The end of the debate? Republicans draw the curtain on political theater

[livingston]

The end of the debate? Republicans draw the curtain on political theater​

It’s a time-honored tradition, but as the US midterms loom, many Republican candidates are ducking out of televised debates

heading into the US midterm elections, the debate appears to be in decline, a casualty of fragmented digital media, a deeply polarised political culture and a democracy losing its sense of cohesion.
For many Republicans, ducking debates is a way to express disdain for a national media that former president Donald Trump has derided as “fake news” and “the enemy of the people”. Some Democrats have a different motive, refusing to share a platform with Republican election deniers peddling baseless conspiracy theories.
Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said: “It’s dangerous because these televised debates at all levels have been one of the few good things about democracy in the modern era. People had to stand up there and defend themselves and say what they believed and let the voters take a good look at them.”

The end of the debate? Republicans draw the curtain on political theater

It’s a time-honored tradition, but as the US midterms loom, many Republican candidates are ducking out of televised debates

www.theguardian.com

 

[livingston]

We all have seen how the right cannot receive a fair shake in many debates going back decades.

 

[turbobike]

Or our "Right" leaning candidates are nothing but RINO's and only want to start feeding from the trough..remember Hochul was a Repubican with a A+ NRA rating...lol

 

[kev74]

What they are calling debates are not debates. They are alternating talking points, with a biased moderator steering the discourse to favor their side, which are later selectively quoted by a biased media.

If I were a Republican running for office, I wouldn't want to debate my opponent unless they were a total moron. A debate between intellectual equals won't be equal in the next days news paper.

 

[Steal2B]

.

We all have seen how the right cannot receive a fair shake in many debates going back decades.

And yet a number of sitting democrats nationwide are refusing to "debate" their republican challenger .... unless their lead in the poll evaporates

 

[Catskillkid]

Debates today are pretty much useless for the above mentioned reason. For big offices like President a 30-60 minute PowerPoint that each candidate gives on their plan/platform would be much more reasonable.

 

[Bigfoot]

I would like to debate Hochul myself.

But she is such a wonderful person I would feel bad for embarrassing her.

Did I mention I don't own any guns?

Guns are icky.

 

[Steal2B]

I would like to debate Hochul myself.

But she is such a wonderful person I would feel bad for embarrassing her.

Did I mention I don't own any guns?

Guns are icky.

Ok

 

[SonOfSun]

Debates today are pretty much useless for the above mentioned reason. For big offices like President a 30-60 minute PowerPoint that each candidate gives on their plan/platform would be much more reasonable.

This^

Skip the circus television act. I want detailed plans on what you intend to do and exactly how you intend to do it.

 

[1911guy]

That sounds so reasonable. BUT no one seems to do that anymore.

 

[Keyzard]

That sounds so reasonable. BUT no one seems to do that anymore.

And no one actually fulfills their promises either....

 

[TEOTWAWKI inc.]

Why don't we duel anymore?

 

[Beerman]

Why don't we duel anymore?

Because guns are outlawed in restricted areas and sensitive locations, and a duel on private property would still be considered a sporting event, or a protest, at which guns being present is a Class E felony. Safety, brought to you by the Gov.

Besides, does anyone truly believe that any elected official of any ideology could actually possess the knowledge and skill to load, aim and even fire a weapon accurately enough to worry a barn door? They can’t even do their useless jobs correctly, let alone have a practical skill.

 

[SomeSoldier]

If Joe Biden can win a presidency without having to debate why would anyone else put themselves through the theater.

 

[Bigfoot]

Ok
View attachment 173609

I'm trying to get removed from their list. This sort of thing doesn't help.

 

[Bigfoot]

Why don't we duel anymore?

Good question.

 

[FRB]

I'm trying to get removed from their list. This sort of thing doesn't help.

hahaha - I think I made the list double..... I will laugh when they come and find my only guns are air rifles and a 1977 Winchester 121 single shot 22.

 

[Bigfoot]

hahaha - I think I made the list double..... I will laugh when they come and find my only guns are air rifles and a 1977 Winchester 121 single shot 22.

My signature line alone probably got me on a list.

All this spying on us is taking all the fun out of it. LOL

 

[Tisto]

A debate would be useful ☆ IF ☆ it was done in the following format :

Each politician is in their own sound proof booth. Then, the moderator asks the question. EACH candidate then has to answer that question. Their answer is transcribed in real time, and the text of it is displayed. This makes them answer the question, and there would be no reaction to another candidate's answer. There would be no ere rolls, yawns, or other distraction tactics while one of the opponents was answering the question, and each candidate would have to answer the same question.


Then, you could make it into a game show, where the person coming in last gets kicked off the planet. You could pay-per-view the launch.

Ok, that last part might not work, but the seperate booths and same time answers would be helpful.

 

[Jmac00]

But Kamarck, who worked in the Clinton White House, remains optimistic that the shift is not permanent. “It is driven by a group of Republican candidates who are very inexperienced and ideological and know that they can’t do well in a debate because there’s so many things that they are for that are either unpopular or indefensible in terms of policy.

“What you see here is a Republican party that’s gone off the rails led by Donald Trump. It is this year’s crop of candidates who are not very serious people and can’t debate but I do think debates will return when the Republican party starts nominating normally qualified people to run.”

what I see here, is another liberal douche bag, which has already made up her mind as to who is the better candidate. She make wild assertions about people she knows nothing about. I complete dismiss here thesis

 

[spat]

A debate would be useful ☆ IF ☆ it was done in the following format :

Each politician is in their own sound proof booth. Then, the moderator asks the question. EACH candidate then has to answer that question. Their answer is transcribed in real time, and the text of it is displayed. This makes them answer the question, and there would be no reaction to another candidate's answer. There would be no ere rolls, yawns, or other distraction tactics while one of the opponents was answering the question, and each candidate would have to answer the same question.


Then, you could make it into a game show, where the person coming in last gets kicked off the planet. You could pay-per-view the launch.

Ok, that last part might not work, but the seperate booths and same time answers would be helpful.

No, they would still ignore the question and just rattle off a few unrelated talking points.

A chat format debate would work, but only if non germaine responses were deleted by an impartial moderator.

With the polarization of society today you'll find it easier to gat a talking unicorn to moderate than an impartial human.

 

[Acer-m14]

under the sound proof box is a trap door leading to bed a bamboo with points .. don't answer the question the bottom drops out .. LOL .

 

[Grimscale]

under the sound proof box is a trap door leading to bed a bamboo with points .. don't answer the question the bottom drops out .. LOL .

I was gonna go with battery acid, but your idea works also.

 

[meketrefe]

Oh! .. so TV is still broadcasting?
I guess there might be people out there who still watch TV and the news?