Star Spangled Staggers

US politics from outside the beltway

The most important question not asked at the presidential debate

"Mr President, if they say 'cut back', will you say 'fight back'?"

By Alex Hern Published 05 October 2012 10:09

The candidates during the debate on Wednesday night. Photograph: Getty Images

Due to the Labour conference – and it being published well after midnight UK time – we missed this yesterday, but Business Insider's Joe Weisenthal went pretty strong on the one question he wanted asked at Wednesday's presidential debate, which focused on domestic policy. Of course, it flies against prevailing wisdom, so there wasn't actually much hope it would make the cut, but it is still the most important economic question either of the candidates could answer:

The next President is likely to face politicians in the House and Senate demanding immediate spending cuts.

As Americans sit at home and worry about the durability of the recovery, which one of you can promise to the American people that they don't have to worry about austerity under your watch?

The answers would be interesting to hear, that's for sure – especially with that framing.

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4 comments

Sat, 2012-10-06 20:49 — Hugh C Markey (not verified)

As Romney is becoming 'ballsy' surely Obama should take that famous television attack ad out of mothballs.
You know the one - the little girl plucking the petals off a daisy and counting whilst a monotone voice in the background counts down a strategic missile launch.
Goldwater was buried by LBJ.s majority. Yep, the US electorate blinked.
[ And now China's zeroed in ]

SS11

Fri, 2012-10-05 18:15 — John Cheese (not verified)

2 min debate format is short- amazed Mitt packed in as much info as he did w/his examples. At the same time, Obama spoke more but said less...Bernanke is also propping up due to his "instant" Fed money. At our spending rates, it's all ponzi anyway. With W Europe withering, not sure why anyone, anywhere, would not be interested in streamlining bureaucracy? The cliff is coming...

Fri, 2012-10-05 17:15 — jankaas (not verified)

to be balanced and fair, Romney did intimate something in that direction (i.e. austerity/cut backs) when he slandered the Chinese and their willingness to continue to prop up the US economy. Romney apparently has a list of things he will not ask the Chinese to finance, such as PBS.

of course he failed to state what exactly he doesn't mind kowtowing to the Chinese for, and inexplicably Obama failed to ask him for examples. perhaps both know not to piss off their paymasters in public...?

Fri, 2012-10-05 14:32 — John Cheese (not verified)

Guess you didn't listen during the debate: Mitt directly answered the question & even gave an example, saying he would cut Fed dollars for lefty broadcaster PBS.
Obama couldn't explain his own Economic plan in detail, all he could do is "tell" Americans what Romney would do. This allowed Romney to be able to repeat what he would do, multiple times. Big mistake! Romney said he would lower "tax rates", not taxes, which helps the small/med business owners who hire, & more jobs & therefore taxpayers, & revenues go up. Pretty simple, been done before, but the left wants more socialism. Austerity is the big difference in the two paths we face. At least Granpa Joe is being honest this week & telling everyone Øbama/Biden have plans to keep spending & raise taxes $ 1 Trillion dollars...