Romney 67%, Obama 25%

SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH

By Ernesto M. Maceda

The 1st of 3 presidential debates in the US have been staged at the University of Denver in Colorado. The CNN post debate poll showed Romney winning by a 67-25% score.

The subjects: the economy, healthcare and governance.

This is a great tradition in US politics.

1st question on jobs.

Obama — we created 5 million jobs, increasing housing.

Romney — be energy independent to create 4 million jobs. Champion, small business to hire people.

Obama — improve our education system. Hire 100,000 Math and Science teachers. Keep tuition low. Lower taxes for manufacturers.

Agree with Romney, boost energy production.

Romney — help middle income Americans, gasoline prices have doubled. Transferring job-training programs to the states.

Romney — I like coal.

Obama — I have cut taxes on middle class families. Gave $3,600 tax cuts to middle income Americans.

Romney — will reduce tax on middle income families. 54% of American businesses pay individual tax rates.

Obama — share Romney’s plan to encourage small businesses. Clinton created 23 million new jobs; 97% of small business is taxed at a lower rate.

Romney — my priority is jobs.

Obama — recipe for job creation: growth of the economy, works best when middle income class get more money.

Romney — put more people to work in America.

2nd segment, what to do about the federal deficit?

Romney — adding debt of a trillion a year is not moral, lower spending, stop subsidies, transfer programs to state level, reduce number of government employees.

Obama — 77 government programs cut. Stop medical fraud.

Put forward 4 trillion deficit cut.

Romney — raise taxes and you kill jobs. You never balance budget by raising taxes. Put more Americans to work.

Obama — increase corporate taxes, not give tax breaks for companies moving jobs overseas.

Segment 3 — Social Security?

Obama — Basic structure is sound. Lower prescription drugs costs for seniors.

Obama — seniors depend on these programs.

Romney — no need to change; 50% of doctors will not take Medicaid patients. Put $716 billion back to Medicare.

Obama — voucher to seniors not workable. If you repeal Obamacare, seniors will pay $600 more for healthcare.

Romney — give higher benefits for lower income Americans, lower benefits for people with higher income.

Romney — regulation under Obama excessive; 122 small banks have closed.

Obama — economic crises prompted by excessive lending across the board.

Health Care. Repeal Obama Care. Cost of healthcare is prohibitive.

Obama care — $ 2,500 more for Obama care.

Romney — Obama has cut $716 billion from Medicare, put it back; 23 million out of work; Obama care has killed jobs.

Obama — families worried they go bankrupt if they get sick.

Romney — in Massachusetts — 300 legislators agreed; 20 million people have insurance.

Obama — either leave people uninsured or make cost of care more effective. Emphasis on preventive health care.

Obama care — costs to go down. We have to take care of patients preexisting condition.

Role of Government — how do you view the mission of the Federal Government?

Government has the capacity for Americans to succeed.

Education — reform schools. Raising the top. More money for schools that reform. We need more teachers.

Romney — agree — we need great teachers. Role of government — to promote and protect life and liberty. Maintain our commitment to religious tolerance. We care for the elderly, the sick, assure pursuant of happiness for our citizens. Federal funds to allow parents to choose school for their kids.

Obama — lower interest on student loans.

Romney — no cut in education funding.

 Work on collaborative basis with Democrats. Obama you should say no occasionally.

Closing:

Obama — 4 years ago, we had major crises. My faith in the American people under crisis never wavered.

We build on the strengths of the American people, their genius, their determination give them an opportunity to succeed. I’ll fight every single day just as hard on my second term.

 Romney — election about the course of America, middle class squeeze 4 years of 8% unemployment.

Focus, get cost of health care down.

Military — will not cut military budget; keep America strong.

Commentators agreed that Mitt Romney did very well in standing toe to toe with the President.

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DE LIMA CHANGES TUNE . . In her latest interview, DOJ Sec. Leila de Lima changed her tune and said she finds nothing unconstitutional in the Anti-cybercrime Prevention Act. She ordered the NBI to hunt down hackers of government websites.

 Petitions to declare the law unconstitutional have been filed with the Supreme Court, the latest by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP).

Sen. Edgardo Angara, principal author of the cybercrime law, held a presscon to defend his sponsorship of the bill. Sen. Edgardo Angara, for his part, said, “I think we are much better off with a law like the cybercrime law in operation than one cyberspace without one. We will be operating in one cyber-universe without rules, like the wild west without laws.”

Netizens are asking why President Aquino signed the bill into law with its objectionable provisions.

Representatives Danilo Suarez, Teodoro Casiño and Raymond Palatino have filed bills to amend the law.

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POLITICAL UPDATE . . Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo filed her COC for reelection as Representative of the 2nd district of Pampanga. Cong. Mikey Arroyo is not running.

Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn is running for Senator as independent candidate. A total of 37 persons have filed COCs for Senator.

Mayor Recom Echiverri’s son, RJ, president of the Liga ng mga Barangay is running for Mayor of Caloocan City with Tito Varela as Vice Mayor as official candidate of the Liberal Party. Mayor Recom Echiverri is the official LP candidate for Congressman in the 1st district of Caloocan City.

VP Jojo Binay accompanied his son, Mayor Junjun Binay, who filed his COC for reelection as Mayor of Makati City with Marjorie de Veyra as Vice Mayor bet.

Atty. Leni Robredo is running for Congress in the 3rd district of Camarines Sur against Atty. Nelly Villafuerte.

Rita Crisologo, wife of graduating Cong. Bingbong Crisologo is running for Congress in the 1st district of Quezon City as the UNA candidate. She will be opposed by Councilor Boy Calalay (LP).