My Dad's Running Commentary on Wednesday's GOP Debate

"The debate started with 15 minutes of nothing. Please answer the questions; don't lecture."

"Kasich actually has the best tax plan the way I read it a little while ago. He has experience, but he did come across as a little frantic. Too bad, because he has quite a résumé."

"Bush needs to show his human side, speak some Spanish. His economic plan is OK, as is his immigration stance."

"Rubio speaks pretty well, but I did not like the way he dodged the question of his personal finances."

"Trump has run his course. If he can be concrete, maybe people will listen. Also, why is his upper lip so white?" (I've wondered the same thing, Dad.)

"I don't see a good direction for this country right now. It is very frustrating, but I don't know how to change it. There is no easy way."

And that, sadly, is something we agree on.

"Politicians have the best retirement in the world. They are not really worried about social security. Plus, the pols use accounting gimmicks in every spending bill that would land any company in court with criminal charges."

"As Carly said, they create a problem, then try to be the solution. The government was a major cause of the big bust several years ago by pushing banks to loan money for houses, with no money down, etc. They create a bad situation, then come in to save it."

I asked my dad, "Everyone talks about fixing social security, but do you think anyone has a good idea of how to fix it?"

His response: "I don't know how to save it. No easy answer. Bush wants to allow some of the money to go into personal accounts, but the pols believe that people are too stupid to manage and would lose the money. Otherwise, you can only increase the percentage paid in, cut benefits, or raise the age [which Rand Paul suggested]. It would help to allow people to put some or all of social security into personal accounts. But this will never happen."

"Government regulations and the tax code are ridiculous. You should see our tax return. We have a very simple situation, and the paperwork is about one-inch thick. I used to do our taxes in the '70s and early '80s, wouldn't touch it now. As Bush said, he has a company and looked at setting up 401k for his workers, and the paperwork was too much. My friend Gary has the day care, less than 50 employees, and you wouldn't believe some of the things he has to do."

"This was actually the first debate I watched this year. I thought the moderators failed miserably. But I think I will watch the next one. You made me think about this stuff instead of my golf swing."

"Sometimes this debate sounds like The View or The Chew or other programs I do not watch. Lots of egos, hard for them to wait their turn."

Jim Einhart does not tolerate a poor tie knot. "Some terrible knots in their ties."