As predicted, the economy had a very weak fourth quarter. Economists were predicting 0.8 percent growth but it actually came in at 0.7 percent. That means a 2.4 percent growth for 2015. It means that this recovery continues to be weak, the weakest actually. Unfortunately, this issue was not covered during the Republican debate last night. That’s a failure of the Fox News moderators. To the extent that candidates talked about the economy, it was in the context of how President Obama wants to destroy it even further.

Marco Rubio had a good line doubled with a good point:

I do not believe that we have to destroy our economy in order to protect our environment. And especially what these programs are asking us to pass that will do nothing to help the environment, but will be devastating for our economy.

In that sense, the candidates failed to outline what their program for growth would be if they got elected and to contrast their plan with how weak the recovery has been and how it has hurt working- and middle-class Americans.

Also, the absence of a sustained conversation about the debt and the rising deficits (they are growing again) but also about fundamental reforms of entitlement programs was very sad. There was one, and only one, question about repealing Obamacare (asked to Senator Ted Cruz).