Diminished expectations

Aside from The Donalds promises to build a bigger, better America, most of the candidates at last night's debate basically told their fellow  countrymen to expect a diminished America, except for the military industrial complex.  As Chris Christie patiently explained to seniors and those on the cusp of retirement the Social Security trust fund was looted long ago and we all better get used to a life of genteel or at least silent poverty.  It is amazing to me we can spend trillions of dollars on unauthorized wars and a half trillion each year to sustain the American empire around the world, but we can't live up to the promises made to those who worked all their lives and contributed to the system.   For this, Christie was lauded by the pundits for "telling it like it is".  The other meme which worked for candidates like Cruz and Rubio was attacks on the "liberal media".  By deflecting the admittedly stupid questions some of the moderators asked with questions as to their political agenda, Cruz drew applause from the base.  Ben Carson sleepwalked through the proceedings, so he will probably take some fire, and Trump continues to lie outright and expect to be believed.  All in all, the so-called debate did little to winnow the field and I'm sure there will be yet another crowded stage next month.  The fact that anyone on that stage could be the eventual candidate of a major political party reduces me to open mouthed stupefaction.