To the Editor:
Americans are no better informed on what a Romney administration would really be like after Wednesday's debate. This is both deliberate and a major fault of the current debate format. Presidential debates are now a series of scripted campaign messages, well-rehearsed and delivered without particular regard to the question asked. There is even a term for this strategy: It's called the pivot.
I propose this solution: Instant fact-checking that has time penalties. After the first lie, you lose 15 seconds of your time, then 30 seconds, etc. After eight lies or major distortions, you must be silent for the rest of the debate.
Somehow, I fear this will not happen. What I'd really believe would be the best way to inform Americans about their candidates is the following.
1) Complete public funding of elections.
2) Reversing the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling, which will end the corporate takeover of our electoral system.
3) A series of forums where each candidate is allowed separate airtime without interruption, maybe 45 or 60 minutes per topic. I'd want to hear each presidential candidate address topics including:
What they would do to end racism; how they would protect women's rights; how they would protect civil liberties; how they would work to reduce poverty; how they would end wars and create nuclear disarmament; how they would reduce the excesses of America's global militarism and vulture capitalism; how they plan to protect our environment and how they would bring justice and equity to health care, education, employment and the legal system.
Then we'd really be informed citizens, making intelligent choices when we vote.
ELECTION 2012 - Wholesale changes needed to fix elections
To the Editor: