This segment is the Role of Government.

Starting with President Obama.

He says that the first responsibility is to defend the country.  But the federal government has a role in supporting the infrastructure.  He used the transcontinental railrod and the National Academy of Science as put forth by President Lincoln as examples.  He went on to claim that Romney doesn’t think we need more teachers, but Romney immediately put the cabosh on that.

Romney agreed with defense as being the first thing, and went on to discourse on the rest of the three Declaration of Independence principles: Life; Liberty; Pursuit of Happiness. 

The moderator asked him about education.  Romney is in favor of school choice, and let the parent and the child decide where their allocated aid should go.  Obama responds that Romney’s tax cuts will hurt the education budget.  They both manage to agree that it would be good to help businesses partner with community colleges.

Obama brings up one of the Obama’s favorite mantras, that is that Romney expects students to borrow money from their parents for their education.  Romney didn’t directly respond to this.  Or indirectly, I guess.  If he did, I missed it.

This has been a very good debate.  I guess I am very impressed with both of them, at least as to their debating skills.

And the moderator got blindsided several times with both Romney and Obama talking over him and not letting him keep control.  It was hilarious!

But a good job of moderating, though.

An excellent job all around.  Who won the debate?  I believe that Romney did.  But Obama seemed to hold his own, to a degree, despite what I recognized as a disdain for the facts.