The debates: "A lot of sound and fury signifying nothing."

[Cyrano]

Ten people on a stage spewing sound bites.

TV pundits trying to "analyze" those sound bites.

A TV audience consisting of those who have either made up their minds, or are wondering WTF?

In some ways, television has fucked up democracy. These debates are proof of that. But the biggest proof that TV has fucked up democracy is Donald Trump sitting in the White House.

But my point here is that so-called debates, at this point, with so many people involved, are useless. Many of the so-called "candidates know they're not going to be president, but they may be in it to get themselves a talk show, or ... whatever.

This is a hell of a way to pick a candidate.

It goes without saying that all of them have a right to be there and voice their opinions. But to my way of thinking, this whole circus stinks.

About 15 months from now, we'll go to the polls to vote. It's a given that Trump can't win. He (and the Republicans/Russians) can steal it, but they can't win it.

So, imo, what we need is a few dems, who really have a chance to be nominated, standing together explaining why America can't let the next election be stolen.

How do we get to this point? Beats me.

Suggestions?

[guillaumeb]

1. What alternative is there?

In a nation of 325 million, the mass media takes the place of the town square.

The problem, in my view, is not that the debates are televised, but that they are not truly debates. They are, by the nature of their brief format, simply campaign commercials where each candidate shouts slogans.

In a money driven politics, anyone with money can present as a candidate. Or, as the example of Trump has shown, anyone who understands reality television can be seen as a serious candidate.

So how does any candidate convince people that they have a solution?

[wasupaloopa]

2. We could have town halls with the top 4 all together.

To me the issue is idealism vs pragmatism.

Warren with her big ideas would get trump re-elected because the audience is bigger than The twitter world. Her big ideas do not have support beyond the left wing. Plus she refuses to say how they are paid for.

She and Bernie are pied pipers

Biden and Harris are the pragmatists. In a town hall where voters ask questions both sides would be presented and not in conflict.