I would propose us lowly citizens get our legislators to create a law within the next 4 years requiring debates in Presidential elections to include at least 1) One main stream media moderated debate. 2) One moderated town hall. 3) One town in front of citizens holding pitch forks and rotten tomatoes. 4) One town hall in which all candidates blood alcohol level is maintained at at least 0.15.
Throughout this campaign I had several friends and family members tell me they were at least somewhat "undecided" about the election, and would probably make their decisions based on the televised debates. This answer always frustrated me, as the debates, especially at the end stages of the Presidential campaign, rarely if ever tell you anything new about the candidates. It's true that twists such as Joe the Plumber pop up, but even those don't tell the informed observer anything new.
It's our right to vote, and along with that right comes the responsibility to be informed and take an individual and highly personal position. Is it too much to expect voters to begin with a thought out and informed ideology, before we even know who the candidates might be? As the primaries evolve, is it too much to ask voters to be responsible enough to begin familiarizing themselves with the specific policy positions that are developing between opposing parties? As each parties candidates eventually emerge is it too much to ask a voter to take responsibility to swing by the candidate's web sites and read their specific policy positions? To do a bit of reading about the personal policy the candidates took before they decided to go populist and run for President? To Google for a few hours and examine the personal and political histories of each candidate, to review their experience, to evaluate how the candidate performed before he or she had party speech writers developing sound bites for them?
It's not rocket science, and it is a responsibility. If you just want to enjoy the right but abstain from the responsibility, you're abusing the right. And then our leaders get chosen by people who think they won't need to worry about their car or mortgage payments anymore if they vote for a particular candidate.
Compare and contrast to my man machosauce...you may or may not agree with his ideology, but he's thought it. Who would you rather have picking your leaders?
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