We have Iran, Iraq, and Impeachment. So why should the next democratic debate matter to anyone? Why not just wait until the field of democratic hopefuls clears even more? Why not wait until there is just one man or woman left standing?
We hear about whether a candidate is presidential. What does that mean? The definition is having a bearing or demeanor befitting a president. What does that mean? What is a president in our democracy? A CEO, a King, or an Enforcer?
Our federal government has three parts:
The President enforces the laws that the Legislative Branch (Congress) makes. Congress makes our laws. The Supreme Court interprets laws according to the Constitution.
These debates are important not just to evaluate the candidates as to whom you like best. You might also want to consider who understands and will be accountable to our three equal branches of government and their role within these three branches.
Civics classes were a long time ago for most of us. The debates are like a civics class come to life. Listen to the answers to hear if the candidates understand their role within our democracy as the enforcer of laws made by Congress.
As always we go to the 3 V’s: the verbal, the vocal, the visual. Listen to their language, their tone. Do they grasp the seriousness of the moment or do they want to brawl like kids on a playground? How do they use their time, to talk about themselves or other candidates?
The field has narrowed. To score an invite, candidates had to meet a donor requirement:
Contributions from 225,000 unique donors.
And one of two polling requirements:
two polls at 7 percent or more in the four early nominating states: Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina; or
four polls at 5 percent or more in early nominating states or national surveys.
Only polls released between Nov. 14, 2019 and Jan. 10, 2020 will count.
There is an outcry that minority candidates have continued to drop from the stage. Citizens in each state have had the choice as to where to place their money and their vote. The important thing isn’t whether there are minority candidates left standing. The important thing is whether they were in the race.
