The Dismal State of the Institution of Debates

This article originally appeared on the author's website http://charlestoncitizensreview.org/wordpress/archives/39528

by Riley(anti_theocon, das_Ding)

The more one investigates the agenda and/or modus operandi of the debate system exposing itself under guise of Republican presidential candidate forums, the more one realizes what a sham not only is the current incarnation of the system of debates, but the entire system of media-exploited politics in general.

Here we have a classic example in the case of Buddy Roemer.  While not the only candidate excluded, Roemer is in my opinion the most flagrantly-ignored. Gary Johnson(another lesser-known Republican candidate) at least had ‘one’ chance.

I listened twice to Roemer’s speech of Sept. 1, delivered in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, archived by CSPAN. The link to the speech is quoted below;

Buddy Roemer Speaks at the Chinese Embassy

If you are a citizen of this country(the United States) and you happen to fall in line with my personal views(hopeless, disillusioned, disenfranchised and waiting for the eventual collapse of the whole ponzi scheme), what have you got to lose by listening?

Anyone who has been following the scene already knows Roemer’s ‘free to lead’ premise, and his stance on PAC and SUPERPAC contributions to campaign financing, and we’re not going to repeat that here.

In this speech, delivered outside of the Chinese embassy in D.C., Roemer clearly explains his views about what is wrong, what we did to get there, and what needs to happen to fix things.  Starting from the period of the very early politics of trade and tariffs put in place by Alexander Hamilton, and with all the plain-spoken logic of a former Louisiana governor-cum teacher/professor, he takes you step-by-step through the policies and events that culminated in the current situation.  His explanations are deliberate, spoken without trepidation, and as per my limited historical knowledge, very accurate.

However, the saddest part of the whole scenario seems as if Roemer’s ideas and concepts(and they ‘are’ quite compelling) will remain completely unchallenged and kept at bay in the realm of the ‘unspoken’.

Perhaps the most radical of Roemer’s ideas are not even the tariffs, election funding, job creations, etc. and so forth, but the way he approaches an opportunity to speak to the public.  Instead of downplaying the other candidates(except in the most general of terms, and how they are a part of a system), Roemer quotes historical facts, makes observations of his own, and proposes solutions.  A far cry from the status quo political flag-waving, mud-slinging norm.  Roemer never comes out with ‘God bless the USA’ rhetorics, favoring instead the more didactic approach of a lecturing professor talking to a group of students. He ‘does’ however inspire a sense of pride for his country more so than any of the others. Without the flag-waving excess…

This humbly-initiated experiment in electability without regard for corporate and pac/bundler money engenders a radical fundamentalist approach to the ‘meaning of debates’.  And the diminution of true radical ideologies grounded in nothing more than reason and love for country.

My conclusions; If anyone reading this is considering grandfathering this mess back into a country, take this opportunity to avail yourself of some inspiring content, and give it a listen.

Included here for reference;

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/09/buddy_roemer_excluded_from_sep.html

Despite his detailed policy pronouncements, former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer is still no closer to being included in any of the nationally televised Republican presidential debates.

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Associated Press archiveCNN says Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer was not among invitees to its Sept. 12 debate in Tampa, co-sponsored with Tea Party Express, because he did not rate well enough in the polls.

Most recently, CNN announced that Roemer was not among invitees to its Sept. 12 debate in Tampa, co-sponsored with Tea Party Express, because he did not rate well enough in the polls, even though they invited New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, though neither is now a candidate for president.

Bruce Alpert can be reached atbalpert@timespicayune.com or 202.450.1406. Jonathan Tilove can be reached atjtilove@timespicayune.com or 202.450.1404.

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