2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumTell the Democratic National Committee: Let the Candidates debate!
If you would like to see more debates for the Democratic primaries please sign the petition from Credo Action asking the DNC for more debates from the link at the bottom of the article (Information about Credo Action listed below the article):
Informed debate is at the heart of our democracy – but the Democratic National Committee appears to be going to great lengths to severely limit debate between the 2016 Democratic presidential candidates.
In 2008, the Democratic candidates debated 26 times during the primary. This year, the Democratic party has announced only six debates, and has gone even further, introducing an exclusivity clause which disqualifies from the debates any candidate that participates in additional, unsanctioned candidate forums.
In a campaign environment dominated by unlimited spending on 30-second television ads and media coverage that obsesses over the “horse-race,” the debates are one of the few opportunities to hear a conversation about serious issues between the candidates on a major stage.
Tell the Democratic National Committee: Let the candidates debate!
In 2008, Democratic primary debates started in April. But while the 2016 Presidential campaign is already well underway, the schedule released by the DNC doesn’t hold the first debate until this fall, meaning it could be another five months until voters have a chance to hear directly from the candidates.
The political media has shown repeatedly that it is far more interested in manufacturing political scandals or deeming who is and is not “viable” than carrying on a serious conversation about the candidates’ positions on the vital challenges we face as a nation.
Voters decide who will be the nominee. Not the media, not the Democratic National Committee, and hopefully not whichever billionaire is writing the biggest SuperPAC checks. But those voters need to actually hear from the candidates.
Unlike 30-second television ads, debates are a vehicle to spur voter’s political engagement, which in terms encourages more voter participation and voting. Heading into the general election, educating and energizing voters should be the primary goal of the Democratic Party, not restricting important conversations between candidates.
Tell the Democratic National Committee: Let the candidates debate!
The source and to sign the petition:
http://act.credoaction.com/sign/dem_debates_pda?nosig=1
CREDO is a social change organization that supports activism and funds progressive nonprofits—efforts made possible by the revenues from our mobile phone company, CREDO Mobile.
Over the course of our history, CREDO has raised $76 million for Democracy Now!, Brennan Center for Justice, Doctors Without Borders, ACLU, EFF, Planned Parenthood, 350.org and hundreds of other nonprofit groups.
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Victories in 2014, with more to come.
Progressives must fight on every front to beat back right wing assaults on women’s rights, the environment, equality and social justice. CREDO activists moved the needle in many of these fights, winning outright victories along the way:
Our history-making Pledge of Resistance—signed by 100,000 CREDO members and co-organized with Rainforest Action Network and Other 98%—was a major factor in delaying the approval of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. We drove President Obama to bar federal contractors from firing employees based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and mandate a higher minimum wage for any company that does business with the federal government. We successfully blocked Congress from fast-tracking approval of the disastrous TransPacific Partnership treaty. And we helped force federal regulators to stop banks from targeting low-income borrowers with predatory loans.
CREDO members were also instrumental in important victories at the state and local level. Our campaigns pushed for higher minimum wage laws in Maryland and Minnesota; expanded access to reproductive health care in California; protected endangered panther habitats in Florida; and defeated an Arizona bill letting businesses refuse service to gays and lesbians on religious grounds.
These are just some of the fights we—and you—have already won.
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yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)Keep in mind it has been over 50 years since the country voted for the Democratic Party winning 3 presidential races in a row. A little might be Hillary that they want but I think the other reason is in their minds more.
Cosmocat
(14,564 posts)Party operatives and leaders said it AT THE TIME, the debates did more harm than good to the Rs, and the democratic debates got monotonous, the media commented on it as it drug out.
I know people want some psychodrama of the Machiavellian Hillary keeping Bernie thing down here, but this was the plan well before he announced.
think
(11,641 posts)Cosmocat
(14,564 posts)for the reason you noted generally.
The debates dragging out was a side freak show.
Even the candidates started to wear out with them.
think
(11,641 posts)Guess we'll see how many issues can be discussed in 6 debates.
winter is coming
(11,785 posts)And the GOP were a bunch of idiots best not exposed to public scrutiny in the first place.
think
(11,641 posts)It's very safe politically speaking but no one really learns anything about the candidate or their stand on the issues.
kenfrequed
(7,865 posts)Edwards campaign was whining about this because having a lot of debates with a lot of candidates was causing his position to be erroded by more progressive candidates that actually had something to say.
The establishment democrats just don't want their current candidate of choice to be upset by an upstart so for them they would like as few debates as possible with as many candidates participating as possible.
Cosmocat
(14,564 posts)They clearly were bored with it by the end.
The Rs want to be in front of the camera as much as they can to stroke their egos/set up their post politics money making.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)and going. Not sure why that hasn't happened yet.
Cosmocat
(14,564 posts)October 26th ...
Bernie just officially entered the race in late May, O'Malley after that ... Rumors that Biden might be getting in ...
We have had a half dozen Rs announce the last month.
Its early historically.
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)Between all of the debates and all of the media interviews and all of the campaigning, I'm sure all of our candidates will have more than enough space to get their ideas out to the people. By the 3rd debate it will just be candidates repeating themselves. These debates are like 2+ hours long.
FSogol
(45,487 posts)
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,710 posts)Six is enough.
think
(11,641 posts)and easily find be limited to six?
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,710 posts)As always Mr. Sogol cuts through the clutter and gets to the gravamen of the issues.
think
(11,641 posts)Many people will never get to a political rally but practically everyone has a TV.
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,710 posts)Senator Sanders doesn't get to re-write the rules of an organization he joined a couple of months ago.
Can I join the Catholic Church and demand they change all their canons? Actually I could but they would ignore me.
Six is enough !!!
We debate politics here every single day. Why should debates that the general public can access
We debate things here all the time, change no minds, but we do upset one another.
think
(11,641 posts)DemocratSinceBirth
(99,710 posts)Since you were so kind I will post the contact information for the Democratic National Committee:
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Chairperson
Democratic National Committee
430 South Capitol St. SE
Washington, DC 20003
202-863-8000
so you can contact them and petition them to increase the number of the debates.
think
(11,641 posts)that is encouraging the DNC to allow for more debates.
I've already signed it.
Here's hoping for a better future for all of us.
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,710 posts)think
(11,641 posts)Will any new issues arise that aren't currently important? For example war breaks out some where or a catastrophic natural disaster occurs.
Some issues more regionally important than others like the Keystone pipeline in the the midwest, climate change in Miami, voter id requirements in Texas, union jobs in the Northeast, etc etc and debates in those regions might focus more attention to those issues....
If people miss an opportunity to see a debate due to the limited number how much influence will billions of dollars in advertising have on their vote?
These are the kind of questions that make me concerned about limiting the number of debates to just 6.
Too many debates can get wearisome especially when the debate questions are the exact same ones as the last debate and candidates refuse to be specific and speak in platitudes rather than concrete answers so I understand "debate fatigue".
Yet the other extreme may be where voters say they haven't heard a candidate speak to their issues and then rely on the media and commercials to form their opinion. Sure we here get lot's of information on the candidates but what about the general public many of whom only get their news from the TV?
This may be more a problem for Hillary than Bernie as he is out there drawing crowds and speaking at every opportunity to get his issues out. Still even here on one of the most politically informed websites users are saying he hasn't addressed their issues.
I would really like to hear more about Bernie's positions on small business & the war on drugs. While I have a general idea I would like to hear specifics.
I'd like to know about O'Malley's positions on the many issues too. And Jim Webb? Who knows what he stands for...
As for Hillary I have no idea where she stands an many issues as she isn't out there discussing them much yet. I've have been waiting for her to give more specifics as she mentioned in her New York speech.
Just some things to consider....
2banon
(7,321 posts)
sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)Slowly but surely people are going to turn country into a democracy
think
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