Adults Talking: Hand it to the Democrats, they want voters to decide who should be president based on intelligent ideas. It might be a tough sell.

  CNN hosted the first round of the second round of Democratic presidential debates last night in Detroit. The candidates talked about serious issues; whether to do away with private health insurance and decriminalizing entering the country without permission. It was a bunch of policy wonks sittin’ around rapping.

  Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders endorse “Medicare for all,” complete government health insurance, giving the more moderate candidates something to attack.

  When a bit of disagreement broke out, Warren schooled the class saying, “Let’s be clear about this. We are the Democrats. We are not about trying to take away health care from anyone. That’s what the Republicans are trying to do. And we should stop using Republican talking points in order to talk with each other about how to best provide that health care.”

  “Mayor Pete” Buttigieg, who’s starting to lag, is one of the clearest thinkers and speakers in the pack. From his opening statement: “I’m running for president because our country is running out of time. It is even bigger than the emergency of the Trump presidency. Ask yourself how somebody like Donald Trump ever gets within cheating distance of the Oval Office in the first place. It doesn’t happen unless America is already in a crisis — an economy that’s not working for everyone, endless war, climate change.”

  And laugh if you want to, but New Age spiritualist Marianne Williamson floated above the stage with some thoughts everyone should heed. She said, “The racism, the bigotry, and the entire conversation that we’re having here tonight — if you think any of this wonkiness is going to deal with this dark psychic force of the collectivized hatred that this president is bringing up in this country, then I’m afraid that the Democrats are going to see some very dark days.”

 The debates, which continue tonight with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris at center stage, have been billed as an elimination round. After last night, expect Whatshisname, Whatshisname, Whatshisname, and maybe even Beto O’Rourke to disappear from the lineup soon.

Separation Anxiety:Lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union told a federal judge yesterday that the Trump administration has taken nearly 1,000 migrant children from their parents at the US-Mexico border since the judge ordered the United States government to stop doing that more than a year ago. 

  ACLU lawyers wrote that one migrant lost his daughter because a Border Patrol agent claimed that he hadn’t changed the girl’s diaper. One father, who lawyers say has a speech impediment, was separated from his 4-year-old son because he could not clearly answer the questions of border agents. 

 Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan has claimed that family separations remain “extraordinarily rare” and occur only when the adults pose a risk to the child because of their criminal record, a communicable disease, abuse or neglect. The ACLU says border agents are separating families for trivial reasons. 

Taxing Issue:Under a new law signed yesterday by Gov. Gavin Newsom, President Trump and other candidates for President will not be able to get on the ballot in California unless they reveal their tax returns.

  It’s sure to result in a lawsuit as California continues its cross-country battle with the President. The state is already embroiled in more than 40 lawsuits on issues ranging from the environment regulation to immigration.

  California’s previous Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a similar law saying it set a bad precedent demanding private information from candidates.

  Newsom, who one day will surely run for President himself, said in a statement, “The disclosure required by this bill will shed light on conflicts of interest, self-dealing, or influence from domestic and foreign business interest.”

Moscow Mitch:The usually-bloodless Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has proved that he’s really alive after he was accused of being the tool of Russian election hackers.

 Sticking to the Republican script of minimal federal control, McConnell blocked a new law that would have created better election and voting security following the Russian tampering in 2016. McConnell has been no friend of Russia, but now he’s been dubbed “Moscow Mitch” and a “Russian asset” for killing the election security law.

 McConnell has always been a foe of election laws such as  campaign finance restrictions and disclosure requirementsthat he thinks might limit Republican power. A steamed McConnell said on the Senate floor, “I was called unpatriotic, un-American and essentially treasonous.” 

  Well, it’s a thought.

The American Illness:A gunman described as a disgruntled employee fatally shot two co-workers and wounded a police officer before he was shot and arrested Tuesday at a Walmart store in northern Mississippi. 

The Roundup:For the second time in a week, North Korea has fired two short-range missiles, a poke in the eye to President Trump who claims the Hermit Kingdom is no longer a threat. — US women’s soccer coach Jill Ellis is stepping down after her team won the World Cup. She said this is what she always planned. — Holiday Inn is phasing out miniature soaps, shampoos, and conditioners in their hotel rooms to cut down on plastic waste. They’re going with bulk dispensers you can’t put in your suitcase when you leave. 

The Big Melt:The heat wave that hit Europe is now sitting over Greenland. Just this month, Greenland’s ice sheet lost 160 billion tons of ice. That injects the North Atlantic with fresh water, which could cause more turbulent weather. 

The Evening Soaps:The latest season of “The Bachelorette” ended with contestant Hannah Brown loveless after learning that the man she picked already had a girlfriend, proving once again that Darwin’s theory of natural selection is correct.

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