Watching the Democratic presidential candidate debate -- with
You don't know the
"Where the handouts grow on bushes ... And the sun shines every day/ On the birds and the bees and the cigarette trees/ The lemonade springs where the bluebird sings/ In the
It sounds so nice, like Democratic economic policy written for modern Americans who've been trained to despise the freedom offered by capitalism, while yearning for free stuff promised by the federal masters.
It's an old hobo (can I still use that word?) song about a dreamy place where the cops have wooden legs, guard dogs have rubber teeth and the hens lay soft-boiled eggs all day.
But I concentrated on what the candidates were saying, and it completely harshed my mellow.
It wasn't that they rained hate on President
But I had hoped we'd hear a bit more about what distinguishes one candidate from another on policy. Rep.
Gabbard's attempt was admirable but doomed. The last thing
And so, a dense anti-Trumpian fog descended upon the
Warren, the
Asked whether she'd tax the middle class to pay for her plan, Warren dodged, pivoted, danced, but didn't answer. She wasn't pressed enough.
It's as if the entire Democratic Beltway Media Hive has come to realize -- perhaps through the release of hive-friendly pheromones -- that former front-runner
At least Sen.
"At least Bernie's being honest here and saying how he's going to pay for this and that taxes are going to go up," said Sen.
Voters already know the middle class always gets the bill.
In a question written as if to please
"
That's not completely true. It was categorically wrong for then-Vice President Biden -- as the Obama administration point man to
I don't know if it was a crime, but it was a clear conflict of interest. The legendary
"Having said that, on Sunday, you announced that if you're president, no one in your family or associated with you will be involved in any foreign businesses," Cooper continued. "My question is, if it's not OK for a president's family to be involved in foreign businesses, why was it OK for your son when you were vice president? Vice President Biden?"
Biden looked to his left and his right as if afraid. He's no
"Look, my son did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong," Biden said, going on to babble about
Cooper pressed on.
"Look, my son's statement speaks for itself. I did my job. I never discussed a single thing with my son about anything having to do with
Joe, you did talk to your son. Hunter admitted as much years ago. Even now, with the other candidates avoiding the Hunter issue lest they be accused of pro-Trumpian leanings, Joe must realize that he won't be the Democratic nominee. It's being given to Warren.
Yet before he walks off the stage for the last time, wouldn't it be nice if
"There's a lake of stew/ And of whiskey, too/ You can paddle all around 'em/ In a big canoe/ In the
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John Kass is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune who also hosts a radio show on WLS-AM.