VP Debate

I know I’ve blogged on politics a lot lately but it’s the nature of the year and the season. I watched last night’s VP debate. It was really drab but somewhat interesting (I’m a drab, boring guy, I guess). Gwen Ifill did a good job moderating as the questions were equally difficult for each candidate, much better than Jim Lehrer did on Thursday. But just once, I wish there was a viable candidate that would explain that it’s not the government’s job to fix a problem. Here are some of the questions and the answers I would have paid to hear:

Ifill: You two gentlemen are pretty well off. You did well for yourselves in the private sector. What can you tell the people of Cleveland, or people of cities like Cleveland, that your administration will do to better their lives?

Candidate: It’s up to the people to make their lives better for themselves. Government needs to protect the people and protect their God-given rights. Beyond that, government needs to get out of the way and let people live their lives. It’s not the government’s job to make people’s lives better. It’s the people’s job to make their own lives better. That’s where the responsibility lies.

Ifill: I want to read something you said four years ago at this very setting: "Freedom means freedom for everybody." You said it again recently when you were asked about legalizing same-sex unions. And you used your family's experience as a context for your remarks.
Can you describe then your administration's support for a constitutional ban on same-sex unions?

Candidate: I personally don’t think the government should be in the job of marriage. I support abolishing its recognition of marriage and just creating civil unions for all to recognize the commitments people will make to each other. This will guarantee rights of inheritance, visitation in the hospital and health benefits. People shouldn’t be looking to the government to “legitimize” their marriage. That’s between them, their partners and God.

IFILL: I will talk to you about health care, Mr. Vice President. You have two minutes. But in particular, I want to talk to you about AIDS, and not about AIDS in China or Africa, but AIDS right here in this country, where black women between the ages of 25 and 44 are 13 times more likely to die of the disease than their counterparts.
What should the government's role be in helping to end the growth of this epidemic?

Candidate: Why is there a role for government in this? This is an issue of people’s personal actions. Government’s role here should be to encourage responsible behavior and get out of the way of drug companies so they can develop treatments and cures. (ed note: Is AIDS really still a political issue?)

Of course, I know these answers won’t come from a viable candidate. People want to hear about how someone else is going to fix their problems and give them money.

But I can dream…