AARP Statement on the 12/9 Republican Debate

Post Debate Statement from Gabriela Zabalúa-Goddard, editor of AARP's Segunda Juventud on the Univision Republican Debate

The endless cycle of debates shares a troubling pattern - insufficient focus on the domestic issues that Americans of all generations wrestle with every day.

These issues are especially important in the Hispanic community, with one in three people lacking health coverage and those who are 65 and older face rates of poverty two times the national average.

In Florida, millions are facing a mortgage crisis and unstable real estate market that could impact their long-term financial security.

Encouragingly, candidates did spend a few minutes focusing on the fundamental challenge facing America's broken health-care system -- skyrocketing costs and how to contain them. The moderators also deserve credit for bringing up this issue and seeking a balanced debate.

But candidates spent no time on giving Americans, including millions of Hispanic Americans, the tools they need to achieve lifetime financial security.

Not only is this unproductive, it is counter to what Americans want to hear.

These debates are an opportunity and the candidates should take them as such and let the American people know how they plan to help all Americans improve their health and financial security.