Fortunately, when it comes to Republican Presidential debates, I can switch to another channel or find something useful to do. I've tried watching a few times, but my tolerance (even pretending that it's only entertainment) runs out after a few minutes.
Whether it's Rick Perry (Social Security is a Ponzi Scheme; If you think I can be bought for $5,000, I'm offended); Newt Gingrich (Building a mosque anywhere near the Twin Towers site is Muslim "Triumphalism"); Rick Santorum (I believe American "Exceptionalism" should guide the world); Herman Cain (Wouldn't appoint a Muslim to his cabinet; Blacks are "brainwashed" into voting Democratic); Ron Paul (If you can't afford health insurance, you may die, but that's the risk you take); or Michele Bachmann (The Founding Fathers worked tirelessly to end slavery; Jesus Christ is the creator of the Universe!; Giving adolescents vaccine for cervical cancer causes mental retardation); they seem to be a group out of touch with any progressive thinking.
Of course, they are pandering to the extreme right of the Republican party, and the extremes frequently win primaries, although their candidates generally fail in general elections. But what if one of these actually became President? The United States has had weak Presidents in the Nineteenth Century, but has never had a blatantly unqualified person in the Twentieth. At some point there is a risk of nullification by the public, refusing to accept the election results (as the Southern States did after the election of Lincoln).
The Republicans have two mainstream (and qualified) choices in Mitt Romney and John Huntsman. Romney is not the choice of the "Tea Party", having shifted on a number of issues after being Governor of Massachusetts; and Huntsman is unable to attract much support, having been President Obama's Ambassador to China.
It's been a sour summer listening to these people, including the "debt ceiling" spectacle. I realize that I can ignore them, but it almost means blocking out the U. S. news.
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