I am a conservative and a Republican. My political philosophy and my party believe in equality and oppose affirmative action, or at least we should.

To put Carly Fiorina on the debate stage would be to say that men and women in politics should be treated differently and women should be given special treatment.

The standards for the ABC News debate were set and made known to the candidates in advance. They did not give bonus points for being a woman. Carly Fiorina knew what those standards were and she failed to meet them. Her campaign has been an anemic campaign for some time.

Republicans are rushing out to say Carly Fiorina deserves to be on the ABC News debate stage. Candidates for office deserve nothing. If they are doing it because she is a woman, they are either saying women need special treatment or Carly Fiorina is unequal to the men on stage and needs extra help.

She knew the standards. The candidates were treated equally. She failed to meet those standards.

The end.

Carly Fiorina does not belong on the debate stage and any Republican who says she does is either confessing they think women are unequal and need special treatment or is simply pandering.