The debate last night between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was entertaining for sure. But, it also contained a fair amount of substance. They debated issues, and they dove right in. Trump seemed surprisingly tame and not unhinged, and Hillary Clinton tried not to engage him. The debate had some good parts, as well as bad.

An interesting fight broke over the constitution and who each candidate would nominate as supreme court justice. At this moment we got their answers but not great clarity. Everyone wants to know where on the political spectrum the justices would fall. Instead, we got decent answers and a small fight between the two. But Trump said a few times, which he would appoint who will interpret the constitution as its meant to be interpreted. But some clarification and not just that line would have been helpful.

They then went to a 2nd Amendment discussion. It would be depressing if I didn’t have the ability to shoot on a range in the future. But I do think that the gun show concern is a legitimate one. Especially when we’re always at risk of the wrong kind of loon turning violent. I doubt Hillary, or any president, would be able to pass legislation and cash in their political capital for gun reform.

A couple of things that Trump has raised, which have been dismissed that might be worth talking about:

Everyone is going through our pockets. We’re spending a ton of money abroad. We’re propping up jobs and a foreign government, and militaries because they are unable to do it themselves. It doesn’t create powerful forces, either. Instead, it distracts them from addressing problems in their nations and whatever shortcomings are the cause of economic and developmental woes.

We’re not creating products. Our economy moved towards a services-based economy after World War Two. Because of that and whatever laws have been passed, we’ve lost the ability to make it financially attractive for firms to build and manufacture product here. Also, it’s incredibly cheap in China and elsewhere. Is there anything we can about this for a long-term solution?

They discussed the debt and Hillary brought up the idea to eliminating community college tuition costs.

As the debate went on it did turn caustic. Finally, the debate was at its most interesting, and troubling was near the end when they discussed Trump’s comments about possible election results. Trump has said and has been saying that the election is rigged. On the election results, Trump said he will look at it at the time. This is the part that gained the most attention and has everyone talking. Because what Donald Trump said is scary to the integrity of our union, that we take for granted. Our relative peace and the some civility we have can be undone. Trump kept to his guns and questioned the outcome of the upcoming election. Both robbing his opponent of a possible victory, make a less than peaceful transfer of power and stirring trouble elsewhere in the country.

Featured image courtesy of PBS.