GOP Debate Caps Off Busy Political Year

One could sum up nearly the entirety of 2015 for the Republican Party in one word: busy. The fourteen remaining candidates have debated and debated again. Before the end of the year, it was fitting to have one last stake, with the election approaching, so, up to the podium the candidates went as the country sat in anticipation to see what would unfold.

The night began with the currently lowest ranking candidates-Rick Santorum, George Pataki, Lindsey Graham, and Mike Huckabee-at the 6:00 slot. They discussed issues such as National Security, Donald Trump’s much spoken about planned policy for Muslim immigrants, and Syrian Refugees.

Next came the “Main Event” of the top candidates in the GOP. As expected, the debate proved to be as engaging as ever. Recognizable conflict broke out between Donald Trump and Jeb Bush, as well as Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. The hot topics of the debate: National Security, and The Donald.

Donald Trump’s plan to ban Muslim entrance into America elicited conflict between candidates. However, the Trump controversy just begins there. Trump went on to say that he is in favor of closing parts of the internet to combat ISIS recruitment strategies. His rationale is that America cannot allow terrorists to recruit impressionable youth using USA internet. Some agree with Trump, while others find his ideas to be in violation of our First Amendment rights:

I would certainly be open to closing areas where we are at war with somebody. I sure as hell don’t want to let people that want to kill us and kill our nation use our internet. Yes, sir. I am.

Donald Trump wasn’t the only candidate to come out swinging when it came to the internet; Carly Fiorina had some big ideas, as well. She suggested that the US government taps into the brain power of Silicon Valley, as well as the best and brightest Americans from around the country to help assist in National Security. Fiorina said that they should be asked, not forced, to give data to the government. She argued that billions of taxpayer taxes then wouldn’t have to be wasted on websites that don’t work, such as was the case with Obama Care. Additionally, she argued that the US government should have the ability to access necessary information to apprehend terrorism:

Every parent in America is checking social media and every employer is as well. Our government can’t do it? Our bureaucratic procedures are so behind, our government has become incompetent, unresponsive, corrupt.

Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz had a night of argumentative disagreement. Marco supports NSA surveillance to apprehend terrorists, but Ted Cruz views it as an invasion of American privacy. Along the same lines, Rubio assisted in the passing of an immigration reform back in 2013, while Cruz objects to the reform. So, you see, a skirmish was bound to happen, not to mention the fact that the questions asked to the candidates were accused of inciting conflict. The quarreling only intensified from there, with a battle between Jeb Bush and Donald Trump. Bush attacked Trump, calling him a “chaos candidate,” to which Trump rebottled that Bush was only upset because his campaign had thus far been a failure.

There’s a lot to come in the mere months between now and the 2016 election. Before we can get there, America has to find itself a candidate from each party. This means that, of the fourteen hopefuls, soon only one will be left standing. The excitement and drama has only just begun, and we have much to await us. For now, we have the upcoming Fox News debate to look forward to. Somebody, pass the popcorn!