GOP Ponzi McTea Party Debate Open Thread!

Who will have the courage to point out that Social Security is not a Ponzi scheme–it's worse? Who will, at long last, denounce the Wolfstream Media? Who will make the most awkward reference to those freedom-loving fighter-patriots from the Bostons? Which Reason staffer will most disgrace him/herself on Twitter? And which commenter will propose the best drinking game? HAVE AT IT!

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

CNN? Yuck.

[BigT]

Commie News Network

[Fist of Etiquette]

Airing on CNN, CNN-Europe, CNN8 (The Ocho)...

[Fist of Etiquette]

Holy shit, this buildup music is giving me a woody.

[Lord Humungus]

I'm going for the "I won't watch this" and "drink wine out of a bottle" thang. We're doomed! Doomed!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Apparently Paul, Gingrich and Santorum didn't get the memo on red ties.

[Apatheist]

Power color baby!

[bill]

National anthem? really?

[Voros McCracken]

Nothing like further entrenching the concept of politics as a sporting event than having Michael Buffer style introductions followed by the National Anthem.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Newt is about to complain about the "gotcha anthem".

[Banjos]

When I become overlord I am going to change the national anthem. It is more annoying than the Birthday song. Like nails down a chalkboard.

[BakedPenguin]

The only thing it has going for it is that it was an old English drinking song. Even that doesn't work today, as if you drink while it's playing, some uber-patriot yobbo will threaten to punch you.

[Banjos]

I still don't know what I would replace it with, but I definitively know what I would change the Birthday Song to.

[Banjos]

Especially from 2001-2005/6ish. The uber patriot assholes were in full force. Annoying times.

I think I know what I would replace the Birthday Song with.

[Banjos]

Especially from 2001-2005/6ish. The uber patriot assholes were in full force. Annoying times.

I think I know what I would replace the Birthday Song with: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA3OJ8KtUCE

[BakedPenguin]

A lot of people don't realize the Birthday Song is still under copyright, which is why all the TGI McScratchy's / Fuddrucker's, etc. out there get someone to write another stupid song.

Your clip is good, but it's sad to know that the same woman went on to organize birthday parties in parks...

[Banjos]

At least in Trademark Law, trademarks can be overturned if the mark becomes generic. No such luck here. My banjo teacher (Joe Bethancourt) recently told me that Teddy Bear Picnic was also still copyrighted. Fucking insane.

[Fist of Etiquette]

CNN puts RoPaul in the middle (more or less).

[Joe M]

SNARK!!!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Ron Paul: Career Politician?

[Jonas]

He has been a career obstetrician. His congressional pay supplements his private sector work, he doesn't accept payments from medicare in his practice, and he has opted out of the congressional pension plan. I don't think that makes him a career politician no matter how long he has done it.

[smz]

zzzzzz

[Fist of Etiquette]

A long and difficult struggle against a Gingrich Administration.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Huntsman and Cain didn't get their applause.

[robc]

Im brewing a schwarzbier and drinking a blackberry wheat. Much better than a debate.

[smz]

an ad on Reason asks if I'm a "Ron Paulian?" WTF kind of species is that?

[Eduard van Haalen]

A Paul-itician. Someone who doesn't think our job is to Paul-ice the world. Someone who doesn't think we should freak out and socialize the economy in order to prevent the melting of Paul-ar icecaps. Someone who doesn't believe in robbing Peter, not even to pay Paul.

[Fluffy]

The Democrats find them apPauling!

[Paul]

Someone who will garner only at Paul-try number of votes?

[Brandon Magoon]

If Ron Paul has no chance then why are the other candidates adopting his stance on issues? You don't copy off the guy who you think is going to flunk a test do you?

[Paulian]

1. Ron Paul took a lie detector test. The lie detector tapped out.
2. Ron Paul is an element on the periodic table.
3. Ron Paul could lead a horse to water AND convince it to drink, but he doesn't believe the government has the right to so he refuses.
4. King Midas shook hands with Ron Paul once. Nothing happened.
5. Studies by the World Health Organization show that Ron Paul is the leading cause of freedom among men.
6. Ron Paul wasn't born. He liberated himself from the womb.
7. The chief export of Ron Paul is liberty.
8. When fascism goes to sleep at night, it checks under the bed for Ron Paul.
9. Ron Paul eats Total Gyms for breakfast.
10.If Ron Paul had lived in Sparta, the movie would have been called "1".
11.When Chuck Norris gets scared, he goes to Ron Paul.
12.Ron Paul lost his virginity to Susan B. Anthony.
13.Ron Paul doesn't cut taxes, He kills them with his bare hands.
14.Ron Paul delivers babies without his hands. He simply reads them the Bill of Rights and they crawl out in anticipation of freedom.
15.If you pull Ron Paul's finger, a band will march by playing Yankee Doodle Dandy.

--SAYO

[Banjos]

Nuclear Opportunist Titties Gingrich?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Seriously, audience questions? So CNN does actively dare viewers to change the channel.

[PantsFan]

Djokovic is ready to seal the deal.

[Ted S.]

Damn USTA only fined Serena Williams $2,000 for her shameful antics against the chair umpire. 🙁

[Art-P.O.G.]

I really like Djokovic. Dude is nasty.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"Governor Perry, you've flip flopped on Social Security. Why?"

[Bender Bending Rodriguez]

Uh... because them goddamn bluehairs vote?

[Grey Panther]

That's right we vote! I already pointed out that Social Security is the only money some of us have for retirement. I tend to vote Republican, but even I think SS is important for the country. If Perry wants to get rid of SS, he will also get rid of my vote. Why can't the politicians focus on people who are abusing the system? They could probably pay out more if people didn't abuse the system incorrectly.

[Gojira]

...Social Security is the only money some of us have for retirement.

I'm still waiting for your explanation as to how that's somehow my fault. It must be my fault, since you want to continue to punish me in order to pay for it.

Perhaps, in another life, someone might have had the foresight to anticipate living for some years after they quit working, and saved money appropriately. A man can dream...

[Kreel Sarloo]

I'm waiting for geezers like Grey Panther to explain why able bodied people are entitled to quit working and sponge of the public just because they've reached some magical age.

[rsi]

I put 10% of every pay check into a 401k.

[ranting ranter]

So you think republicans should be the party of slightly more effective socialism?

You got your bread and circuses for your money already.

[JD]

Why is it my problem if you failed to plan for the future, old man?

[DesigNate]

Then you should ONLY get out what you actually put in and not one damn penny more. And I'm sure since you are a principled individual you will do exactly that.

[D sidle]

May I copy and post the Paulian list? It is awesome.

[Trespassers W]

Yeah, it would be great if you could repost here every day, just in case anyone missed it the first three times.

[smz]

How many Limbaugh/Hannity/McTeaParty god and bomb 'em questions will there be?

[Fist of Etiquette]

"Our young Americans who are entering the workforce today..."

All three of them.

[alittlesense]

Lustily roaring their work song, "Ya want fries with that?"

[Au H20]

Can we just have Perry and Romney start punching each other between the questions, given that they are next to each other?

[PantsFan]

'Twould be better if they had handlebar mustaches.

[BigT]

And monocles.

[Au H20]

I also don't believe in gloves, but rather proper fisticuffs.

[BakedPenguin]

Those types deserve no monoclage! And I would only reluctantly grant them mustaches...

[BigT]

Romney appears to be a plastic dummy. Rather than a flesh and blood dummy.

[bill]

Ron Paul, please go for perry's jugular

[Fist of Etiquette]

Get him, Mitt!

[Fluffy]

I'm not watching any of this unless someone promises me that Santorum will get hit in the face with a pie.

Or an aluminum bat.

Either one would be cool.

[Menthols Washington]

You'll have to get a new bat if you get any Santorum on it.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"Ponzi scheme scared seniors."

They don't like ethnic names.

[The Ponzi]

Ayy!

[Voros McCracken]

Your new first lady: Pinky Tuscadero.

[Fluffy]

Being victims of the scheme should scare us more.

[bill]

ZING!

[Banjos]

Pretty Boy Fight!

[sailor]

Is there an internet stream available?

[BigT]

http://www.cnn.com

[Joe M]

http://www.cnn.com/

[sailor]

yes you idiot try cnn.com

[Fluffy]

cnn.com chica

[CNN.com]

Me love you long time sailor!

[Voros McCracken]

PONZI SCHEME! PONZI SCHEME!

[PantsFan]

An all mormon ticket would be the bees knees.

[BakedPenguin]

Nice state of Utah ref, Pants Fan.

[Joe M]

FUCKING BULLSHIT. They let Romney and Perry argue for ten fucking minutes, but as soon as Paul starts to actually get into an explanation of how his ideas would work, he gets cut off!

[BigT]

Need to start poisoning Wolf's again.

[Brandon Magoon]

You have to love how they ask everybody if we should Audit the Fed except the guy who introduced a bill to audit the fed and wrote a book called End the Fed.

[Voros McCracken]

Huntsman really bugs me for some reason...

[BigT]

The word is 'smarmy'

[Eduard van Haalen]

Here's his theme song:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Chasseur_maudit_(Franck)

[Nephilium]

I thought it would be this. If he was actually good...

[Fist of Etiquette]

NO ONE THERE KNOWS WHO KURT COBAIN IS.

[Fluffy]

When Ron Paul went on Leno, apparently he had no idea who Tom Cruise was.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Then he just locked my vote.

[Joe M]

He locked my vote even harder.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Newt Gingrich: Black man scares white folk.

[PantsFan]

with the barking, sounds like Newt has the Arsenio Hall vote wrapped up

[bill]

with the amount of applause after every answer, its starting to feel like the bill maher show

[Bender Bending Rodriguez]

I really liked that Gingrich guy when he played the Visitor Supreme Commander in the "V" miniseries.

[Fist of Etiquette]

No one is with you, Rick.

[bill]

God i hate Santorum

[God]

I hate santorum

[Brandybuck]

It is not a Ponzi scheme. Repeating this cliche only makes libertarians look like idiots.

It is not a Ponzi scheme because: you do not have an account; there are not multiple levels, just the tax payer and the tax receiver; the amount you receive has nothing to do with how early you joined; the amount you receive has only a little to do with how much you have paid; the financing is out in the open (but a bit obfuscated).

So what is Social Security if it is not a Ponzi scheme? It's a redistribution system! Duh! Current employees pay a tax which gets redistributed to current retirees/disabled.

[Joe M]

It's a pay as you go scheme. The problem, of course, is that fewer and fewer people are paying in, and more and more people are getting paid.

[ranting ranter]

"It's a pay as you go scheme."

There's already a name for schemes like that. They're called welfare.

When people attack it for being a ponzi scheme the socialists counter with this pay-as-you-go dodge and weave. More like borrow as you go anyway.

Then when people attack it for being welfare, the socialists counter that its some kind of pension or insurance scheme. Yeah one that relies on more people paying in at any time than taking out. Otherwise they could just give personal accounts. Oh no but that would be throwing granny off a cliff to require her to live on her own damn contributions.

Please make up your damn mind what you want to spin it as. (rant not necessarily directed at you in particular).

[Fluffy]

It's a Ponzi scheme because meeting obligations promised to prior enrollees in the system requires an ongoing and perpetually increasing stream of payments from new enrollees.

If Ponzi could have forced people to pay into his system at the barrel of a gun, it would have been distinguishable from social security only as a matter of degree and the scale of the promised returns.

[Tulpa]

Wrong again. Social Security could work with a constant stream of payments.

[AA]

Huh?

[curiousgeorge]

...and so could a Ponzi scheme...

[Robert]

No. A Ponzi scheme eventually runs out of people available to buy in, and never attempts a steady state. SS could exist in a steady state with the right numbers.

SS has some resemblance to a Ponzi scheme because of the ostensible individual account statements. However, the degree to which SS was sold like that has been greatly exaggerated.

SS's adoption was preceded by a popular push in some states, esp. Calif., to adopt some scheme to pay old people to induce them to retire. The idea was that jobs were scarce in the Great Depression, so it would be good public policy to take a large number of people out of the labor force to reduce involuntary unemployment. It was widely understood that this would be done by taxing those who still worked. Most of these plans were for the same amount to be paid out regardless of the previous income of the retiree. Look up "Ham and Eggs" for one example.

[Tulpa]

A Ponzi scheme needs to produce profits for the early buyers, to keep them from catching on and squealing, and also profits for the schemer. So a constant stream of payments wouldn't cut it.

[mmmhmm]

Wrong again. Social Security could work with a constant stream of payments.

So its not a ponzi scheme because they could change it to not be like a ponzi scheme, as opposed to leaving it in its current state which coincidentally works just like a ponzi scheme.

[Apatheist]

the amount you receive has nothing to do with how early you joined

Oh really? I'm sure I'll get my check in 40 years when I'm eligible then.

[Fluffy]

I think it's important to note that in Ponzi's scheme, you don't actually have a real account either.

You have been deceived into believing that you have an account.

Ponzi told people they had time deposits. The distinction between this lie and the letters I get from the Social Security Administration telling me what my future benefit will be (when they have no way to guarantee that out of current funds) is ultimately quite esoteric when you get right down to it.

[Tulpa]

Except that SS's funding methods are well-known, and available with minimal effort to anyone who cares to find out what they are.

A Ponzi scheme's mechanism of funding obviously must be kept secret.

[MJ]

That's only because a private sector Ponzi xcheme is voluntary, while SS is compulsory. The government still misled about how it works as a selling point.

[Juice]

Neither are voluntary. A fraudulent Ponzi scheme is not voluntary because you are being deceived.

[Voros McCracken]

At what point are they gonna start weeding people out? At least Cain and Huntsman can argue folks need to get to know them and their policies. But Gingrich and Santorum? Get 'em out of there, they just take up time and space.

[Real Man]

Demi Moore, 48, tweets topless pic
http://www.usmagazine.com/heal.....re-2011129

[Name Nomad]

A topless photo of someone's back does not count as a true "topless photo."

[Moore not Less]

She could have at least have included a little ass peak in the pic.

[Playa Manhattan]

Playa Manhattan, 32, did not get a boner from this pseudo granny porn

[another old timer]

Yeah its the first thing to go. Or was it my memory?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Crystal Bernard from Wings with a good question.

[bill]

"we dont have a spending problem, we have a waste problem" cmon newt

[concerned viewer]

Mel Brooks interview on HBO. maybe just as funny as debate.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

When I was a little kis, I thought Dick Cavett was the coolest cat on the planet. Good TV!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Sick crooks?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Why are we hearing so much from people who are never going to be president?

[The Real Barry O]

am I on holiday again?

[Joe M]

Weird, right? Except they had to stop Paul because he was getting substantive. Can't have that.

[Joe M]

Well, DUH, reform always works, Mitty.

[Joe M]

Haha, that side by side was great, Perry looked confused/bored/sleepy.

[Fist of Etiquette]

BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT, SAVE US!

[Joe M]

"Restructure the foundation of America's economy." Pretty scary language.

[Fist of Etiquette]

RoPaul is going to be out of material when they actually talk about foreign policy.

[heller]

Ron Paul getting huge applause for cutting EVERYTHANG YA'LL

[bill]

This might be ron paul's debate if they give him a decent amount of questions

[Joe M]

And as long as the questions have to do with issues that matter right now, not things like school lunches and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

[Au H20]

So, I am seriously all for turning Herman Cain into a comedy character: "I do not know about that, but I will study it, and get back to you with an answer!"

[Joe M]

At least he admits he's totally clueless.

[Au H20]

Also: "Pay laws...some people call it tort reform. But I, Herman Cain, am a leader, not a follower. I do not call it basketball. I call it shooty hoop. I do not call it a gas station, I call it a car go-go receptacle."

[heller]

He would make a great turtle.

[BakedPenguin]

If he happens to get electrocuted in a freak accident, perhaps Dr. Paul could sew him back together in pieces, making him a jocular Frankenstein figure.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I can't get over this intro/exit music. Why doesn't CNN just break out the jock jams?

[Voros McCracken]

Asking Ron Paul if he would repeal the Prescription Drug Benefit sort of reminds me of Citizen Nothing's Libertarian Party quiz when he asks if "heroin should be legal in public schools."

[nicole]

+1

[Apatheist]

If cutting a giant turd like that is as radical as legalizing heroin in public schools then we truly are fucked.

[Waterhouse]

Trick question! A real libertarian would answer that there shouldn't be any public schools.

[heller]

WATCH OUT SHE'S GOING TO SWALLOW THE CAMERA

[Fist of Etiquette]

"The first thing I would do would be to reverse everything the previous administration did."

[Joe M]

But Huntsman, Paul says heroin is good!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Tax Code and regulatory reform? In other words, nothing.

[Name Withheld]

Huntsman! Heroin! Oh wait...

[heller]

Jon Huntsman asks where his opponents have been and what they have done. I think everyone knows that, but do they know anything about Jon Huntsman?

[Joe M]

Haha, okay, nice line from Perry. "Even this scientifically illiterate imbecile can see that half of zero is zero."

[Generic Republican Candidate]

Let me be perfectly clear. We need to reverse the broken and flawed policies of the current administration, and go back to the broken and flawed policies of the previous administration.

[BigT]

Cain, Paul and Bachmann all want something different.

[Tony]

The death penalty for the crime of getting sick?

[Art-P.O.G.]

No, that's Perry. Hi-yooooo

[Fist of Etiquette]

Romney looks like he's ready to smirkingly pounce on anything Perry says.

[Joe M]

I will say this: Wolf Blitzer is pretty good about trying to follow up and get some clarity through the talking points, even though they just blow more smoke.

[Joe M]

Bachmann, a blank check, by definition has no amount attached to it. Thus, it cannot be in the amount of $2.4 trillion.

[I dunno]

2.4 trillion is a pretty good approximation of infinity for a lot of applications.

[YSR]

Why is Bachman still here?

[YSR]

Bachmann, sorry. That was falsely autocorrected.

[Voros McCracken]

Herman's offering up his 999 pizza deal again. I prefer this:

999

[BakedPenguin]

Not bad, though I marginally prefer this.

[Name Withheld]

LINE IN THE SAND, like Travis drew at THE ALAMO!

[bill]

American countries overseas!! get her ron

[Joe M]

9 pizzas, 9 dollars, 9 days a week.

[Fist of Etiquette]

9-9-9: Never forget.

[heller]

Romney you slick fuck. Pay phone metaphor best line of the night?

[Fluffy]

He's been using that joke for weeks.

[BigT]

IF he had said Obama's borrowing or stealing the quarters.

[Name Withheld]

Romney really is a simulacra isn't he?

[Bee Tagger]

I wonder if Nicole Thibodeaux will finally like this one.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Romney: Black man can't work a phone.

[sailor]

I think the american people deserve whoever they vote for. The Americans that don't vote are the real heroes.

[Joe M]

Bachmann's cackling laugh was startling.

[Joe M]

Wait, so is Romney suggesting we should have a 0% national income tax?!

[Fist of Etiquette]

THAT'S FIVE THINGS.

[Voros McCracken]

And ruthless efficiency!

[heller]

Romney goes in for the kill "Even Bush made more jobs than Perry!"

[Joe M]

Perry: And I interviewed and hired every single one of those million applicants.

[bill]

So many racists on cnn tonight

[A fan]

Only Blitzen that I can see

[bill]

So many racists on cnn tonight

[Joe M]

Haha, sweet, Paul gets in some jokes. He seems to be comfortable up there tonight.

[SIV]

What's with the hipster doofus with a hot blonde?

[Paulian]

Ron Paul is funny. "I don't want to offend my governor he might raise my taxes or something" Bwahahahahaaha!

[Fist of Etiquette]

"...the government owns all your money."

-Ron Paul (via Rick Perry attack ad tomorrow)

[Some Guy]

Actually it would be nice to see that. It'd mean they were concerned enough about him to bother with an attack ad.

[heller]

Newt needs his nappy time

[Voros McCracken]

Ron this talk about how the money doesn't all belong to the government is the kind of crazy talk that Wolf Blitzer isn't going to stand for.

[Joe M]

Ronald Reagan, drink!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Those gotcha applause breaks are stealing Newt's time.

[Au H20]

Gingrich is really angling for a cabinet position.

[Joe M]

I was just thinking VP myself.

[Joe M]

That is an idiotic question. Thriving businesses hire more workers, dolt.

[Au H20]

Huntsman just seems more and more pissed that people just don't like him as much as they did in Utah.

[Voros McCracken]

As Utah goes, so goes the nation!

[Fist of Etiquette]

This country needs more workers. You lazy ass Americans.

[heller]

Jon Huntsman: "can i just say something controversial? Can I?

OK, jobs are good!

Ah don't hurt me!"

[Joe M]

Huntsman: I will be the best overlord.

[SIV]

Pro-market, business neutral is the correct answer. Well if you want my vote anyways.

[heller]

Herman Cain doesn't have policy positions, he has stories. Interpret his working class family as you wish.

[heller]

CNN Tea Party Doritos Awesome Blossom Super Debate Bowl will continue after this!

[heller]

And by "this" I mean "when I finish saying the name of this debate"

[Joe M]

Anyone watching online? They show the upcoming questions during commercial breaks.

[Joe M]

"How do you plan to create a bipartisan environment to help move the country forward?"

Forward, not backward, upward, not forward, and always twirling, twirling, TWIRLING!

[Fist of Etiquette]

I was hoping the tea party debate would be in Texas, so we could see the audience firing their guns in the air as we go to commercial.

[SIV]

Shit, Niagra is on TCM at 9:30. Fuck the debate.

[sailor]

Adulterous wife Monroe drives husband to murder...well thanks for ruining the movie tcm

[Gojira]

Could some candidate, please, just ONCE, advocate building a giant laser to aim at a planet I've never heard of?

I will support the first one to do so. I am sick unto death of the anti-space laser contingent having a strangle-hold on American politics.

[heller]

Wolf is too tired to remember all the words in the name.

[bill]

yes!!! a question on the fed!!!!!

[Voros McCracken]

A meatball lobbed up to the plate for Ron Paul!

[Joe M]

Oh come on! This is Paul's question! Santorum is talking about sound money? WTF?

[heller]

Santorum brings everything I expected of him

[Fist of Etiquette]

"...that will pass with Democratic support in Congress."

This just in: Rick Santorum wants to raise taxes.

[Joe M]

WTF? Everyone is talking about sound money now.

[heller]

LOL at all these assholes actually being forced to entertain auditing the fed as a serious issue.

[Joe M]

If Bachmann says "sound money", I'm doing a shot.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Herman Cain doesn't want to do away with anything. He is going to be on Hoarders soon.

[Commenter Zero]

Lots of Newt-Santorum mutual admiration going on...

[Joe M]

There could be some santorum after the debate.

[heller]

Bachmann was working "behind the scenes" to stop the bailout. Right.

[LilDebbie]

...and Bachmann Godwins the debate.

[bill]

ron paul deserves credit for the fed to even be in discussion in a GOP debate, and they seem to be avoiding him on this issue

[Joe M]

Ron Paul's twitter feed has posted links to his Social Security preservation acts of 2011, 2009, 2007, 2005, and 2003.

[sailor]

Drink each time 'economic plan' is mentioned as if we just need the right plan.

[Voros McCracken]

Would be wonderful irony if they skip talking to Ron Paul on the Federal Reserve topic.

[Joe M]

They've talked to everyone except Paul at this point. Oh and Huntsman.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"And quite frankly, Wolf, I find your questioning treasonous."

[heller]

Romney asks who is going to run the currency, gets booed.

[$6M RoboTorso]

Isn't football on?

[Voros McCracken]

No, just the Patriots.

[Joe M]

Holy shit they totally skipped Paul on that question!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Is Tyler getting booed?

[bill]

wow did that just happen?

[Voros McCracken]

YES! Paul gets skipped over on the Federal Reserve question! Beautiful!

[Jerry]

A question round on the Federal Reserve and Paul doesn't get time to answer. Great.

[Voros McCracken]

It's amazing.

[oh well]

I guess we'll never learn his opinion on the issue.

[mike]

Romney look to Bachmann: 'What the Fuck do you know about the fed?'

[Fist of Etiquette]

This just in: Huntsman won't let you itemize.

[Joe M]

We can depend on brownskins, or use good ol' fashioned amurikan energy!

[heller]

Newt is the only one who knows how to cut himself off when he is about to say something that doesn't make sense. What a skill.

[Joe M]

Uh, Newt, you fail for describing tax revenues as income.

[Fluffy]

Skipping Paul on the Federal Reserve issue retroactively proves that every claim the Paul people have ever made about the media is 100% true.

CNN employs Frank Luntz and writes him checks to support him in his ongoing frauds. Always remember that when observing anything else they do.

[Joe M]

+1

[Voros McCracken]

I was hoping it would be Les Nesman.

[sailor]

Fair share...fuck you. whoever that is talking. they all look/sound alike for the most part

[Fist of Etiquette]

Ron Paul has "expensive overseas wars"-ed himself out of getting called on.

[heller]

When does one of them start talking about the "Obamacaust"

[Joe M]

Gah, Paul, don't give up your valuable seconds so easily!

[Fist of Etiquette]

"If I had it to do over, I would have given the girls cancer myself."

[sailor]

LITTLE GIRLS LITTLE GIRLS LITTLE GIRLS

[Voros McCracken]

Call the Cops!

[sailor]

Cancer...girls...little ones...innocent ones...cancer vaginas...especially the little ones...cute ones...oh my!

[Tulpa]

Perry's new campaign song

[AA]

Awesome. But why do you know about this, Tulpa?

[Art-P.O.G.]

If that's Oingo Boingo (not gonna click), then it needs no justification.

[John S]

Wonder if they will ask them if they will get rid of selective service, ie. the draft?

[heller]

At the end of the day, i will start every statement with "at the end of the day"

[Joe M]

Shit, you get extra time if you speak up? Paul, get rude!

[bill]

ron paul is solidly in 3rd in the polls and huntsman seems to get more questions, wtf man

[LilDebbie]

okay i suddenly liek bachmann for screwing perry that hard

[Fo real]

The derp has reached epic levels

[bill]

paul needs to get kooky he's to intelligent this time around

[heller]

It takes at least $10000 to buy Perry

[Joe M]

Hahahahaha!!!!

Perry, we've established you're a whore. Now we're just haggling about the price.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Perry's going to err on the side of life.

[Joe M]

ABSTINENCE

[Fist of Etiquette]

Eight-year-olds, Dude.

[Au H20]

Don't fuck with the Jesus!

[Jerry]

How about $10k, can you bought off with that Rick Perry?

[Cowboy]

Hah bachmann nailed Perry hard. Glad someone called him out on that mercy bullshit.

[bill]

watch perry Burn!!!

[Some Guy]

And which commenter will propose the best drinking game?

Drink until any candidate other than Ron Paul seems bearable. Or death from alcohol poisoning. Whichever comes first.

[Cowboy]

Drink everytime obamacare is mentioned.

Getalcohol poisoning and wait in ER for 8 hours.

[BakedPenguin]

Obamacare hasn't been imposed yet. You might actually get treatment before you die.

[Mark]

"If you think I can be bought for $5,000, I'm offended."

Exactly how much would it take for you NOT to be offended?

[heller]

Cain is so incoherent. I love it.

[hellee]

Racist!

Have you ever run a business? Apparently not.

[heller]

Turn off the phone bitch

[Fo real]

Did I just here an "AMEN" to repealing Obamacare?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Testify.

[sailor]

brothers and sisters

[Whappan]

CAN I GET A WITNESS??!!??!!

[heller]

Yes! Time to shit on RomneyCare!

Oh wait now Romney wants to deflect!

[Joe M]

It's weird, because I think Romney actually does know better, but then why the hell did he do what he did?

[mr simple]

Perry seems wounded this time around. He seems unprepared.

[ABO]

Bachmann elbowed him in the temple during the pile on.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Romney: Black man lies.

[STEVE SMITH]

HOW GARY JOHNSON DOING? STEVE SMITH RAPING OVERTIME TONIGHT SO CAN'T WATCH.

[Joe M]

Romney, you are prevaricating like crazy right now. No one is buying what you're selling on this issue.

[Joe M]

And now they go to the extreme question for Paul. BS.

[bill]

oh god, a hypothetical question

[Adam]

"You're a physician, DOCTOR Ron Paul." Get it right, Wolf.

[Joe M]

Oh god, Paul. Walk gently, good sir.

[heller]

Ron Paul hits another home run.

[Joe M]

Hahah, people are cheering about letting the irresponsible person die!

[The Society]

KILL KILL KILL

[Fist of Etiquette]

"Dr. Paul, you're a doctor, let me ask you this hypothetical question: If an unnamed CNN host develops a rash on his genitals, should he get a topical cream or go to the doctor?"

[Art-P.O.G.]

I LOL'ed.

[Joe M]

Oh he's nailing the fuck out of this now.

[bill]

yea, that'll be the last question he gets for sure.

[Voros McCracken]

It was well done for once. He actually answered that about as well as he could given the environment.

[mr simple]

If government doesn't pay for healthcare them everybody dies. Why do you always want to kill everyone, Ron Paul?

[Cowboy]

Do you just let him die?

Audience: YEAH!!!

I loled.

[The Real Barry O]

stay classy, tea party

[Jerry]

Just answer the f&kcing; question Michele.

[Michael Dukakis]

If you want to actually win an election you should always dodge contrived hypothetical questions like that.

[heller]

Bachmann answer the question you shifty bitch!

[Joe M]

So repealing Obamacare is basically Bachmann's entire platform, apparently.

[Fist of Etiquette]

And keeping it is everyone else's.

[avg pol]

We can, we must do both. We will repeal and strengthen ppaca

[Joe M]

That bumper music is pretty slammin.

[Cowboy]

Im still waiting for Jock Jamz, I swear its coming soon

[heller]

Oh man, Ron Paul is pwning

[mr simple]

Bach Ann is going after Romney and Perry loaded for bear tonight. I guess she's tired of being a fringe candidate.

[mr simple]

That's an interesting autocorrect.

[Adam]

Never would vote for her, but Bachmann is owning this debate- Romney and Perry look like misbehaved school boys up there.

[Joe M]

She knows she has to go all out now, make some headlines.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Wooohooooo! Blitzer mentioned us commenters!

[Joe M]

"Lemme just give a shout out to those hateful bastards at reason.com"

[Fluffy]

"To all of you who wanted me to call on Ron Paul during the Federal Reserve question - eat it, chumps!"

[Art-P.O.G.]

Transcript?

[heller]

Next up, Ron Paul noninterventionism vs. typical Republican foreign policy bullshit. Yawn.

I hope Paul gets asked a good immigration question.

[Adam]

Wolf: "Ron, you want to kill 30 year old Americans. So why don't you want to see thousands of young soldiers killed overseas for no reason?"

[CNN Breaking News]

"'Yes!' shouted from audience when Blitzer asks Ron Paul if coma patient without insurance should be allowed to die "

[Joe M]

And they cheered record number of executions last week. Yikes.

[what's the connection?]

You think the two are comparable? Family members are allowed to pull the plug on coma patients. Why can't some random unrelated fuck refuse to pay for exorbitantly expensive treatment for some foolhardy idiot he doesn't even know?

[heller]

Loaded question.

[Joe M]

Next question: how much do you hate brown people? A lot, a whole lot, or a ton?

[Cowboy]

Perry loves brown people. As long as they keep their heads down and do his yard work for cheap. Texas is a massive sanctuary state.

[Coke Zero]

YOU LIE. We're no sanctuary state, we make sure all of our immigrants are legal. I even asked our maid when we hired her to make sure.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Santorum: I love immigrants but wall off that eyesore Mexico.

[Joe M]

He likes the right kind of immigrants: white people.

[mr simple]

You're going to be on national tv asking potentially the next president a question and you choose a Hawaiian shirt? I like this guy already.

[CNN Breaking News]

Hopes audience will start yelling FUCK YOU WOLF!!!

[heller]

Go to Paul! Come on!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Oh great, Perry wants boots on the ground in the US. American troops occupying America.

[Joe M]

Santorum kissing Newt's ass again. Creepy.

[heller]

Santorum is a racist fuck

[melting pot or salad bowl?]

I'm a god damn steak peoples.

[esse]

Mostly fat and gristle?

[melting pot or salad bowl?]

I taste good. Eat me.

[Latino]

Rick S you can't attract Latino voters by calling for English as the national language because then my mother will loose her job as a translator.

[Coke Zero]

If your English is anything like hers, she'll lose it long before they establish English as the national language. "Loose" is the opposite of "tight." "Lose" is the opposite of "find."

[Joe M]

But wait, do people from other states pay in state tuition? If not, why do people from other countries?

Also, I gotta say it's ballsy as hell for Perry to stand by that with this bloodthirsty audience.

[Tulpa]

People born in other states pay in-state tuition after they've lived and paid income tax in the state in question for a certain period of time (usually a year).

[Joe M]

Oh, and I didn't realize this was in-state tuition for children born of illegal immigrants. If they were born in Texas, grew up in Texas, and are legally American citizens, I don't see a problem giving them in-state tuition.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Give the audience thirty seconds to respond.

[Voros McCracken]

What is Rick Santorum doing on this screen? Him and Huntsman sit at 3.0 and 1.4 percent on the RCP averages. They're done.

[Fist of Etiquette]

SPEAK AMERICAN, YOU FOREIGNERS!

[Mark]

Bachman's dick is clearly bigger than Perry's...

[Joe M]

Huntsman goes there.

[Joe M]

He hates brown people, but loves orange people.

[BakedPenguin]

He's got the Jersey Shore vote...

[Fist of Etiquette]

Moats, concertina wire, sharks with lasers on their heads...

[ABO]

Sharks are easily corrupted. Dolphins would be better, male dolphins, natures gang bang. I promise you once dolphins start gang raping illegals trying to swim across the moat that shit will stop real quick once word gets out.

[STEVE SMITH]

ABO FOR PRESIDENT!! I VOLUNTEER AS DOLPHIN!

[Joe M]

Just go freelance, be a private market-driven dolphin.

[mr simple]

Whoa huntsman called perry treasonous. Que?

[bill]

im so damn tired of romney and perry getting every single question

[Atanarjuat]

Yeah. It seemed like they did in last week's debate too.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I actively spat on brown people!

[Joe M]

Romney almost accidentally said "liberty", but luckily caught himself.

[enforce your laws assholes]

not anything I agreed to

[enforce your laws assholes]

not anything I agreed to

[heller]

Give an immigration to Paul! N one wants to hear the three fucks say the same thing in different words!

[Adam]

Wow, seems like Perry's platform is lacking any sense of principles.

[Joe M]

Mormons: there can be only one!

[Voros McCracken]

A Mormon version of Thunderdome is an automatic Pay Per view purchase by me.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Give us your name, asshole. What are you trying to hide?

[heller]

Cain calls for a 999 energy plan

[888]

is so much better

[Cowboy]

So...another agency to try and reduce government agencies?

[Joe M]

spending spending spending

[Joe M]

spending blah blah spending spending

[Fist of Etiquette]

EPA victims overseeing the EPA. Vindictive. I like it.

[heller]

9/11!

9/11!

9/11!

*Thundering applause*

Seriously folks, why is Newt so tired?

[Jerry]

What developments in Turkey, Newt?!!!

[Joe M]

Paul is being a little more careful with his words here. Nice.

[Joe M]

That was, perhaps, Paul's best and most coherent debate answer so far this year. Now here comes Santorum's ignorant assholish response.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I wonder how much overlap there is between the Paul applauders and the Santorum applauders. I bet it's a lot.

[bill]

like I said, I hate Santorum

[A fan]

stupid Scrotum for Santorum

[Fist of Etiquette]

Ron Paul: You're a dick, America.

[Joe M]

Eh? She's demanding we police Afghanistan.

[SIV]

Jesus Fucking Christ, Marilyn Monroe was hot in 1953.

[sailor]

Nice shots of Niagara Falls too

[SIV]

This is an excellent movie

[Mr Skin]

Marilyn Monroe will be sending your barrel over the falls at the 45 minute mark

/got nothin

[BakedPenguin]

Too bad you can't get to the secret JFK archives...

[The Real Barry O]

who's the brunette?

[WTF]

if the GOP doesn't think US foreign policy caused 911 I might as well just fuck my cat b/c ... that makes about as much sense

[A fan]

Cats have little spines on their dicks - you probably couldn't satisfy your cat.

[Tulpa]

MEOW MEANS NO

[AA]

Purr means yes?

[Voros McCracken]

Congressman Paul, if you bomb a 30 year old Iraqi man because he hates our freedoms, and blow off two of his limbs and he doesn't have health insurance, are you willing just to let him die?

[Joe M]

Paul was working hard, but he's trying to make an extremely difficult point. All the "AMERIKUH NUMBAR ONE!" people didn't want to hear it. They dismissed him before they even heard what he was saying. Sucks.

[Cowboy]

Santorum: Ron Paul why do you hate america and 9/11 victims?

[Au H20]

It is amazing how, in terms of the the Fed and military entanglements, the GOP has moved towards Ron Paul's position, if only loosely. He lost the battle, but he has won the war.

[Tulpa]

Being out of power makes any politician move towards libertarianism.

[SIV]

You guys are missing Niagra.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"What would they add to the White House..."

A gazebo.

[Jerry]

A Wal-Mart?

[MoNGo]

Tractor pulls on the lawn?

[The Real Barry O]

damn I should have put in that smoking room

[Atanarjuat]

Considering they're addressing Tea Party types, they sure are advocating a lot of big-government solutions. Building a wall at the border, thousands of armed guards (yeah let's be more like East Germany), building infrastructure in Afghanistan (fuck, we need to privatize roads here!).

[heller]

America can do no wrong! Especially when the doing wrong results in lots of Americans and Iraqis dying!

[Mark]

What Paul should have said: "How can anyone witnessing the Arab spring currently flowering in Islamic countries around the Middle East and believe Muslims hate freedom?"

[Atanarjuat]

That's pretty good.

[wolf wants to go down]

...on sanatorium

[heller]

Santorum will add the Santorium.

[Joe M]

Haha Austrian economics yes.

[Joe M]

Perry very weak answer.

[Matt]

I thought it couldn't get worse than Perry's response. Mitt lowered the bar.

[heller]

Cain doesn't need to bring a sense of humor, people will laugh anyway.

[Joe M]

I think Paul did really well this time, much better than last week, except when he got screwed on that first Social Security question.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Herman Cain will bring insults for the American people.

[Voros McCracken]

At long last the national nightmare is over.

[Joe M]

Online we got to see Wolf Blitzer kissing Perry's ass right before the audio cut.

[Jerry]

"You did an excellent job, hope to see you soon."

[Matt]

Churchill was not a saint, and we don't need another damn bust of someone anywhere in DC. Great way to look elitist, Mitt.

[Joe M]

This debate did feel a lot more evenly distributed, except for the opening fifteen minutes.

[Au H20]

So, did they just skip the whole "what would you add to the whitehouse?"

[Lost_In_Translation]

umm, they asked everyone and got mostly banal answers.

[Au H20]

I flipped to football for the .1 second that that took then.

[Lost_In_Translation]

We might never elect him, but god bless Paul for speaking truth to power.

[Fist of Etiquette]

If alive today, what would you bring to Amy Winehouse?

[WE]

would be better off if we didn't have to do what WE says to do. I don't think you can elect freedom.

[WE]

that was supposed to be a reply to oh fujck it nvmd.

[The Real Barry O]

Did John Gruden just say "shit you gotta get that off faster"?

[Au H20]

I had the same thought. Also, as long as the Dolphins don't get intercepted 8 times, I win my week in fantasy.

[Mediot]

We won't know who won the debate until David Gergan tells us.

[Bender Bending Rodriguez]

Note to Rick Santorum:

You're not Rudy Giuliani

It's not 2008.

The shine has come off the empire, even for a lot of Republicans.

"Four More Wars!" was stupid when it was coming from a bona fide military hero. From a chickenhawk armchair commando who's on record saying that John McCain doesn't know jack shit about torture, it's just fucking insulting.

[sevo]

How do you folks spend your evenings when politicos aren't making fools of themselves on TV?
Aren't re-runs of As the World Turns on?

[SIV]

I'm watching Niagra.

[Jerry]

For CNN, a job saved is as a job created. Man, they're failing so much in trying to make Obama look good.

[Au H20]

So, I'm thinking of watching My Life with Micheal Keaton. How drunk should I get to get through it?

[PantsFan]

It's no "Dream Team" or "Mr. Mom"
but he's still the goddamned Batman

[Au H20]

I just heard that it is ungodly depressing as a guy.

[Tulpa]

Not to mention Beat Ill Jews.

[The Real Barry O]

Kyle Orton looks like Dave Grohl
http://cheezburger.com/View/2879737600

[BakedPenguin]

The way Moreno is running so far, he's gonna need Grohl's timing.

[Scott]

I love how Paul was getting applause on foreign policy until he dared challenge the notion of "they hate us because we're free."

[Bender Bending Rodriguez]

They hate our freedom... and our giant American penises. It's the only explanation that makes sense!

[meh]

They do hate the "decadence" of western culture. There is plenty to that.

[Britt]

Yeah Islamic antipathy toward the West predates America by about a thousand years. The idea that the sole cause of 9/11 was the Iranian coup or the support Shah, or the Gulf War or whatever other bits of Cold War skullduggery you want to drag up kind of overlooks centuries of warfare between Team Cross and Team Crescent. They really do see America as just the latest iteration of Crusader state. They really do hate everything America stands for. The good thing is that they lack the means to carry out the dastardly plans they furiously masturbate to. The best way to defend the homeland would be to reinvigorate the concept of the citizen militia. Instead we get bureaucrats and more bureaucrats.

[Robert]

What's this "McTea Party" referencing? Son of Tea Party, like it's old hat already?

[Tony]

Am I the only one who sees militant rightwing nationalism and doesn't think it could maybe work this time around?

Enjoy the tax savings folks. Best case scenario, you'll be using it up and them some on health insurance But probably on scraps of cat meat to gnaw on.

[sevo]

Shithead:
"Am I the only one who sees militant rightwing nationalism and doesn't think it could maybe work this time around?"
No. You're the only one who can't seem to construct a sentence that make sense. You might try again, but I'd rather you didn't.

More shithead:
"Enjoy the tax savings folks. Best case scenario, you'll be using it up and them some on health insurance But probably on scraps of cat meat to gnaw on."
Yep, that money which isn't stolen from me will be spent on a nice prime steak, shithead.

[Tony]

What makes you think an idiot who can't win a battle with English grammar will be among the elite?

[Almanian]

I see no evidence that anyone thinks that but you - better get back to your reading-comprehension lessons.

[Tony]

You know who else thought the weak and infirm should die so as to unburden the rest of us?

[Scrooge]

ME! ME! PICK ME!!

[AA]

Progressives?

[I gave at the ballot box]

says a lot about you that you think without the government forcing people to help each other, they wouldn't do it.

[Tony]

It says a lot about you that you'd rather churches be oppressively burdened with the needs of the poor than pay a small tax. Nope, I'm not convinced that you guys would suddenly stop being misanthropic self-worshipers if only your taxes were lower.

[Atanarjuat]

Won't somebody think of the churches!?!?!?

[Scott]

"Oppressively burdened with the needs of the poor."
No, that's called voluntary charity.

[Rabban]

Separation of church and state. The state needs to quit poaching the domain of the church to care for (of it's own volition with it's own voluntarily collected funds) the sick, poor and downtrodden.