MAGA Republican Senate candidates should have to explain themselves

Yssup Rider's Avatar
Regardless of how these extremist MAGA candidates reply, will any of our hard core Trumpists NOT support them?

Would you support one of these candidates regardless of their views?

Are you even interested in their views?


https://apple.news/AeATrnOyPRjm0gNfpb0HCYg

MAGA Republican Senate candidates should have to explain themselves

Even Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) concedes that candidate “quality” might inhibit Republicans from retaking the Senate. It’s both a remarkable admission and an accusation unsubtly leveled at the person — the defeated former president — who plucked many extreme MAGA believers out of primaries. Moreover, less than 80 days before the midterms, it sounds like a concession that even in an environment supposedly favorable to Republicans, they could wind up with fewer seats than they control now. (Maybe GOP donors should save their money.)

Considering the range of Republican Senate candidates who have taken bizarre and extreme positions — Blake Masters in Arizona, Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania, J.D. Vance in Ohio, Herschel Walker in Georgia — McConnell might be right. Interestingly, some of them have agreed to debate their opponents, which provides a critical opportunity for voters to see just how far into MAGA lunacy the GOP has descended.

As a preliminary matter, debate moderators should insist that candidates answer the questions they are asked. If the candidates deflect or flat-out refuse, moderators should ask again. And if they still don’t get a response, moderators should point out to the audience that the candidate apparently has something to hide.

Any candidate for Senate should be compelled to answer serious questions on a host of topics.

On the Constitution:
- Did Joe Biden win the presidency legitimately? If not, tell us what evidence you have. - What, if any, actions did you take to prevent Joe Biden from becoming president? If you didn’t have specific evidence he lost, how do your actions square with our democracy? - Was it wrong to encourage an armed mob to march on the U.S. Capitol? What about to tell the mob that former Vice President Mike Pence “didn’t have the courage” to help steal the election? - Should every qualified American citizen be able to cast a ballot? Is it better if more people vote or fewer people vote?

On inflation/the economy:
- You opposed legislative efforts to stop gas company price-gouging, measures to empower the secretary of health and human services to negotiate drug prices, a proposal to limit insulin costs to $35 a month, measures to cap out-of-pocket prescription drug expenditures for Medicare beneficiaries, and tax credits to switch to clean energy products. What’s wrong with Americans benefiting from lower prices on these things? - Explain how Republicans are going to reduce inflation. - Under Biden, the federal deficit has decreased. Under Donald Trump, it went up. How can Republicans claim to be the party of fiscal responsibility? - Can you assure voters you will not seek to impeach President Biden? If not, on what basis would you think impeachment appropriate? - How much is your state getting from the bipartisan infrastructure bill? Was this a good law? If not, should your state give the money back? - Would you support allowing the U.S. government to default on its debt? Allowing a government shutdown?

On national security and crime:
- Which was the right approach: Expand NATO as Biden did, or pull out of NATO as some Republicans suggested? - If Biden leaves office with top-secret documents, should he be prosecuted to the full extent of the law? Why not hold Trump to that standard? - The FBI obtained a warrant to search Mar-a-Lago based on a showing of probable cause. How was this an abuse of power? - Some Republicans have called for defunding the FBI. Do you agree? - When is violence justified, if ever, should your candidate not win? - Should anyone be able to purchase an unlimited number of AR-15-style semiautomatic weapons? - Do you support any federal registry for gun ownership? - Does climate change pose a threat? What should we do about it?

On 14th Amendment issues:
- Should a teenage rape victim be able to obtain an abortion? - What about a victim of incest? - What about a woman who has a serious health condition that pregnancy would aggravate? - Should women be permitted to travel to another state to get an abortion? - What should be the penalty for a woman who obtains an illegal abortion? - Would you vote to codify the right to access contraception? The right for gay couples to marry? The right for an interracial couple to marry?

In sum, MAGA Republicans should not be able to evade explaining their extreme positions. After all, if their views are so popular, they should be eager to share them, right?
More idiocy from those that don't believe in the U.S. Constitution. We will never have an accurate election without voter ID
do some republican candidates suck?

maybe I don't know about all or most of them

but my gut instinct is, they all are better for america than any dimocrat
"We will never have an accurate election without voter ID." Good example of an informative and respectful offering of opinion in response to a debate question, although, if I were on the opposing side, I would press for clarification.

"More idiocy from those that don't believe in the U.S. Constitution." Good example of an inappropriate response to a debate question. Labels those who don't agree as idiots and non-believers in the constitution, although they have the same right to their view as the respondee. Not an answer to the question, but a deflection. Too many get sucked into that kind of BS response.
Yssup Rider's Avatar
These questions are essential measures of a candidate’s position on issues that are front and center for today’s voter.

If the answers are consistent with the responses above, then we know where these candidates stand… pandering to their base.

It’s just a goddamned shame that people vote the brand and don’t give a shit about the candidate’s positions. Perhaps those voters just don’t care. Maybe that’s why these candidates never say what they’re for. Only what they’re against.
I also think it would behoove the Republican party to develop a true platform in 2024, rather than "recycling" as they did in 2020. MAGA is not a platform, it's a slogan that doesn't really say anything. Personally, I find it offensive, as might other swing voters, since I don't recall when America was not great.
These questions are essential measures of a candidate’s position on issues that are front and center for today’s voter.

If the answers are consistent with the responses above, then we know where these candidates stand… pandering to their base.

It’s just a goddamned shame that people vote the brand and don’t give a shit about the candidate’s positions. Perhaps those voters just don’t care. Maybe that’s why these candidates never say what they’re for. Only what they’re against. Originally Posted by Yssup Rider



Your question are worthless and wrong.



The abortion question is really about when does life begin, not your question.
"Your question are worthless and wrong."

See, again your opinion stated as fact. The other guy has just as much right to his opinion under our system of government, which of course we all support and respect, don't we? Not worthless, nor wrong, except for the declaration as such.
These questions are essential measures of a candidate’s position on issues that are front and center for today’s voter.

If the answers are consistent with the responses above, then we know where these candidates stand… pandering to their base.

It’s just a goddamned shame that people vote the brand and don’t give a shit about the candidate’s positions. Perhaps those voters just don’t care. Maybe that’s why these candidates never say what they’re for. Only what they’re against. Originally Posted by Yssup Rider
... Crikey! ... You might be in luck there, mate.

Over here in PA - the fellow pushing for the Senate
by the name of Dr. OZ has agreed to do a number of
debates - so voters can see and hear HIS opinions.

However, to this point - his opponent, a fellow named
Fetterman won't do any debates. ...

And I surely 'appen to believe that Democrat candidates
for the Senate should have to explain themselves.

Perhaps YOU can somehow persuade Mr. Fetterman
to do some debates and what-not. ...

#### Salty
Yssup Rider's Avatar
Would you vote for him?
"Your question are worthless and wrong."

See, again your opinion stated as fact. The other guy has just as much right to his opinion under our system of government, which of course we all support and respect, don't we? Not worthless, nor wrong, except for the declaration as such. Originally Posted by reddog1951

His questions aren't opinion, they are based on wrong assumptions. They are designed to make his extreme opinion be the norm instead of the extreme socialist/Marxist bullpucky that has historically been wrong.
The country is shit and is being run into the ground by spineless imbeciles


HOW DARE YOU WANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT

On the Constitution:
- Did Joe Biden win the presidency legitimately? If not, tell us what evidence you have.

Why is Biden's team of election lawyers blocking election audits that would prove you are right Was there any proof in 2016 that an FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith forged documents

or a high level FBI agent Peter Strzokwas in charge of a fake Russia story



On national security and crime:
- Which was the right approach: Expand NATO as Biden did, or pull out of NATO as some Republicans suggested? - Trump asked them to pay the agreed amount of 2% of GDP and they did Biden sent a check for 500 million his first week in office and billions more when the war started

On 14th Amendment issues:
- Should a teenage rape victim be able to obtain an abortion?

It's the 10th amendment(States rights v Federal laws) The Supreme Court ruled that every American has the right to vote for legislators to write abortion laws in their community Democrats want to take away that right Originally Posted by Yssup Rider

So many more things wrong as usual
Would you vote for him? Originally Posted by Yssup Rider
Would I vote for Fetterman? ... No. I don't support
his bad policy ideas. ... Dr. OZ is the better choice.

But have some debates - so the people of PA can decide.

#### Salty
Yssup Rider's Avatar
So many more things wrong as usual Originally Posted by LayingPipe
Sounds like you ought to be running for Senate. You know them talking points by heart.

Hhahahahahahaha