The first GOP presidential debate of 2016 is over. The debate featured former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former HP CEO Carly Fiorina, and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul did not attend the debate and instead hosted an online Twitter town hall.
Former Sen. Santorum and former Gov. Huckabee focused on the economy in their opening statements, while Fiorina attacked the Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton and the Republican front-runner Donald Trump.
While talking about the threats abroad, the candidates focused on the need for a stronger military.
Fiorina said refugees should not be allowed to enter the country and called for securing the border. She pointed out that the government has admitted that it does not know who has overstayed their visas.
The Department of Homeland Security said that it did not look at social media to vet people trying to enter the country, which Fiorina said should be done.
Asked about forming an international coalition, Fiorina said that Iran and Russia are adversaries of the United States and should not be part of a coalition.
The candidates argued that the private sector should work with the government to develop the ability to detect cyber threats, but should not be forced to do so.
While discussing President Obama’s new executive order, which increases background checks for gun purchases, Fiorina said it is a problem because it bypasses Congress. She also said it is a problem because the current laws are not being properly enforced, and that if the laws were enforced some of the shootings could have been prevented.
Huckabee said the Justice Department should make sure that guns do not inadvertently fall into the hands of criminals, citing the infamous gun-running program where guns sold criminals and were used to kill border patrol agents.
He pointed out that most mass shootings occur in gun-free areas where law-abiding citizens would have had an opportunity to defend themselves if they had guns.
Asked about national security and the visa waiver program, Huckabee said that the president needs to be more focused on defending America than the reputation of Islam. He pointed out that 58% of hate crimes in America are directed at Jews not Muslims.
Santorum said that countries that want to develop nuclear weapons should be prevented from doing so. He also stated that the government should work to make the country’s energy infrastructure strong enough to withstand and electromagnetic pulse (EMP), which would knock out power to everything.
Huckabee said the problem plaguing Social Security is that the government has not passed laws that would foster the economic growth needed to sustain the program.
Both Huckabee and Fiorina argued for a reform of the tax code, arguing that the current tax code punishes successful workers and business owners.
Former Sen. Santorum and former Gov. Huckabee focused on the economy in their opening statements, while Fiorina attacked the Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton and the Republican front-runner Donald Trump.
While talking about the threats abroad, the candidates focused on the need for a stronger military.
Fiorina said refugees should not be allowed to enter the country and called for securing the border. She pointed out that the government has admitted that it does not know who has overstayed their visas.
The Department of Homeland Security said that it did not look at social media to vet people trying to enter the country, which Fiorina said should be done.
Asked about forming an international coalition, Fiorina said that Iran and Russia are adversaries of the United States and should not be part of a coalition.
The candidates argued that the private sector should work with the government to develop the ability to detect cyber threats, but should not be forced to do so.
While discussing President Obama’s new executive order, which increases background checks for gun purchases, Fiorina said it is a problem because it bypasses Congress. She also said it is a problem because the current laws are not being properly enforced, and that if the laws were enforced some of the shootings could have been prevented.
Huckabee said the Justice Department should make sure that guns do not inadvertently fall into the hands of criminals, citing the infamous gun-running program where guns sold criminals and were used to kill border patrol agents.
He pointed out that most mass shootings occur in gun-free areas where law-abiding citizens would have had an opportunity to defend themselves if they had guns.
Asked about national security and the visa waiver program, Huckabee said that the president needs to be more focused on defending America than the reputation of Islam. He pointed out that 58% of hate crimes in America are directed at Jews not Muslims.
Santorum said that countries that want to develop nuclear weapons should be prevented from doing so. He also stated that the government should work to make the country’s energy infrastructure strong enough to withstand and electromagnetic pulse (EMP), which would knock out power to everything.
Huckabee said the problem plaguing Social Security is that the government has not passed laws that would foster the economic growth needed to sustain the program.
Both Huckabee and Fiorina argued for a reform of the tax code, arguing that the current tax code punishes successful workers and business owners.