Diverse voices
For the past few weeks, people have watched the two major candidates in Michigan’s gubernatorial race duke it out with words during three televised debates.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm and one of her opponents, Dick DeVos, have traded, barbs and bashed each others campaign commercials thoroughly during the debates, the last of which aired Monday night.
But what people didn’t see were the other three candidates who are running for governor in November.
Green Party candidate Douglas Campbell, U.S. Taxpayer candidate Bhagwan Dashairya and Libertarian candidate Gregory Creswell weren’t a part of the gubernatorial debates.
And that’s wrong.
Michiganders should have been able to watch a debate among all the candidates and then judge who is best equipped to be their leader.
Instead, people who might have used the debates as a compass to determine their vote only heard two sides of the story, when in fact there are five sides this year.
A debate featuring all the candidates would be more fair.
And it shouldn’t be that hard to facilitate.
Bill Ballenger, the Griffin Endowed Chair for Political Science, told Central Michigan Life one of the reasons minor candidates aren’t included in debates is because TV stations are looking for ratings.
If that is true, it still doesn’t make sense for TV stations to exclude candidates.
Hosting a debate featuring all the candidates wouldn’t lower ratings if the debate still featured the candidates who did have high poll numbers.
In fact, it might increase ratings, by attracting those people looking for other options.
Sure, it would mean a little more cost for TV stations who sponsor these debates. And the usual hour-long debates would have to be longer.
Why it matters
- Voters should inform themselves by attending tonight’s You Decide forum on Proposal 2
But so what?
Extending the debates another 30 to 60 minutes wouldn’t hurt, and would give voters a chance to ask more questions and hear the candidates expand on the issues at hand more.
People would have a better chance at being exposed to more views — instead of having to get a totally partisan look at issues.
Many people these days don’t fit neatly into boxes labeled “Republican” or “Democrat.” A large amount of the population’s views fall somewhere in the gray area.
Even though it’s unlikely any of these three candidates will win the race this year, they still should be allowed the same chance to participate in the full campaign process.
Taxpayers should demand to have the debate process reformed.
