The Last Presidential Debate Was, for Lack of a Better Word, Disheartening – Political Guest Blogger

 
The debate began with a discussion of the Supreme Court and the failure of congress to confirm Garland, meaning whoever becomes president will likely have the opportunity to appoint at least 2 justices to the court.  Immediately after this fact was established and debated, the moderator posed an unprecedentedly frank question about one of the most contentious and polarizing issue in American politics: abortion.
Trump claimed he would nominate only pro life justices to the court and that Roe V. Wade would be “overturned automatically” and abortion rights would be “returned to the states.” According to Trump “in the ninth month you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother.” Clinton then called Trump out for his scare tactics before reaffirming her support for abortion rights, including late term abortion for medical necessity.
One particularly notable aspect of Clinton’s argument was her reference to abortion in other countries: “I’ve been to countries where governments either forced women to have abortions, like they used to do in China, or forced women to bear children like they used to do in Romania…And I can tell you the government has no business in the decisions that women make with their families in accordance with their faith, with medical advice. And I will stand up for that right.”
The issue of immigration over the US southern boarder was a hot topic last night that prompted Trump to say, “…we have a lot of bad hombres.” Either Donald trump learned Spanish or he is the most openly culturally appropriative presidential candidate ever to walk the earth. Trump advocates building a wall on the southern boarders to Mexico, somehow paid for by the Mexican government. He argued that the opiod problem in the US is the result of mass immigration and that we have lost thousands of jobs to Mexico.
Clinton’s immigration policy is rather ambiguous. She focused on her goal to “bring everyone out of the shadows.” Clinton argued that employers are worsening the problems caused by illegal immigration by using deportation as leverage to abuse their workers. 
On the take back of Mosul, which is currently underway in a joint effort between Iraq, Kurdish forces, and US special troops, the candidates were completely polarized. Trump argued that Clinton was personally responsible for the situation in Mosul right now because US troops left Iraq under the Obama administration. Despite his repeated lies about opposing the invasion of Iraq, Trump somehow managed to argue that continued US presence in Iraq would have prevented the take over of Mosul by ISIS in 2014.  He also accused Iraq and the US government of engaging in this operation as a publicity stunt to get Hillary elected.  Clinton’s breadth of knowledge on foreign policy shined through in during this exchange where she emphasized the importance of regaining control in Mosul because of its proximity to Syria.
Overall, this debate was more substantive than the previous two on domestic issues like immigration and abortion but really highlighted how the current state of political affairs in the United States is concerning at best.  
 

STAY UP TO DATE

Subscribe to our newsletters

 
Subscribe to one or more of our newsletters, delivering meaningful insight on topics that matter to you and your family.

FURTHER READING

Latest Blog Posts

As a Seattle entrepreneur, you’ve undoubtedly dedicated countless hours and resources to building a successful business. You’ve dotted all of your I’s and crossed all of your T’s. But have you considered what will happen to your business after you're…

In today’s world of fast-paced decision-making and on-demand solutions, such as DIY divorces, it is not surprising that many couples contemplate divorce the moment they find themselves unhappily married. Our culture’s fickle mentality often seems to advocate for the idea…

In the wake of divorce or separation, co-parenting can feel stressful. Not only have you just gone through an emotional experience, but you are also now trying to figure out how both you and your co-parent can spend time with…

Far too many families end up fighting, or at least experiencing tension, over a family inheritance, but it does not have to be that way. Having counseled families for years, we offer the following advice to help your family avoid fighting over your property — while you are here and after you die.

If you are getting divorced, you may be worried about what it will do to your finances. Maybe your finances are heavily intertwined with your spouse’s, or you are worried about what your future will look like, given these changes.…

Establishing paternity and parentage is important for many families and parents. Regardless of why you want to establish paternity and parentage, the process has the potential to be confusing, especially if you are unfamiliar with the terms and rules for…

After divorce, you may find yourself living on one less stream of income than you did when you were married and want to find a way to make up for it. Or even if you didn’t lose any income by…

If you are in the process of getting remarried, a prenuptial agreement may be the last thing on your mind. It should be at the forefront of it, however, as it can be beneficial for you, your spouse, and, if…

As a mom of four (now adult) kids, I remember well the flood of emotions that came each time they went to my ex’s, especially during the early days of my separation and eventually after my divorce. Not only was…

The holidays can look much different during a divorce than they did only a year earlier, and the changes can take some getting used to. The challenge is that you have to start somewhere, and in these “newer” moments, it…