite and queried the debaters.

5.) Sometimes a debate like this is good because it smokes out a candidate's beliefs, forces him to take a stand. I have a lot of respect for Jim Webb but his views on gun control, the Iran Deal, get tough on China talk, shakiness on affirmative action makes his campaign a non-starter. Maybe he should run as a Republican - Bring that party some sanity.

6.) An irony - If Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump get their respective party's nominations, could have a situation where the Democratic candidate for president supported the Iraq War and the Republican was opposed to it. Also if marijuana decriminalization, out of control NSA surveillance, and reforming the criminal justice system are important issues to you, Rand Paul has more progressive views than any of the candidates on that stage. Edward Snowden is a hero despite what Hillary Clinton says and he should not only be given full immunity but also given the congressional medal of freedom.

7.) Regarding Sanders free college education plan, Hillary Clinton is right (give the devil her due). Taxpayers should not be subsidizing the education of the children of wealthy citizens who can afford it. Also yes students should have to work. It didn't come up in the debate but there are real questions about how Sanders would pay for his plan. His corresponding tax proposals may be too timid. Maybe the next debate they will follow-up on this. Martin O'Malley's plan, which also addresses tuition costs as does Hillary Clinton's education plan, is much better.

8.) Overall, I thought Anderson Cooper did a good job as moderator. Kept the candidates within time and called them out when necessary - I liked how he pointed out to Sanders the relative size of Denmark compared to the USA. Only problem was same as Republican debates - The uneven distribution of speaking time - seems to be no way around this.

9.)When asked who she was happy to have as an enemy, Hillary Clinton said the Iranians (perhaps to impress her Jewish donors). That is a strange answer considering America just concluded the negotiation of a major nuclear deal with Iran (Done by John Kerrey NOT Clinton). A more honest answer would have been all the women her husband sexually assaulted and she helped smear and cover up for him. Hillary Clinton = Camille Cosby.

10.) If you force me to pick a winner (if you one must use the whole winner/loser language), I would say Martin O'Malley did well tonight. His strength is compared to the others on the stage he actually did things, accomplished a hell of a lot as Governor of Maryland - Tax reform, ending the death penalty, gun control (He has the best record on guns by far), criminal justice reform, marriage equality, paid leave, you name it. His foreign policy is still largely a mystery which is a big problem - really hope they hit him on this in the next debate. Also he comes off a bit of a milquetoast - Don Knotts would look like Ron Jeremy next to O'Malley.