I'd like to see political debates run like a double elimination tournament. I feel like a playoff of debates is what we should do in the months preceding elections. Maybe even the year prior. Maybe have each state hold a debate with the most popular candidates in that state attending? Then the best/most popular debaters can apply to be on the ticket Proposed Rules -You must directly answer the question or you are penalized (loss of speaking time? Loss of ability to interject? Suggestions?) -Claims must be reasonably accurate and citable or you are penalized -Other suggestions? Just a thought...
Great idea. The quality of debates (and lack thereof) have been my single biggest election complaint. There has to be a better way.
The problem is that they're basically a total dog and pony show. Especially when the two parties go head to head. How many people actually have their minds changed based on watching the debates?
If it were forced to be informational by punishing false or deflecting answers I feel like it could be beneficial. Heck, it could even help raise money for people with great ideas to run for office.
I think they should do anonymous debates. Just call them: Candidate 1 Candidate 2 Candidate 3 etc etc etc I would LOVE to see how people react when they are taking the content of the discussion with an unbiased approach instead of through the lens of a Republican or a Democrat or a man or a woman or black or what or whatever.
Don't forget the Kennedy-Nixon debate or the Ford-Carter debate or the Reagan-Carter debate or the Reagan-Mondale debate. Then there was the Trump-Clinton debate.
