Chad’s Morning Brief: No Surprise That Neugebauer Won’t Debate, John Cornyn Stopped the Filibuster to Save the GOP, and Other Top Stories
Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of February 17, 2014. Give me your feedback below and tune in to The Chad Hasty Show for these and many more topics from 8:30 to 11am. Remember, you can listen online at KFYO.com or on your iPhone/Android with the radioPup App.
Debate Night Minus One
Should Congressman Randy Neugebauer debate his challengers in the Republican Primary? Yes. Will he? No. Is that a big surprise? Of course not. Neugebauer isn't the first politician to look at the polls and see a healthy lead and decide to avoid a debate. Rick Perry did it, Greg Abbott did it, and Randy Neugebauer will do it tonight.
The reason is simple. He has nothing to gain. Getting into a debate with possibly a hostile pair of challengers with nothing to lose is something no candidate wants to do. If you believe his internal polling, Neugebauer is looking at winning the GOP Primary with 70% of the votes. I'm not sure if the final tally will be that high for Neugebauer but it absolutely won't be much higher. Neugebauer can't look much better in a debate but he could look much worse.
Personally, I would love to see a debate between Neugebauer and his challengers. I think the voters are owed that. I also think the voters should be allowed to ask questions of their elected officials without having to submit them in writing first. Debates are good because ideas and beliefs are debated. Citizens are able to hear from elected officials and that is a good thing.
Yes, Congressman Randy Neugebauer should attend tonight's debate but he won't. The campaign knows they don't have to debate in order to win. It's unfortunate because it's just another missed opportunity for the citizens in Lubbock to hear from their Congressman. I would hope that the Neugebauer campaign would make this up to the people in the form of town-hall events. In fact, the people should demand it.
The only thing worse than not showing up for a debate is sending someone to read a statement on your behalf. It makes you look as though you are above the event and above the people. No one elected the staffer who will read a statement and it only serves as an insult to the people who want to hear from their elected official.
Should you still go to tonight's debate? Sure. Ideas will be thrown around and discussed by two people who want to be there and who want to represent you. I have a feeling your voices will be heard tonight and whether those ideas make it to D.C. or not, it's still a good thing to voice those ideas.
Tonight's debate will be at 7pm at Vintage Township Town Hall located at 12002 Trafalgar near 114th and Quaker.
Cornyn vs Cruz
According to the Statesman, Senator John Cornyn voted to end the filibuster by Senator Ted Cruz in order to save the GOP.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said Friday that the well-being of the nation and the Republican Party required him to thwart fellow Texas Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s filibuster of a measure to raise the debt ceiling.
“I think it would have been bad for the economy, bad for the American people, and I don’t think it would have been good politics either,” Cornyn said.
I don't think Cornyn really did the GOP any favors by voting for to end debate on the debt ceiling. I don't know if he did the GOP any harm either though. I think the Republican Party has to decide what the future is going to be and when they are going to fight. Cornyn wants to win the Senate and is worried about rocking the boat. I get that, but when do you stop putting off the fight and decide to just go and stand up for your beliefs?
Other Top Stories:
These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of The Chad Hasty Show. Tune in mornings 8:30-11am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.
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