Editor,
In our world’s leading democracy, where you can spend half an hour choosing a salad dressing at the market and even longer choosing a brand of microbrew, our current presidential debate structure ever conspires to limit us to a choice between only two candidates.
The news will tell you that the Oct. 22 debate was the last presidential debate, but I am here to tell you that is just not true. Last Tuesday, four alternative-party presidential candidates were on the stage to share their ideas, moderated by longtime CNN giant Larry King. The participating candidates included the Green Party’s Jill Stein, the Libertarian Party’s Gary Johnson, the Justice Party’s Rocky Anderson and the Constitution Party’s Virgil Goode.
There is nothing in U.S. law that dictates we have only two political parties on the ballot. There is absolutely no logic in limiting the voters’ ability to hear the ideas and visions of all bona fide candidates, especially those on the ballot in at least 80 percent of U.S. states and whose enthusiastic supporters qualified them for federal matching campaign funds, speaking particularly here of Jill Stein and Gary Johnson.
Of course, this debate was not broadcast on major cable networks.
They’re in cahoots with the process that limits our choice as well, so you can only view this exciting exchange on Internet outlets such as Al Jazeera English, Link TV, Russia Today America TV and RT.com, Ora TV, home of Larry King’s online talk show, and organizer Free and Equal’s website. CSPAN was looking into carrying the exchange, and a number of foreign news outlets and television stations, from Japan to France, covered this debate, which was held in Chicago.
A second debate will be held Nov. 5 in Washington with hopefully even greater coverage. I urge everyone to tune in, no matter your affiliation or whether you’ve decided on a candidate. Ideas matter and third-party efforts throughout our history have shaped our American experience, from abolition to women’s suffrage to environmental protection to civil rights. Each of these parties has unique visions for this nation, and whether you agree or disagree with them, are we not richer for allowing them all a fair hearing rather than restricting them out of whatever fear drives the duopoly?
Michal Mudd
NM Green party co-chair
