When The Circus Comes To Town

Last night the remaining five Republicans debated on CNN live from Houston, Texas. I wouldn't exactly call it an exercise in intellectual engagement but more of a National Geographic special, "when animals attack." Like a pair of rabid dogs Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz tried to double team and take down the lion, Donald Trump. Like all rabid dogs they can't be trusted and also bit each other.

Contrary to the analysis of some pundits who are so afraid of a Trump victory, he was not harmed by the lesser jackals on stage. He proved without question that he can take a punch. It continues to amaze me how so many "experts" who are immersed in politics everyday still don't get the Trump phenomenon. He doesn't have to provide details about his policies. His supporters don't care about Trump University, undocumented workers building Trump Towers or being fined forty years ago for using Polish workers. No one, including me, cares about his tax returns.

If Rubio and Cruz are going to use the defunct Trump University as a talking point I'll listen just as soon as they take on the devastating problem in this country of for profit alleged colleges including well known on line entities that are soaking students for billions of dollars, burying them in debt and leaving them with a worthless piece of paper that will take them nowhere. They haven't done it and they never will because it is irrelevant to them.

What did we learn? It got lost through the bluster but here it is,  Ben Carson stated emphatically what most Republicans actually believe, "healthcare is not a right". I've said many times that Carson is batshit crazy but he is honest in his insanity. He also is delusional in his continued belief that millions of Americans are desperate for him to be a candidate. On healthcare Cruz and Rubio both attacked Trump for saying in the last debate that if he is President he will not allow people to die on the streets because they have no healthcare. Trump stuck to his guns and asked Cruz directly if he would let people die on the streets and Cruz refused to answer the question and Rubio laughed about it.

Rubio's attempt to be a miniature Trump today was laughable and he got blown off the news cycle with Chris Christie standing by Trump and endorsing him. Rubio has also blown any chance of being on Trump's ticket.

John Kasich gave the best actual debate performance but because of the strange nature of this election cycle he simply has not been able to catch fire and that is a real shame.

At a recent event Cruz, talking about Trump, said it was time to get rid of the clowns and dancing bears and not be taken in by P.T. Barnum. Clowns are a bit creepy but everybody loves a dancing bear and P.T. Barnum brought joy to millions, which is more than can be said of Ted Cruz.