Charlie Neibergall / AP
Tonight, Mitt Romney will challenge incumbent President Obama for 90 minutes on domestic policy issues at the first presidential debate. Jim Lehrer of the PBS NewsHour will be the official moderator, but it seems there are many pundits, journalists, and policy experts who would like to take his seat. Here's a compilation of some of the best "Jim Lehrer should ask this at the debate tonight" questions floating around the web:
Robert Reich, Fmr. Secretary of Labor:
You've said that you have used every legal method to reduce your tax liability. You've also said that as president you would close tax loopholes in order to help finance a major across-the-board tax cut. What specific tax loopholes have you used that you would close?
John Healey, LA Times:
Is there a conflict between trying to get the economy moving again and narrowing the federal budget deficit? If so, where should Washington's focus be -- on growth or the rising debt?
Doyle McManus, LA Times:
Is there anything your opponent has proposed in this campaign that you would support?
John Hudak, Brookings Institution:
Transportation systems and infrastructure in the U.S. support the economic lives of businesses and consumers. Lately, infighting in Congress has changed a formerly bipartisan issue into a highly partisan one, leaving transportation underfunded and in need of assistance. What role do you see for the federal government in the context of transportation and what specific plans do you have to fulfill that role?
Aviva Shen, ThinkProgress:
How will you reconcile the federal government’s War on Drugs with state-level legalization efforts?
David Callahan, Demos:
Do you think economic inequality in America is a problem and, if so, how would you address it?
If you have the urge to back-seat moderate, too, leave your own questions for Jim Lehrer in the comments below.
Leave a Comment:
Some good questions there, except for the one about drug legalization. I'm surprised no one offered anything to be asked about the hyped up fake issues of the "War on Women" and the giddy "Gay Marriage" nonsense, especially as that was all the rage. And how about no questions on Bain Capital and its success rates, and jobs both saved and created under Romney's years as founder and CEO until 1999 when he turned his leadership talents and turnaround skills to quasi government National service in the 2002 Olympics, and the State of Massachusetts servcie as, as both Ed Randel, previous Pennsylvania Governor (Democrat) and Bill Clinton, previous President (Democrat) in the 1990s attested to publicly, and how those successes had been so dishonestly savaged by by the Obama campaign all Spring and Summer and his campign's echo chamber of the liberal media.
Gov. Romney: When your wife was diagnosed with MS, did you seek medical advice and professional care with a private physician, or did you just take her to the E.R.?
Of course it was private physician that diagnosed the MS condition, something emergency rooms do not do, fool!
Why do you still let people call you Governor Romney? Most of the common style guides state that there can only be one governor for a state at one time, thus only one person at a time is referred to as governor. The Honorable Mitt Romney, or Mr. Mitt Romney would be more in line with accepted protocol.
Every higher level office holder is due the respect of the office they held, just as Hillary Clinton used to be called Senator until she was Secretary of State, the highest office she will hold, and after December, she will be leaving that office but be entitled to be addressed ever after as Madam Secretary.
Proposals Mr. Romney? Facts only please. Also, what are the names of these economist analyses that say your budget is balanced? As to entitlements, I am disabled after working for 28 years. If not for Social Security and Medicare, I would be homeless and very ill. These programs are not only for Seniors.
I am surprised at the lack of mediation in this debate.
As for welfare to work, if I am able to train and gain employment, I would be able to keep more of my money and then would also pay taxes again. Mr. Romney, please explain your insurance program. I have pre-existing conditions - What happens to me? President Obama, please explain how Obamacare really works, in detail.
Why is Romney always allowed to interrupt the president and jim lehrer always cuts the president off. and why does jim lehrer let romney respond but the president is not permitted. Can't Romney shut his big mouth for awhile and allow the president to speak. Jim Lehrer is a Republican obviously.
Shameful, isn't it?
Because Obama droned on and on and was disconnected and halting in his presentation, and Romney wound up being cheated by less time overall then Obama was given?
Lastly, Mr. Romney, please explain why you and the Republican party push for smaller government except when it comes to a person's private life, citing women's reproductive health, marriage, etc. where you seem all too happy to intrude on civil rights.
Intrude on civil rights? Like the new "women's rights" to copay free and deduction free oral contraceptives, surgical sterilization, and abortion paid by federally subsidized Washington, DC tax dollars that violate the Hatch Act, and never existed prior to when it is all scheduled to go into effect in 2014 under ObamaCare, Patty. The Supreme Court has ruled that the federal govenment does not have the constitutional authority to force the separate states to set up markets that include those regulations, and has previously ruled that marriage is thew province of the separate states to regulate, Patty. Do try to pay attention.
Hmmm ...
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act:
the above is from:
The general consensus rather overwhelmingly says the debate was won hands down by Romney tonight, lefties. Sorry about that! You got your bubble burst tonight!