Several times I saw the clip from the June, 2011, "debate" during which Mitt Romney was asked about what he would do, were he elected President, with FEMA. He said anytime funds go from the Fed to the States, that is good, but what would be best would be to privatize.

   Romney characterized 47% of people in this country, essentially, as leeches. What would a man like Romney do in a crisis such as Hurricane Sandy?

   The former Massachusetts Governor held a storm relief…

   Hurricane Sandy batters the East coast as I write. Bloomberg reports estimates of damage from the storm at $20 billion. Approximately $5 to $10 billion of those damages are insured.

   1) This storm is consistent with arguments for human contributions to global climate change. Why are the "left-wing" mainstream media not focused on this manifestation of a theory much bally-hooed by the Republican Party and its crowd? If the media really were "left-wing," they would be all…

   In the debates between the candidates for POTUS, some people claimed the deaths of American foreign service personnel, most notably the Ambassador, was not something of which political issue should be made. The notion was the situation was somehow above politics.

   "Political" is defined as "pertaining to or dealing with the science or art of politics."  The American College Dictionary, 1962 ed. "Politics" is defined as "the science or art of political government."…

   Richard Mourdock’s comment, at the end of last night debate, probably cost him the election. The comment should cost him the election because:

   1) We should want someone to serve as our Senator who is smart enough to watch the national news and avoid committing a foolish act or speaking a foolish thing.

   2) Regardless of one’s views on abortion, Mourdock should have known that an Akin-esque statement about abortion would royally screw up a close campaign—i.e., it only…

   The final "debate" debate between President Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney again was a "win" for President Obama.

  Here is how I scored it.

   Delivery: Romney was much smoother than the previous two debates. He was slapped down a couple of times by moderator Bob Schieffer when the former Governor tried to ignore the moderator. So that did not get out of hand. President Obama’s delivery was as it was in the last debate. I score Obama a 4 and Romney a…

   Ann Romney stated this week that her husband, Mitt, had served his country, during the Vietnam War, when he went to France to perform missionary work for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (a/k/a Mormon Church). She said her five sons served their country, in similar fashion, and did not enlist to go to Iraq or Afghanistan.

   Let me point out, first, that my draft "class" was the last subject to the lottery. Every other year dates were chosen, my birth date would be…

   Tuesday night’s "town hall" debate between President Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney was significantly different from what we saw and heard two weeks ago.

   Here is how I scored the debate.

   Delivery: Romney was choppy with audible pauses and hesitations. He also ignored the rules. He ran over on his time and interrupted when the President had the floor. The President also ran over on his time, but not as much. President Obama was direct and his…

   Tonight’s "debate" is a "town hall" format. This again is not a debate, but more like a meet-and greet sales meeting with two competitors in the room. Or this resembles a fraternity or sorority rush, but with the rush chairs from two competing houses going at the rushees simultaneously. The prospects are enough to make the customers or the rushees drink heavily. Of course, that tends to play into the hands of the competitors.  

   My scoring for tonight’s spectacle will use the…

. He recovered, but lost some here. Mourdock followed up with a fast, yet understandable delivery. Horning, as was the case during the entire debate, was steady and understandable. Score: Mourdock and Horning 5 (I don’t believe I have given that rating yet.) Give Donnelly a 3, although he recovered. (Horning’s mike was screwed up in the first segment, but that was not his fault.)

    2) Responsiveness: A so-called debate during an election campaign means candidates are hard-wired to…

   On today’s Show (10/13/12) we will discuss the debates—the Veep, past and upcoming Presidential—and the latest polls. Our guest will be Jeff Cox. The weather’s nice but chilly. This probably will be our last Show on the deck for this season. Of course, this is Indiana, so next week could be beautiful and 80 degrees (or miserable, sleety and a high of 42).

   As to the debate Thursday night and who won, let me go through the scoring categories, with a maximum of five points for…

   Thursday’s debate is shaping into a media blast. Generally, Obama supporters want blood. Republicans want to smirk more. So this Thursday, at 9 p.m., we get another "debate." Vice President Joe Biden versus U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, the Republican nominee for V.P. Location: Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. Moderator: Martha Raddatz, ABC senior foreign affairs correspondent. Topics: all things foreign and domestic.

   The are a few more aspects of the debate I did not address…

   Okay, this Thursday, at 9 p.m., is another "debate." Vice President Joe Biden will debate U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, the Republican nominee for V.P. The location of the debate is Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. The moderator is Martha Raddatz, ABC senior foreign affairs correspondent. The topics are all things foreign and domestic. After all, this is the only Veep debate.

   I shall return to my formula for how to score debates as used for last week’s "first" presidential…

"Civil Discourse Now" will shoot at 11 at the Village Cigar, 6455 North College, in the same strip center as Northside Social. Our guests will be Democratic Party candidate for Indiana Senate John Barnes and Libertarian Party candidate for Indiana House, District 100, James Nease.

   John Fugelsang is an actor and stand-up comic to whom Al Gore’s network, Current TV, has given an hour slot. The title of the show is "So That Happened." I caught the premiere last evening (Friday, October 5) at 6.

   Fugelsang is the guy who elicited the "Etch-a-Sketch"® comment from the Romney campaign aide last spring. His Wikipedia entry has a run-down of his life, educational background (NYU film school), and work. I had been watching him the last couple of months on YouTube®.…

   The Show will be "live" from the Village Cigar, 6435 North College Avenue. Our guests will be John Barnes, Democratic Party candidate for Indiana State Senate, District 32, and James Nease, Libertarian Party candidate for Indiana House, District 100.

   The consensus is Mitt Romney won Wednesday night’s debate. If we use the factors I listed in my last blog to score the debate, what is the result?

   Delivery: Romney was less hesitant than he has been in the past, but was not spellbinding. On the other hand, Obama seemed asleep. I score Romney a 3 and Obama a 2.

   Responsiveness to questions: This is the "duck" factor. Again, politicians are terrible about this. A person does not answer a question when that person simply…

   How should one "score" the "debate" tomorrow night?

   In high school and college debate, ballots had six areas, each awarded five points, for a total of 30 points possible per speaker. My memory might be faulty as to those areas, but the scent of 3M paper still haunts my nostrils when I flash back to trips home from tournament.

   The usual areas were: delivery, refutation, organization, evidence, analysis, and cross-examination. Those ballots were for competitive rounds in…

   President Obama is reported to have crammed for the "debates" (I wince to apply that term to the glorified Q & A sessions to be held) he faces in the next couple of weeks versus Mitt Romney.

   One of my law professors, Henry Karlson, commented to my first-year Crim Law one day that, the previous evening, a former student had called to ask a question about evidence. That particular lecture was on a Friday. The student had called because he was taking the bar exam. The bar exam…