As anticipation builds for the first sanctioned Republican presidential primaries debate on August 6, Twitter users have been busy tweeting questions they hope Megyn Kelly would have the nerve to ask. Some of the more interesting questions posted to hashtag #DebateQuestionsWeWantToHear include:
#DebateQuestionsWeWantToHear
Have you…to the best of your knowledge…
ever read “The Pet Goat”?
Mixed into the tweet stream, however, were serious questions that many voters may want to hear an answer for. Some of the more poignant questions unlikely to be asked are:
Ronald Reagan supported a ban on the domestic manufacture and sale of assault weapons. Would you support a similar ban
American actor and politician Ronald Reagan in a scene from the ‘Temporary Warden’ episode of the ‘Death Valley Days’ television series, September 30, 1965. (Getty Images)
Sen. Ted Cruz’s publicity stunt/campaign video — in which he cooks a rasher of bacon on the muzzle of an air rifle and eat it with a fork — have many questioning where do the candidates stand on assault weapons?
Do you agree with Ronald Reagan’s position on guns? #DebateQuestionsWeWantToHear
This question is very important, as many in the GOP — such as Sens. Cruz and Marco Rubio see themselves as disciples of Ronald Reagan.
The problem is that Reagan supported an assault weapon ban; in fact, it was the last policy he personally advocated for. For example, Reagan — with the help of the National Rifle Association — fought to get an assault weapons ban added to the 1986 Firearms Owners’ Protection Act. While the NRA’s involvement was simply to ensure enough Democratic votes to pass the bill — which undid much of the 1968 Gun Control Act — Reagan’s involvement was part of a long history of support for common-sense gun laws.
So, if Rubio and Cruz do see themselves as being in the mold of Reagan, how do they feel about an issue Reagan — a lifelong gun user — was so passionate about, he penned an op-ed in 1991 in the New York Times entitled “Why I’m for the Brady Bill,” while coping with the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease?
What are your plans toward addressing the needs of active and retired servicemen?
A soldier salutes the flag during a welcome home ceremony for troops arriving from Afghanistan on June 15, 2011 to Fort Carson, Colorado. More than 500 soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team returned home following a year of heavy fighting and high casualties in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province. (Getty Images)
Of the 10 invited candidates to the prime-time Fox News debate, they all have one thing in common: none of them served in the military in any way or form. Of all of the major Republican candidates, only former governor Rick Perry and Sen. Lindsey Graham actually have military experience. This have led many Twitter users to call the candidates out on this:
https://twitter.com/highontroyhill/status/629136419391434752
With the Veterans’ Administration coping with a lack of resources to provide adequate care to the nation’s veterans and a scandal regarding how administrators attempted to cover up long waiting times and with the nation dealing with the consequences of its involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, this will be a question the new president will definitely have to deal with.
Do you support the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage?
Same-sex marriage supporters rejoice after the U.S Supreme Court hands down a ruling regarding same-sex marriage June 26, 2015 outside the Supreme Court in Washington, DC. The high court ruled that same-sex couples have the right to marry in all 50 states. (Getty Images)
For the Republican candidates, this is a loaded question. On one hand, the candidates are asking what are their personal feelings on gay marriage and if they will fight for their personal convictions. On the other hand, the candidates are being asked will they, as president, defend and support the constitutional prerogative of the other two branches of government — even if they do something you don’t personally like?
This quagmire have led to tweets like:
#DebateQuestionsWeWantToHear Why do straight people get to choose what its like to be gay? And how we live life?
With some candidates taking extreme positions, such as amending the constitution to only allow heterosexual marriages or to require justices to stand for election or simply disregarding the Supreme Court’s authority, it would be interesting to have the candidates’ feeling on this issue on the record.
Do you support the repeal of the Affordable Care Act? If so, what specifically would you replace it with?
(Getty Images)
Speaking of the Supreme Court, June’s defense of state use of federal Affordable Care Act patient subsidies has lit a fire under many conservatives, leading to the 50-something failed attempt by Congressional Republicans to repeal the bill.
“Republicans are united in working to repeal the broken promises of Obamacare,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement, adding that the Senate will “continue our effort to use reconciliation … to fulfill the promise we made to our constituents.”
This has led Twitter users to wonder:
#DebateQuestionsWeWantToHear Is health care a right?? If yes,in what sense? If no,then why not??
#DebateQuestionsWeWantToHear When will Obamacare end so i can get some hours at work?
Please explain what Jesus will replace Obamacare with.
#DebateQuestionsWeWantToHear
With no candidates offering a comprehensive plan to replace the ACA, it would be interesting to know if the candidates’ plan is to allow the health system to return to where it was, pre-Obamacare, or to come up with some formulation not already considered. It would also be interesting to hear how they intend to pay for this new system.
Do you believe that the federal minimum wage should be abolished?
Protesters rally outside of a Wendy’s in support of raising fast food wages from $7.25 per hour to $15.00 per hour on December 5, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. A growing number of fast food workers in the United States have been staging protests outside restaurants, calling for a raise in wages, claiming it is impossible to live resonably while earning minimum wage. (Getty Images)
That was a question posted by user @JamesEFinch:
#DebateQuestionsWeWantToHear So you think minimum wage should be abolished or maybe that people should just be paid in dirt?
This question forces the candidates to go one the record on if they believe that minimum workers’ guarantees are necessary. Considering that much of the GOP’s base is blue collar, this may strike a nerve with many would-be voters.
Will any of these questions be asked? Probably not, but you can find out for yourself when the Fox News Debate airs Thursday, August 6 on Fox News Channel at 5 pm EDT (for the “undercard” forum) and 8:50 pm EDT (for the “main event”).
