Questions and Answers

Here are the questions (not the follow-up questions) that were posed by the CNN Debate Moderator, Jake Tapper and his fellow questioners, conservative talk-radio host Hugh Hewitt and CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash:

Mrs. Fiorina, I want to start with you. Fellow Republican candidate, and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, has suggested that your party’s frontrunner, Mr. Donald Trump, would be dangerous as President. He said he wouldn’t want, quote, “such a hot head with his finger on the nuclear codes.
You, as well, have raised concerns about Mr. Trump’s temperament.You’ve dismissed him as an entertainer. Would you feel comfortable with Donald trump’s finger on the nuclear codes?

* * *

Mr. Trump, I want to give you another chance — Mr. Trump, I want to give you a chance to respond to something that your rival to your left, Governor Bush, said.  Governor Bush told me last week when I read him the quote from Governor Jindal that he agrees you’re not a serious candidate.  Tell Governor Bush why you are a serious candidate and what your qualifications are to be commander-in-chief. 

* * *

A phenomenon going on in the race right now is the political…phenomenon going on in the race is the political outsiders in the race, Dr. Carson, Donald Trump, Carly Fiorina, all together, have majority support in the polls.  Governor Christie, I want to ask you about something that Dr. Carson said the other day.  Dr. Carson said campaigning is easier for him, because he’s not a politician. He can just tell the truth, therefore, while politicians, quote, “Have their finger in the air to see and do what is politically expedient.  Governor Christie, tell Dr. Carson, is that a fair description of you?

* * *

Senator Rubio, you’ve taken a very different approach to the — the question of Russia. You’ve called Vladimir Putin a, quote, “gangster.  Why would President Rubio’s approach be more effective than President Trump’s?

* * *

Four questions in to get to a question that deals with an actual issue facing the nation.  Three about Donald Trump and other so-called outsiders.  What a complete and utter waste of time.  Oh it was effective in getting the candidates to take shots at one another.  Entertaining but certainly not educating the people about what these candidates plan to do differently if elected.

Political debates should be about the real issues.  Not who insulted who, who is the most childish and so on.  There are real problems facing the U.S. and no one is talking about them except Bernie Sanders.  None of the Republican candidates are talking about inequality of wealth and income.  No one is talking about the ever-growing disappearance of a middle class in the country.  

So I want to propose questions of my own for a debate of candidates.  

#1.  You're all talking about making American great again and all of the problems created by President Obama while insulting and denigrating his performance.  But the facts are these.  

In FY2009 the last Bush budget deficit was $1.4 trillion.  Now, in FY2016 the budget deficit is projected to be less than $470 billion.  He's cut the budget deficit by 2/3rds.

GDP is up.  By most measures, unemployment is down.

Exactly how do you propose to improve on this?

#2.  This past March, NPR published a story that claims the percentage of the U. S. population that is without health insurance has fallen from 20.2% in 2012 to only 13.2% now.  If Obamacare is working to reduce the number of people that are without health insurance, why are you so insistent upon attempting to repeal it?

#3.  The minimum wage is a major topic of discussion with many calling for an increase.  At the same time, people are calling for limitations on CEO compensation in publicly held companies.  Would a maximum wage be fair?  Why or why not?

#4.  The Tax Foundation has analyzed every proposal to reform the tax system advanced by Republican candidates and found that the people who benefit the most from the proposed changes are the wealthiest Americans.  A family of four living in Los Angeles County and earning $80,000 a year faces a total tax burden of over 23%.  Your proposals, including the so-called flat tax don't lower their burden.  What do you have to say to them when they hear your tax plans favor the wealthy at their expense?

#5.  In 1986 Congress passed the Emergency Medical and Active Labor Act, known as EMTALA.  The main purpose of this law was to prevent patient dumping.  What do you know about this law and how should it be changed, if at all?  (Yes, this is kind of a "gotcha" question, but anyone calling for the repeal of Obamacare needs to know how EMTALA impacts hospitals).

#6.  If you were forced to select your choice to be president from among the candidates here on the dais, and you cannot pick yourself, who would you choose and why?

What questions do you think debate moderators should be asking?