Well, no pressure tonight, Joe. After all, there is likely only the future of our democracy at stake.
I admit to being more than a bit nervous about how things will turn out at the debate tonight. While I am generally confident that Biden will be very prepared, will be personally aware of, and will be able to handle the importance of this event, there is still a significant element of the unknown – namely Trump.
I have been thinking of some questions I might like to ask, so perhaps Dana and Jake may yet read this before they go on air tonight and think, “Wow, those questions are really insightful, and would be excellent at drawing out some excellent discussion.”
Yeah, I think I know the likelihood of THAT happening.
But nonetheless, here are my ideas for some of the questions I really hope will be asked. Let’s see how many, or at least a version of them, are actually asked during tonight’s debate.
This editorial is rather long, even by MY standards. However, I have identified the primary subject of each question at the very beginning of each to enable a bit of skimming, if you are so inclined.
* * * * *
THE WAR IN GAZA
For President Biden
Mr. President, opposition to the way that the war in Gaza has been waged, and in particular, with the large number of civilians, including women and children, who have been killed, and with the failure to achieve the release of all of the hostages, has been quite significant in this country. Many citizens, particularly younger ones, very vocally oppose the way that you continue to allow U.S. military aide to Israel which supports this war.
What do you have to say to those people, in particular students on American campuses?
For Mr. Trump
On that same topic of the war in Gaza, what if anything would you do differently than President Biden, in order to achieve an end to this war in Gaza and a return of all remaining hostages?
In addition, what do you believe you can do to help bring lasting peace between the Palestinian and the Israeli people?
- As an example, do you support the two-state solution?
(If the moderator really wants to get under Trump’s skin, how about just asking him “What is the two-state solution?”)
* * * * *
DEPORTATION
For Mr. Trump
You have said on multiple occasions that if you are returned to the White House, you would round up hundreds of thousands of people who are in this country illegally, and that you would house them in detention camps, and then deport them out of this country.
My questions about this are as follows:
- How do you intend to identify these people?
- Where will these detention camps be built to house the people rounded up?
- Do you intend to use the U.S. military to either assist in rounding up these individuals and/or in managing the detention camps?
- Will Dreamers and their parents be included with the people whom will be rounded up and deported?
- Will children be included with the people whom will be rounded up and deported?
For President Biden
What do you think of Mr. Trump’s proposed detention and deportation plans?
What is your own, ongoing plan to address the continuing problem of thousands of unprocessed aliens being allowed into this country before they are able to receive a review of their immigration eligibility?
* * * * *
ECONOMY & INFLATION
For President Biden
The economy and inflation continue to be some of, if not the top issues on the minds of many voters.
Where do you believe the U.S. economy stands right now, and how do you plan to continue to address rising costs and inflation during a possible second term as President?
For Mr. Trump
Still on the economy and inflation, you have said repeatedly that our economy is failing badly and that inflation is the worst that it has ever been in this country.
If elected President, what do you propose to do differently than President Biden, in order to bring down inflation, to continue job growth, and to generally improve economic conditions for all the people of the United States?
* * * * *
THE WAR IN UKRAINE
For Mr. Trump
The war in Ukraine has now been waged for over two years.
If elected President, how would you help to bring this war Russia has been waging against Ukraine to an end?
What role do you believe NATO should play in any plan to end the war in Ukraine?
For President Biden
You have been a steadfast supporter of the people of Ukraine in this conflict and you have helped lead the NATO coalition in their support efforts as well.
Will you continue to advocate for U.S. military assistance to Ukraine?
What do you believe would represent a just end to this war?
How long are you prepared to commit the American people to supporting Ukraine militarily?
* * * * *
ABORTION
For President Biden
Perhaps the single most significant event that has happened during your term as President, was the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe vs Wade in June 2022.
That decision has allowed many states to implement policies which have made it virtually impossible for up to 1/3rd of American women to obtain abortion healthcare, even at times when their own health is in immediate jeopardy, without having the financial means to leave the state in which they live.
There is also serious discussion about the desire to pass law that would implement these policies nationwide, even in states that have passed reproductive protections into their own state constitutions.
What is your continuing plan to address this attack on the ability for a woman to make her own reproductive decisions, even to the point of protecting the ability to obtain safe and effective birth control, as well as IVF assistance with conception?
For Mr Trump
On the topic of abortion care, I have the following three questions.
- If a bill which would ban abortion nationwide, from the time of conception, made it to your desk as President, would you sign it into law?
- If not a ban at conception, would you sign a similar nationwide ban on abortion, but only if after a certain amount of weeks?
- If so, is there a minimum number of weeks that you believe a woman should be allowed in which to determine if an abortion may be right for their particular situation?
- Supreme Court Justice Thomas had theorized that after the Roe v Wade decision, a potential ban on other methods of contraception should also be seriously considered.
- Do you agree with Justice Thomas view on banning other methods of contraception and conception?
* * * * *
OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES
For Mr Trump
Obamacare subsidies, which have allowed millions of previously uninsured individuals to purchase healthcare insurance, were extended to 2025 by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022.
If a bill to either make these subsidies permanent, or to at least extend the subsidies beyond 2025, made it to your desk as President, would you sign that bill into law?
If you would NOT sign that bill into law, what do you say to the millions of people who have relied upon that insurance for healthcare coverage, many since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law in 2010 – almost 15 years ago?
For President Biden
Why do you think that it is so important that Obamacare subsidies are either made permanent, or at the very least extended, if you are re-elected as President?
What additional plans, if any, do you have, and that you would hope to implement into law, that would further provide health care and health cost assistance to the American people?
How would you propose paying for these benefits without further adding to our national deficit?
* * * * *
THE TRUMP TAX CUTS
For President Biden
An estimated 3.5 trillion dollars in tax cuts, passed by the previous Trump administration, are due to expire in 2025. Permanently extending those tax cuts has been estimated to cost the U.S. economy up to another 4 trillion dollars over the next decade.
If a bill to permanently extend the Trump tax cuts made it to your desk as President, would you sign it into law?
If you would NOT, how would you propose to use that money instead?
For Mr. Trump
Also for you Mr. Trump, if a bill to permanently extend the tax cuts passed by your administration, made it to your desk if you are re-elected as President, would you sign it into law?
If you would sign it into law, would you propose that any changes be made to the bill before it reaches your desk?
* * * * *
THE SUPREME COURT
For Mr. Trump
You have taken credit for appointing the three Supreme Court Justices who eventually made it possible for Roe v Wade to be overturned.
If you are re-elected President, and if either Justice Alito or Justice Thomas retired during your next term in office, now that Roe v Wade is no longer a consideration, what would be your primary selection criteria for anyone considered to replace Justices Alito or Thomas?
For President Biden
Also regarding the U.S. Supreme Court, should you be elected to a second term, what changes, if any, would you support in addressing Congressional oversight, i.e. Checks and Balances, over the Supreme Court?
For example …
- Would you support the implementation of a Congressionally enforceable ethics code over members of the Supreme Court?
- Would you support either a term limit, or an age limit, for future Supreme Court Justices?
- Would you support any effort to add more Justices to the Supreme Court?
* * * * *
This final question is optional, although I assume some form of this question will most definitely be asked tonight.
CANDIDATE FELON
For President Biden
A unique situation exists for this next election in that one of the two primary contenders has now been convicted of 34 felonies, as well as having been held liable for both sexual abuse and defamation.
In addition, there are other felony indictments pending against Mr. Trump, which may likely never make it to trial if he is elected to a second term.
Why do you believe that you should be re-elected as President instead of Mr. Trump?
For Mr. Trump
Why should the American people put you back in the White House and ignore your felony convictions and your other legal issues?
Additionally, if elected to a second term, would you instruct the Justice Department to force an end to your criminal trials in both Washington DC and Florida?
* * * * *
I think if even a few of these questions, or a reasonable facsimile, were asked of these candidates tonight, the back and forth that I am certain would be generated, would lead to a clear delineation between the two candidates.
And this could be accomplished even without asking anything about countless other juicy subjects, such as …
- January 6th
- Pardoning those “patriots” involved in Jan 6th
- Seeking revenge against all political opponents
- Appointing only loyalists to all positions in civil service
- Disrespect for those who have served and died in the military for this country
- The response to Covid
- Support of dictators and the rejection of historic allies
- And the list goes on and on, and not exactly to Trump’s benefit.
But if you are listening, or reading, Dana and Jake, I think you could do much worse than just sticking with these few questions.
Regarding tonight, Dana and Jake, strap up in the way that most of the nation will be doing with you as well.
AND GOOD LUCK.
I HOPE THAT YOU WON’T NEED IT!
* * * * *
One more thought, and a recommendation for Joe.
There will undoubtedly be multiple opportunities tonight where Trump will clearly lie, and Biden can call him out. But I only think he will need to do it once.
When Trump tells a demonstrable lie, Biden should turn to him and say …
“That is simply another of the many outright lies that you constantly tell.
However, there is at least one saving grace that I can think of about your lying.
We always know whenever you are telling a lie.
How?
Your mouth is open.”
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