Mark Small

On several main themes run amongst my opponents: 1) PROTECT THE CONSTITUTION: It seems these candidates believe our courts should interpret Constitution consistent w/original intent. Sounds like a good idea except you can’t find that intent. 26/40

Delegates to the 1787 Convention left no records of their proceedings and few records exist from state ratification conventions. Process of amendment & intervening events like, say, Civil War make the Framers’ intent moot. 27/40

We need to protect The Constitution, but from people like my opponents and trump. 28/40

2) SOCIALISM is bad. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy notes that in a 1924 “Dictionary of Socialism, there were “canvassed no fewer than forty definitions of socialism...” 29/40

“Socialism is best defined in contrast with capitalism ... and as a proposal for overcoming and replacing it.” Capitalism is like the NCAA hoops tournament for businesses, except history shows that businesses do not always play clean. 30/40

Also, once the tournament is over, there is no re-set for a new tournament. Too much capital is required and, with all that power, the winner usually sues to protect its gains. That’s what happened in the 1890s. 31/40

It is strange that the GOP leaders are fine with trillions to bale out large corporations (Eek! Socialism!) but find it wrong to buy out student debt and provide health care to everyone. 32/40

3) MILITARY IS GOOD: Our oversized military in undeclared wars have killed many, angered more and made us less secure. 33/40

4) RIGHT TO LIFE: Ironically (or not) same ppl who rail about intent of Framers of Constitution do not care that abortion was legal when the Constitution was written, as Justice Blackmun noted in Roe v Wade, 410 U.S. at 129-30. 34/40

Reduce abortions: make contraceptives easily available & @ no cost, support health care 4 all, and sex ed’n in schools. AND: these female candidates cannot speak because in the days of the “founders” women had no rights. 35/40

5) FREE MARKET IS A PANACEA: We have had free market economies in our history. They result in monopolies and oligopolies. There is a balance that must be maintained and going to either extreme does not cut it. 36/40

6) tRUMP: This “town hall” is beng held without an audience because of the coronavirus, COVID-19. The current occupant of the Oval Office has demonstrated his ineptitude as a leader in the face of this pandemic. 37/40

A legitimate fear: the elections will not occur in November & the would-be dictator takes full control. That is the const’l crisis we face. GOP has to be taken back from the majority that jacked it a few years ago. 38/40

I was surprised to see Jim Shella will moderate. I thought an effort would be made to find someone conversant with politics - state or national. In a nat’l emergency I guess you take whom you can find. I hope he at least knows enough to bang the gavel on interruptions. 39/40