As I have stated before, the Republican debate tonight will be of limited usefulness. It will have too many participants. The time for an in-depth discussion will be too limited. The topics will be too diverse. It is too early to have these debates now.
That being said, I think this debate will serve as a vivid contrast between the two parties.
For example, unlike the Democrats, the Republicans will all be talking about how much they want to cut taxes. Democrats like to talk in code about how they want to raise taxes. There is no code-speak with Republicans. They like to cut taxes.
Unlike the Democrats, the Republicans will all talk about how much they want to cut spending. Democrats like to talk in code about how they want to invest in America, which means growing the size and scope of the federal government. Republicans still want to cut down the size of government, even if they find it hard to do when they actually run it.
Unlike the Democrats, the Republicans will all talk about how they want to win in Iraq. Democrats don’t really talk about a strategy for winning because they don’t think we can. They only talk about leaving Iraq, no matter what the cost. Republicans, with the exception of Ron Paul, will talk about our responsibilities in the region, the importance of fighting terrorists in Iraq, the price of failure and their own strategies for victory.
Unlike the Democrats, the Republicans will place most of their faith in the free market, the private sector and with the American people. The Democrats have lost their faith in the marketplace. They want more government to dictate how companies should act. They want more regulations. They want to bring down Big Business. They will attack the drug companies, the energy companies, the stock market. Republicans don’t believe that government should create jobs. That is the job of the free market. Democrats believe that bigger government leads to more jobs.
I don’t know how interesting this debate will be tonight on its own merits. But taken in contrast with the Democrats, it should prove to be pretty illuminating.