Oh, it's never too late to engage with issues like this, as they'll come up again in the next election.
I also follow Democracy Now, and they did some pretty good coverage for 3rd party candidates (heck, even Al Jazeera covered the 3rd party debate, which no major U.S. broadcaster did, sadly). It's mind boggling how "official" debates are controlled that way, and thus limit the diverse political opinions out there. If I had a legitimate say, I'd probably want, if not its dissolution, a complete overhaul of the Commission. Otherwise, things like this will probably continue to pass by largely unnoticed by anyone watching mainstream media alone.
I'm obviously late to this conversation, but I had media fatigue after the election. It blew my mind when I heard they were arrested. I follow Democracy Now, and that's precisely the sort of thing they discuss. I'm in favor of reinstating the League of Women Voters in charge of the debates, and dissolving the Commission. The Commission's purpose is obviously to protect the main candidates, with complete disregard for the rights of the people and the legitimacy of debate.
Of course, these things make a mockery of the term "debate", which they really do not deserve to use in the context of the Presidential debates.
I'm not sure what there is to be done about it. But there must be something. There must be action.
Yeah, I had the debate on YouTube in background just for the sake of keeping current, but my time really was better spent playing Final Fantasy VIII ... which is pretty sad, really!
I noticed on Twitter during the last debate, when my timeline was going crazy with left-right commentary, you were playing a game, haha. I think that was a good way to spend some time, rather than watch one side of the coin argue with the other side. I mean, it is interesting if you're into studying media arguments (like I am), catching fallacies and errors, but as far as getting revealing policy issues and realistic plans, two party debates won't tell you very much about any of it. You do get fear and witty soundbites, however! That's gotta count for something, right? Right?
Last edited by Pleiades Rising at 11:37:14 PM EDT on October 18, 2012.
Baron of Terribad (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 10/18/12 | Reply
Pretty much! The debate process is basically a huge joke -- just the two major candidates running through their talking points without a care for the structure of the event, and both hoping to catch the other in a "Gotcha!" moment they can use in negative advertisements. The presidential race has basically been boiled down to a sporting event, with Democrats and Republicans zealously backing their boys and arguing blindly with each other.
Pleiades Rising
Otaku Idol (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 12/27/12 | Reply
@snow fox:
Oh, it's never too late to engage with issues like this, as they'll come up again in the next election.
I also follow Democracy Now, and they did some pretty good coverage for 3rd party candidates (heck, even Al Jazeera covered the 3rd party debate, which no major U.S. broadcaster did, sadly). It's mind boggling how "official" debates are controlled that way, and thus limit the diverse political opinions out there. If I had a legitimate say, I'd probably want, if not its dissolution, a complete overhaul of the Commission. Otherwise, things like this will probably continue to pass by largely unnoticed by anyone watching mainstream media alone.
snow fox
The Silent (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 12/26/12 | Reply
@Pleiades Rising:
Definitely a solid assessment of media today...
I'm obviously late to this conversation, but I had media fatigue after the election. It blew my mind when I heard they were arrested. I follow Democracy Now, and that's precisely the sort of thing they discuss. I'm in favor of reinstating the League of Women Voters in charge of the debates, and dissolving the Commission. The Commission's purpose is obviously to protect the main candidates, with complete disregard for the rights of the people and the legitimacy of debate.
Of course, these things make a mockery of the term "debate", which they really do not deserve to use in the context of the Presidential debates.
I'm not sure what there is to be done about it. But there must be something. There must be action.
Shinmaru
Baron of Terribad (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 10/19/12 | Reply
@Pleiades Rising:
Yeah, I had the debate on YouTube in background just for the sake of keeping current, but my time really was better spent playing Final Fantasy VIII ... which is pretty sad, really!
Love thy Evangelion.
Pleiades Rising
Otaku Idol (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 10/18/12 | Reply
@Shinmaru:
I noticed on Twitter during the last debate, when my timeline was going crazy with left-right commentary, you were playing a game, haha. I think that was a good way to spend some time, rather than watch one side of the coin argue with the other side. I mean, it is interesting if you're into studying media arguments (like I am), catching fallacies and errors, but as far as getting revealing policy issues and realistic plans, two party debates won't tell you very much about any of it. You do get fear and witty soundbites, however! That's gotta count for something, right? Right?
Last edited by Pleiades Rising at 11:37:14 PM EDT on October 18, 2012.
Shinmaru
Baron of Terribad (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 10/18/12 | Reply
Pretty much! The debate process is basically a huge joke -- just the two major candidates running through their talking points without a care for the structure of the event, and both hoping to catch the other in a "Gotcha!" moment they can use in negative advertisements. The presidential race has basically been boiled down to a sporting event, with Democrats and Republicans zealously backing their boys and arguing blindly with each other.
It's very frustrating.
Love thy Evangelion.