2702

That argument works for only cutting the bottom tax bracket as well. Which would be more responsible, since those in the bottom bracket are more apt to put money in the economy by actually spending it.

2703

I’d say that if you did it to everyone below the top bracket, those folks would tend to spend it.

Also Ben Carson made the worst rap ever.

2704

The Republican tax plans are irresponsible. A low and middle class tax cut would be a stimulus and in the scheme of things wouldn’t be bad. But that’s not what they want - hell they would probably rather just have tax cuts for the top bracket. Regardless, these plans as proposed with their deep cuts on the highest earners are in addition to increased defense spending. If Rubio wins, chances are Republicans end up with control of the government and there is nothing stopping them from enacting these plans that are far and away fiscally worse than any Democratic spending proposals (which lets face it are impossible to pass as there is no chance Dems retake the House.)

2705

If you’re Christie and Huckabee how do you stay in the race at this point? How do you appear on the undercard debate after you’ve sat at the big-boy table?

2706

You do well in Iowa or NH and hope your campaign can raise some cash.
There’s a video of Christie talking about addiction from a talk at a bar in NH that has gone viral (originally posted at Huffington Post. It’s actually pretty incredible) that might get him some momentum.

2707

Christie is truly an awesome orator if that is the correct term. Can really bring the emotion and he’s also demonstrated that he’s nimble in a live debate and can think on his feet.

That said, and he’s by no means alone, I’d love it if someone would explain to these politicians that we don’t need to hear your personal anecdote about that time you met that constituent yada yada yada. That it is perfectly possible, even desirable, to debate and to get one’s ideas across without resorting to boiling down a massive issue to how it affected some representative individual. However, I suppose the fact that everyone does it sort of speaks to how their handlers describe this is how the great unwashed masses ‘relate’ and the further dumbing down of things into pre-packaged sound-bites. It makes me weep. Which I guess is exactly what Christie et al wanted in the first place in a way.

2708

Definitely worth a watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdYMx7sycW4

I am actually disturbed that he’s not at the big boy table and yet some others are.

2709

He participates in the primetime debates.

2710

I have heard one of those Deport Racism 2016 videos, or I guess I should say I have heard as much of one as is playable on the radio. The two little kids in it cuss like sailors, calling Trump MF over and over again. Very strange ads featuring very cute foul mouthed kids.

2711

That’s a hell of a sermon. Really great.

2712

Oh, Ben.

Ben Carson’s campaign on Friday admitted, in a response to an inquiry from POLITICO, that a central point in his inspirational personal story was fabricated: his application and acceptance into the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

The academy has occupied a central place in Carson’s tale for years. According to a story told in Carson’s book, “Gifted Hands,” the then-17 year old was introduced in 1969 to Gen. William Westmoreland, who had just ended his command of U.S. forces in Vietnam, and the two dined together. That meeting, according to Carson’s telling, was followed by a “full scholarship” to the military academy.

West Point, however, has no record of Carson applying, much less being extended admission.

“In 1969, those who would have completed the entire process would have received their acceptance letters from the Army Adjutant General,” said Theresa Brinkerhoff, a spokeswoman for the academy. She said West Point has no records that indicate Carson even began the application process. “If he chose to pursue (the application process) then we would have records indicating such,” she said.

When presented with this evidence, Carson’s campaign conceded the story was false.

2713

That’s a hell of a sermon. Really great.

2714

The West Point thing seems like a tempest in a teapot. It’s not like Carson is claiming he went to West Point when he didn’t (he went to Yale.) Basically the only fib in there is that Carson couldn’t have been offered a scholarship, strictly speaking, because he never actually applied. But that doesn’t mean that Westmoreland or some associate never said to him, “Hey, why don’t you apply to West Point? We can get you in, and if you get in everything will be covered (because everyone who gets in to West Point is covered.)”

Compared to the vast list of truly crazy things Carson has said, inconsistencies in an anecdote about being recruited by schools is pretty trivial.

Knowing the insane way the American popular consciousness works, though, this may be what does him in. Complete and utter ignorance on policy issues is fine - way to show up those know-it-alls with their “facts” and their “reality!” - but God help you if you ever appear to rub the military the wrong way.

2715

Well, and the whole lying thing, I guess.

2716

We need to lay off Ben.

Until he is the official republican candidate. No point in derailing him too soon.

2717

But the only actual lie here that we know of is about filling out some paperwork.* The gist of the story is, “The Army really wanted me to go to West Point and offered to get me in.” Given Carson’s academic bona fides and ROTC background, I think that’s perfectly plausible (though maybe not that Westmoreland personally made the offer.)

In the overall scale of politician lies, that’s about a 2. And on the scale of Carson craziness, I’m not sure it even registers.

*It being West Point, it’s more complicated than that - Carson would also have to get a congressman as a sponsor. But if the Army really did want him in, I don’t imagine that would have been too much of a problem.

2718

Only matters if your last name has a (D) after it. …

2719

Yeah, probably. But there’s also the fact that he claims that they offered him a full scholarship when, to the best of my knowledge, West Point charges no tuition. And that they have no record that he even applied to the school. These are just weird fabrications, maybe just the kind of thing you do to puff up your own resume, but still weird.

2720

That video made me significantly more positive toward Christie. It’s genuine and moving.

2721

Carson’s book also says that all the schools to which he wanted to apply wanted a $10 application fee, and he only had $10 to spend, so he only applied to Yale.

The headline is pretty much entirely misrepresenting what Carson’s campaign actually said. Note this is their quote from the story:

“Dr. Carson was the top ROTC student in the City of Detroit,” campaign manager Barry Bennett wrote in an email to POLITICO. “In that role he was invited to meet General Westmoreland. He believes it was at a banquet. He can’t remember with specificity their brief conversation but it centered around Dr. Carson’s performance as ROTC City Executive Officer.”

“He was introduced to folks from West Point by his ROTC Supervisors,” Bennett added. “They told him they could help him get an appointment based on his grades and performance in ROTC. He considered it but in the end did not seek admission.”

Here’s the most recent example of Carson saying something along the same lines, from a Facebook Q&A earlier this year, again, from Politico.

The next question is from Bill. He wanted to know if it was true that I was offered a slot at West Point after high school," Carson wrote. "Bill, that is true. I was the highest student ROTC member in Detroit and was thrilled to get an offer from West Point. But I knew medicine is what I wanted to do. So I applied to only one school. (it was all the money I had). I applied to Yale and thank God they accepted me. I often wonder what might have happened had they said no.

Doesn’t look like he’s saying he applied, or was accepted, and the scholarship vs. free with service obligation thing is the sort of distinction human memory tends to conflate after a couple of decades.

I’m not saying I think he’s presidential material, but Politico is guilty of ginning up something over nothing here.