Ballance in a Cold Climate

It's getting hard to argue that, in the debate about size of planet, both sides have a point. Very serious balanced moderates are doing their best (so I'm sure are right wing ideologues and Republican hacks but I don't read them). The problem is that the Romney campaign seems to be searching for arguments that, in some ways, they are better than the Obama campaign just to falsify them.

This list is based on vague recollections and guesses. I am imagining what might have happened if I had tried to argue that both sides have valid points.

1)
StrawRobert: Yes the Ryan proposals to deal with Medicare are extreme and their optimistic forecasts ideological, but something has to be done and at least they offer a chance to control the growth of spending while Democrats don't.
Robert: The latest Ryan proposal includes a forecast that it will lead to Medicare spending growth of GDP growth rate + 0.5% identical to the Democrat's forecast under current law.
StrawRobert: But but but one forecast is justified by detailed cost saving measures so the bottom line number is a forecast in one case and a hope in the other.
Robert: Yes indeed the Republican proposals are the over long soap opera series Ryan's Hope.

2)
StrawRobert OK but Democrats argue that the proposals are very different. They are demagogically Mediscaring.
Robert: Do you remember the 2010 campaign ? Have you seen the latest Romney campaign ad on Medicare. All about the ACA Medicare budget cuts with never a mention that they include no benefit cuts and never ever a mention that they are all included in the 2012 House budget resolution.

3)
StrawRobert: OK no monopoly on Mediscaring but the left is doing the usual politically correct reverse race bating suggesting that advertisements about welfare are dog whistles.
Robert: Obama and the Obama campaign haven't made that argument (Obama can't accuse people of racism because of reverse-reverse-racism). Also the Republicans are arguing that "chains" is a racial code word. Also

Appearing earlier today on CBS's morning show, Romney told anchors Gayle King and Anthony Mason that he believes "the president's campaign is all about division and attack and hatred" and is designed to "bring about enmity and anger." Romney said the president sought to divide Americans based on "income, age, and ethnicity."

Of course proposing different policy regimes for those over 55 and under 55 isn't dividing based on age.

4)
StrawRobert: but the Obama campaign doesn't pull ads with claims which are called false by fact checkers.
Robert: nuf' said. See issue 3 above.

I mean really, if I were grasping at straws, I'd be out of straws to grasp.