Several of the editors of the Hotline attended last night’s GOP debate in Milwaukee.

While we thought all the candidates comported themselves well, we were disturbed that the tone was too glum.

Ron DeSantis’s first message was “America is in decline.” Others said, “This isn’t morning in America.” The words “growth,” and “prosperity” were entirely missing. Where is the “shining city on the hill” narrative?

The path to victory isn’t to say we’re doomed. It is to say America can do much better than this Biden-era malaise we find ourselves in now.

A return to Reagan-Trump style prosperity will solve what is ailing us. We reprint a chart we recently used, showing that with 3% growth, our debt-to-GDP ratio begins to fall rapidly.

Since growth is the answer, why aren’t Republicans taking about it?

Oh, and try smiling.