I had anticipated the recent GOP debate on CNN with some apprehension. Was Donald Trump's rhetoric becoming so toxic that the rest of the Republican field might appear as rational human beings?
Not to worry! As The Hate-and-Fear-a-thon progressed, my concerns were soon relieved. Even Ohio Governor John Kasich, who's often cited by pundits as being the most moderate candidate, seemed a tad unhinged at times. About halfway through the debate, he harrumphed that the President and other world leaders attending the climate change conference in Paris should be focused on ISIS instead. Later on he growled, "It's time we punched the Russians in the nose."
Let's not forget New Jersey's Chris Christie. He seems to have anointed himself heir apparent to onetime New York mayor Rudy Giuliani's 9-11 mantle. Remember him from 2012? Elect me because .... 9-11! During a discussion focused on the use of air power against ISIS, including the establishment of a no-fly zone, Christie roared that we should shoot down any Russian plane that would dare invade "our" no-fly zone, no questions asked.
Without missing a beat, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, addressing the audience and gesturing toward Christie declared, "If you want World War III, there's your candidate." Yep, there he stood! Rand Paul, a voice of reason in the GOP wilderness, at least in the realm of foreign affairs. He later offered a spot-on rebuttal to a Donald Trump rant focused on "taking out terrorists' families" if necessary. Paul sagely stated, "There's a such thing as the Geneva Convention, which we'd have to pull out of." However, his closing statement propelled me back to the somber reality of Republican domestic policy. The Good Senator insisted that the national debt is our greatest threat, not the day-to-day struggle to survive and thrive faced by much of our nation. Among the GOP contenders, none of those concerns rated even a squeak. (As far as I know, no particular issue priorities were specified in the debate format).
I'm not suggesting for a moment that national security isn't an issue of vital concern. The Democratic candidates did address it during their most recent debate along with domestic priorities.
In the meantime, at the United Nations, diplomatic efforts continue with the intent of settling Syria's 5-year-long civil war. At the same time, all concerned parties including the United States --- represented by Secretary of State John Kerry --- are focused on weakening and eventually eliminating ISIS.
It's a slow, but productive process. The Democratic contenders support this effort, although there's some disagreement over tactics.
With the exception of Rand Paul, the GOP rivals insist that the only way to vanquish ISIS is by charging forward with guns a-blazin', 21st Century style --- with the good ol' USofA at the head of the wagon train. We all know how well that worked in Iraq.
Come November, we'll be facing a stark choice at the ballot box. Will we send a grownup to the White House, or a juvenile bully whose volatile hatreds could poison us all?
The whole world will be watching, folks.
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