INSIDE THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES

Gary Johnson has filed a lawsuit to pariticipate in the presidential debate. So far the presidential debates are a two-party affair. Only Obama and Romney have been invited to speak during the upcoming arguments, but Johnson insists on being included as well.http://venitism.blogspot.com

Although the worldwide popularity of debates is particularly evident at this moment in time, it has taken many decades for the tradition to take root around the globe. Even in countries with established histories of campaign debates, the institution remains fragile, wholly dependent on the willingness of candidates to confront their opponents in a live, unscripted setting. As history has shown, this can be a dangerous game for its star players, because debates are more easily lost than won.


America's Kennedy-Nixon debates in 1960 moved debates to the tiptop event on television. Political observers were surprised when Richard Nixon accepted John Kennedy's challenge to a series of four joint TV appearances. Although Nixon considered himself the superior communicator, it was Kennedy who approached the debates more seriously, preparing for the events with long hours of study and intense practice sessions with aides. 

Kennedy even made sure he had a good tan before the first debate, so that he would not look pale on camera. In the end, John F. Kennedy prevailed as the clear winner, proving the power of live debates. So frightening was this lesson that another 16 years would pass before the American debate tradition resumed with Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter. 

Johnson filed an antitrust suit on Friday, asking the US District Court in Washington, DC to issue a restraining order against the debates and keep them from occurring until all constitutionally eligible candidates can be allowed to speak.

The suit states: The view that presidential debates are critical to the outcome of the election is now universally held. From that premise, it follows that the participation by a candidate in the nationally-televised debates is equally critical to his or her candidacy. Because the title of president is a salaried position, it can be defined as commerce and thus can be regulated by the Sherman Antitrust Act.

Two major parties in every Western country try to commoditize all voters, transforming them to vegetables in the center field! Rabblerousers gravitate to two dominant parties running for the center, trying to offend as few people as possible. This produces a groupthink where everybody avoids the issues when they're running for office. Most Westerners are disappointed in both major parties. They're hungry for a new approach, a new party, truly committed to substantive ideas, and not just to getting elected and focusing on their particular election cycles. http://venitism.blogspot.com

The current process of democratically electing a commander-in-chief is flawed, and Johnson has a good chance of changing the procedure. There is nothing remotely surprising in the fact that a private organization created by and run by the Republican and Democratic Parties has only invited the Republican and Democratic candidates to their debates. It is a bit more disturbing that the national news media has chosen to play the two-party game, when a full one-third of the American people do not necessarily identify with either of those two parties.

Someone has to stand up and call this what it is a rigged system designed entirely to protect and perpetuate the two-party duopoly. That someone will be the Johnson campaign. Lemmings are Arctic rodents of poor eyesight, which can drown en masse. American lemmings vote for Republicans or Decocrats. Europeans behave like lemmings when they masochistically vote for kleptocrats. British lemmings vote for Whigs or Tories. Greek lemmings vote for Pasok or Nea Democratia. Eurolemmings rely on the spinmill of Brussels bromides. Are you a lemming? Are you a victim of taxation and kleptocracy? It's time for soulsearching and vision examination. 

In order to achieve a level honest playing field amongst presidential contenders, the Commission on Presidential Debates should be enabling all constitutionally eligible candidates who are on ballots in states whose cumulative total of Electoral College votes is 270 or more. Instead, voters are being subjected to choose between only two candidates. 

Democrats and Republicans are conspiring and contracting to restrain Johnson from participating in the electoral process, and this is actionable restraint of trade. Citizens who want the government out of their wallets, their bedrooms, their businesses, and their lives must vote for libertarians. Only libertarians try to minimize government and maximize individual liberty. 

It's not a shame to lose an election, but it's a shame to compromise your values in order to win an election. Obsession with polls is a sign of weak soul. The two major parties are willing to say anything and promise everything in order to win an election. Of course, after the election most promises are conveniently forgotten. The two major parties need an awakening call. 

I support Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party for President of USA. Johnson has an outstanding record for vetoing legislation as former governor of New Mexico. He vetoed more bills than all other governors in USA combined, stopping the expansion of big government.

Santorum once mused that since Republicans nominated Romney who is just a little different from Obama, then Americans may as well stay with Obama instead of taking a risk. No Santorum, Americans better vote for Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party!http://venitism.blogspot.com