Diminishing Number of Debates in Local Political Races Shortchanges Public
There was a time when political candidates were willing to face the voters in forums, no matter the party they belong to. It was expected of them. How else would people know what their platforms were, what made them different from the other candidates running for the same position?
Now it is impossible to get both parties on the dais together. Why is that? Are they afraid of the questions that might be asked of them, that they might not appeal to voters as well as their opponent does?
As the situation stands, we, the voters, don’t have a choice but to vote the party line. We really know very little about the candidates who are running, so we play it safe and stay with the party we are registered with, even though we might not like all the candidates. Alas, “crossover voting” seems to be a thing of the past, and that is sad.
If we were educated by both parties, we could choose the person who seems best suited for the position. Isn’t that how democracy should work?
Phyllis Hoenig
Vice President
League of Women Voters, Putnam County
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