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Let Chaos Reign!
Why have “controlled” debates at all? Curt Anderson, in today’s WSJ, suggests that we just let the candidates debate each other whenever and wherever they like.
The Republican Party should be looking forward instead of backward—and seeking every opportunity to feature its roster of excellent candidates, rather than trying to find ways to constrict the field. The voters will do that, as is their prerogative. The simple truth is that competitive primaries usually make a party stronger, not weaker.
He continues:
It’s also true that whenever the smart guys in Washington get together and try to shortcut the democratic process by imposing a candidate from the top down, it generally goes poorly. Whatever happened to the idea of freedom? Or democracy? Or robust argument? As a Republican, I wonder: When did we start fearing debates? And if we do fear debates, what business do we have trying to win elections?
[…]
Here’s a wild and controversial idea: Trust the voters. Let candidates debate whenever and wherever they want. Don’t try to control the process from Washington. Let freedom ring.
I think this is just right. All the candidates want air time now, and mini-debates under terms acceptable to the participants are a great way to get media coverage. Those debates could be in any format that people agree, from reality TV, to cage fighting.
You don’t need to have official membership in a terror group to be a terrorist. Why do you need the RNC or a news network to approve before you have a live argument with another candidate for President?
Image Credit: By Rosser1954 at en.wikipedia (Transferred from en.wikipedia by SreeBot) [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
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I have always wondered why the candidates were stuck with debates and with the stupid moderators and only given a minute or two to respond with the moderator allowed to cut off the one he/she didn’t’ like. The debates always seemed to be biased toward the moderator’s point of view.
I agree it would benefit Americans who want to know about the candidates.
From the candidates’ perspective it’s like the difference between earning $100 by either selling a one-dollar item to 100 customers or selling a $100 item to one customer. Most would choose the route of selling a $100 item to one customer (one big debate where everyone gets seen).
The exception might be Carly Fiorina who seems to be an amazing, articulate, unstoppable workhorse.
Multiple debates would also disadvantage the GOP leadership because they wouldn’t be able to finagle their Golden Boy into the right position on the stage.
The article is here.
The whole scheduled debate idea is about keeping control with the established media and the party. That’s reason enough for torpedoing it.
LINCOLN/DOUGLAS POWER!
There are 16 candidates now. How about a debate tournament like March Madness? Just a bunch of one on one debates advancing to the Final Four? RNC could make seedings. People could have office betting pools. Winners chosen by 900 number to raise money for the candidates.
Bingo.
With the Internet there is no need for televised debates. The three networks are no longer the gate keepers. I am all for innovation. Republicans need to lead the way instead of looking like Luddites.
How about, like in a real debate, they have to argue for the other side. Then we would know if they really understand a topic.
How about we force them to only use one side of their mouth?
This is a chance for Rob Long to prove that the Ricochet Podcast has the reach that it has. They should get as many as they can to do a free-form debate sponsored by Ricochet, with topics, not questions, offered by the members. Throw out a topic and let them have at it for 5-10 minutes in free-form debate. I think Troy would make an ideal moderator. If he can keep Richard Epstein on point, he’ll do OK with these folks. Record it and throw it up on YouTube.
Right. WE can make this happen. Propose debates between any two or more candidates who want to have at it on a Ricochet video. Let them work out the rules, and get in the ring.
I nominate Ball Diamond Ball as someone to ask questions of the candidates. I would nominate iWe but we want a second debate.
The ones fighting for traction in the polls have nothing to lose.
Right now that is everyone but Trump. So let’s have some serious debates.
Who can share this thread with the candidates?
Podcasts without written translations dooms the hearing impaired from knowing their views.
Transcripts will be done for anything that attracts enough views.
How about “Ten Minutes With Troy.”
Troy peppers each willing candidate. No podcasts released until all willing candidates have participated. No bickering, no responding. Just answer the questions.
And then we get to hammer away in the comments.
Then, after all are released, if you would like to respond feel free to join the Ricochet Podcast for further discussion.
The hearing impaired will never go to a podcast knowing they won’t understand much or anything that is being said. I never try to listen to any podcast or audio post.
YouTube does automatic captioning. I’m sure we have plenty of voluteers to clean it up by replacing things like “Female Speaker:” with “Ms. Fiorina:” and “[Unintelligible]” with whatever Rick Perry said.
Love the illustration!
Give the announced candidates a free Ricochet membership.
Let the games begin. :)
It is the party’s primary, not the voters’. I get why they have a say in it. However, the candidates are grownups and need to go around the party to get their messages out.
We have 2 former White House speechwriters, a noted TV producer and any number of nationally known contributors (ie: GLoP). Any one of them would be able to contact the right people. Let’s show the rest of the blogosphere how this kind of thing gets done.
You’d have to shave your mustache.
That’s a pretty good idea, but it appears to have a lot of moving parts.
You really do want chaos to reign. I stand behind my ‘stache unequivocally and literally.
Troy is the only moving part. And he has to do it because Peter doesn’t start with a T.
I know someone else who starts with a T and is devilishly hand-some.
Is there a reason that candidates cannot organize their own debates in addition to those organized by the Party?