Democratic debates

I’ve watched all of the Democratic “debates” so far, and I have learned some things about the candidates and their styles and policies. But I think the public could learn so much more if these were public forums and citizens had a greater role in asking questions.

The media tries to prepare us for the attack or the zinger as if this were a grade B television drama. The moderators see their job, not as allowing the candidates to speak, but as generating focus on themselves or encouraging candidates to challenge one another. I’d much rather each candidate tell me what their policy is on a particular issue and let me decide.

I’d also rather direct and honest answers to questions, though I am getting more of that than I expected. I want candidates to respond in the way they will respond if elected president.

On an issue like Medicare for example, the candidates throw out statistics and dollar amounts that listeners can’t understand or verify. No one really talks real sense of how to pay for these plans. TV is not the neutral vehicle to best allow the American people to learn and understand, but it’s rather the vehicle to hype the moderators, generate the ratings and make for good entertainment.

The day after the debates, it’s not about what we learned or who presented clear, solid policies, but who had the best zinger or who “won.” And, of course, this is how the American people lost.