Let’s hope that a year from now, we will have no more than three clear front runners in the Democratic Party (up your nose, Donnycakes), and not be like the Republicans the last two cycles who fielded a gang of niche-appeal midgets.
What I would do:
- One debate per month, starting in the fall through May, unless someone wins the primary before that.
- Schedule the debates so they happen a week before major primaries…for example, the week before Super Tuesday there is a debate.
- For the debates in 2019, if there are more than X candidates (say, 8), draw lots and have two debates with a mixture of candidates. This gives all candidates an equal shot in the early debates and avoids polling favoritism.
- For the debates after the first primaries, rank candidates by their primary votes (not counting super delegates), top 6-8 are in the primary debate. Polling is not used to select candidate order for a debate.
- More than one moderator asking questions, moderators are a mixture of journalists, including newspaper. Pick a set of journalists to select the moderators, don’t allow networks to control the selection (but schedule journalists from the network on their debate nights, that’s fair).
That spreads things out, gives all the candidates a shot at being with the frontrunners during the early debates, and avoids the DNC selecting ringers for the moderators. More debates is easy, just have one every three weeks instead of once per month; though, after about six debates you know what they will say so it’s kind of pointless.
This is perfect timing!
You see, I’ve been looking for work lately. I’ve applied for a senior VP position at a publicly-traded company with annual revenues north of $4b.
This morning I sent them details of the process by which I’m willing to be vetted. I wanted to signal to them that I share their belief that this is a vitally important role in the organization, so I’ve taken inspiration from other high-profile areans.
- The company may select no more than 2 people to speak with me.
- Each interviewer must interview me individually.
- They must submit all their questions to me in writing no less than 3 weeks prior to the interviews.
- The interviewers are not permitted to discuss my answers until after a hiring decision has been made.
- I will bring my executive aide along to each interview. My aide will read aloud my written responses to the interview questions.
- At no time during the interview may the interviewer speak directly to me.
- Once the questions and answers have been dispensed with, I’ll personally shake the interviewer’s hand, and then my aide and I will leave.
- The company is quired to hire me after the second interview unless either interviewer raises a disqualifying concern within 10 minutes of interviewing me.
The debates are worthless publicity stunts. We should put the League of Women Voters in charge of them again.
We let wealthy, politically-connected people dictate to us how we’re allowed to evaluate them. What a sham.
If we were really concerned with finding a good president, candidates would all be required to successfully complete a rigorous application process.
Poorly-governed is as poorly-governed does. We deserve the mouth-breathing stuffed shirts who run for office: we’ve done nothing to discourage them.