Real-world issues, fantasy-land solutions
By Fred Hiatt,
WashPost
Thursday, February 23, 11:16 AM
Run to the extreme in the primary, move to the center in the fall: That’s expected. But moving from the cartoon world the Republican presidential candidates have constructed back into three dimensions might prove more difficult.
In their debate Wednesday night, the remaining candidates seemed to be continuing their drift from reality — the reality of a center-right electorate they propose to woo and govern, and of the complexities of the problems they promise to solve.
Take immigration. Early on, Ron Paul opposed building a border fence because it might be used to keep Americans in. When it comes to drifting from reality, he was ahead of the pack. But other candidates showed glimmers of understanding that real people are affected by this issue.
Rick Perry, you might recall, wondered if it made sense to bar promising youth, brought here as infants, from a college education. Newt Gingrich said that the United States wasn’t the kind of country to uproot from their communities millions of people who had lived here peacefully and productively for many years.
(More here.)
WashPost
Thursday, February 23, 11:16 AM
Run to the extreme in the primary, move to the center in the fall: That’s expected. But moving from the cartoon world the Republican presidential candidates have constructed back into three dimensions might prove more difficult.
In their debate Wednesday night, the remaining candidates seemed to be continuing their drift from reality — the reality of a center-right electorate they propose to woo and govern, and of the complexities of the problems they promise to solve.
Take immigration. Early on, Ron Paul opposed building a border fence because it might be used to keep Americans in. When it comes to drifting from reality, he was ahead of the pack. But other candidates showed glimmers of understanding that real people are affected by this issue.
Rick Perry, you might recall, wondered if it made sense to bar promising youth, brought here as infants, from a college education. Newt Gingrich said that the United States wasn’t the kind of country to uproot from their communities millions of people who had lived here peacefully and productively for many years.
(More here.)
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