Farmers came up just two times in the Republican presidential debate on Wednesday night, both times mentioned by North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
When talking about energy security, Burgum pointed out China is importing oil from Russia and said, "Every farmer in this country would like to buy diesel 20% off just like they are buying in China."
Burgum was making the point, "Russia has become China's gas station."
Later in the debate in talking about crime, Burgum brought up small towns and said, "If a farmer gets sick, everybody helps them; (they) get together to get the crop out."
ON ECONOMY
Referring to "Bidenomics," Fox News showed clips of people criticizing inflation and higher interest rates. Republicans say 65% of the country is heading in the wrong direction.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said, "Our country is in decline. This decline is not inevitable. It's a choice. We need to send Joe Biden back to his basement and reverse American decline."
Lower gas prices - "We're going to open up all energy production. We're going to be dominant for energy production in this country."
Yet, U.S. crude oil production is on pace to average a record 12.76 million barrels per day, according to the Energy Information Administration, topping 2019's record output of 12.3 million barrels per day.
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott said inflation under Biden has cut American's average spending value by $10,000. Yet the Fox hosts pointed out Scott also helped pass huge spending bills under the Trump administration to deal with COVID-19.
"We've seen inflation explode, which led to 12 Federal Reserve increases that's devastating homebuyers today," Scott said.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley criticized her GOP colleagues on the spending front, saying they aren't telling the American people that they did this as well, pointing to the COVID spending bills that added $7.8 trillion to the national debt.
"Our Republicans did this to us too," she said, adding "They need to stop the spending, they need to stop the borrowing."
All voted to raise the debt -- Donald Trump added $8 trillion to the debt. "Our kids are never going to forgive us for that."
That left former Vice President Mike Pence to defend the spending in the Trump administration, saying they "rebuilt the military, revived the economy, and appointed three conservatives" to the U.S. Supreme Court.
"I think unquestionably, I'm the best prepared, the most tested, the most qualified and proven conservative in this race," Pence said.
FOSSIL FUELS AND CLIMATE
Vivek Ramaswamy, the 38-year-old newcomer who is rising in the GOP polls, said he would "drill, frack, burn coal and embrace nuclear" as president. He said, "toxic regulations" on energy are "acting like a wet blanket on this economy."
Source: iowacorn.org
Photo Credit: gettyimages-erdinhasdemir
Categories: Iowa, Government & Policy