NEW YORK – Romney said he’d blow up the world economy over the debt ceiling. Bachmann doesn’t believe in evolution or global warming. And those were the debate’s stars. Michelle Goldberg on the lunacy of the Republican field.Plus: More Daily Beast contributors on the GOP debate

Here are things that Republicans suggested eliminating or privatizing in last night’s debate: FEMA, NASA, the EPA, the Federal Labor Relations Board, Medicaid and food stamps. Herman Cain promised not to appoint any Muslims who want to kill Americans to his cabinet. Michele Bachmann supports states rights on gay marriage, but also supports a constitutional amendment outlawing it. Newt Gingrich faults big government for the lamentable absence of manned stations on the moon. Rick Santorum wants to “a system of discipline” to “punish” gay soldiers, which suggests that his problem with pornographic Google results is not likely to abate. Tim Pawlenty views Iraq as “one of the shiniest examples of success in the Middle East.”

In this crowd, Mitt Romney seemed almost statesmanlike, even though he says he’s willing to blow up the world economy by refusing to raise the debt ceiling. At least he admitted that Sharia law will not soon be coming to America, about as brave a concession to reality as we’re likely to see from this field.


At least Romney admitted that Sharia law will not soon be coming to America, about as brave a concession to reality as we’re likely to see from this field.

He and Bachmann were the winners last night. Romney came off as relatively serious and reasonable, and benefited from the fact that Tim Pawlenty wimped out when invited to take on his health care record. Bachmann, who announced her candidacy during the debate, probably gained more from the proceedings than anyone. She was charming, charismatic and far better spoken than Sarah Palin, to whom she’s often compared, has ever been. Of course, she doesn’t believe in evolution or global warming, thinks homosexuality can be cured and warns of a plot to merge the United States with Canada and Mexico, but in today’s Republican Party, none of that is particularly controversial. It’s going to be a long seventeen months.

Michelle Goldberg is a senior contributing writer for The Daily Beast/Newsweek. She is the author of The New York Times bestseller Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism, The Means of Reproduction: Sex, Power and the Future of the World, winner of the 2008 J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award and the Ernesta Drinker Ballard Book Prize. Goldberg's work has appeared in Glamour, Rolling Stone, The Nation, New York magazine, The Guardian (UK) and The New Republic. Her third book, about the world-traveling adventuress, actress and yoga evangelist Indra Devi, will be published by Knopf in 2012. and

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both parties candidates come from the citizenry, and reflect opinions of other citizens,,


at least there is the conviction to be honest about it, I like to know who I am really voting for (or not voting for)

What you don't realize Msharmony, is we are manipulated to vote in one way or another, and no matter what happens or what we think the ones with the most money win. That generally means......we lose.

The elections and what not are designed to make us think we have choices, when in fact that's just an illusion. We have two choices, either take what they dictate up our butts like good little citizens, or be rebels and have to fend them off at every turn. That's the reality.

of course we all speak for ourself

I am not manipulated, I vote for imperfect humans based upon the ideas they have pertaining to the direction of our 'country'

Sorry to say, even if you have the best intentions in your votes, doesn't mean you aren't still being manipulated. You just don't realize it.

ahhh, of course,,,,

Heh, our entire system has gone crazy.

Media lies so hard. We are in a depression but no one has the balls to admit it. China is about to go bonk too, I can feel it.

People are beginning to catch on. First with Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, Paul Ryan's Medicare debacle, etc.

Now it's a competition to see who can be the best extreme radical right wing candidate. It's all about litmus tests. It's going to be a fun and interesting circus, especially since thre should be quite a bit of doubling-down to pass the tests.