Over at the Capital Times, there’s an editorial entitled, “Disrespect for League Harms Democracy.” The Cap Times contends that major parties have come to ignore the League of Women Voters’ non-partisan voters’ guides and debates. (Hat tip to The Phantom Stranger for the link.)
The paper contends that ignoring the League harms our statewide politics.
Yes, I think it does.
Here’s the argument from the paper’s editors:
Historically, candidates of all parties have respected and worked with the league.
But as big money has taken over the electoral process, the league has been pushed aside by the power players, who would rather manipulate elections than allow voters to make honest and informed choices.
The disregard by the political class and its corporate sponsors for the LWV’s good work really began back in the 1980s, when the former chairs of the Democratic and Republican national committees conspired to take management of presidential debates away from the league. They established the Commission on Presidential Debates — with help from the television networks — as a vehicle to limit access to the most important forums for presidential nominees. It worked. With the league out of the picture, third-party and independent candidates were largely excluded from the national forums, while the formats and questions have been dictated more by partisan players than a respect for the public’s right to know.
They also note that the situation is one-sided in Wisconsin, where many more Republicans, rather than Democrats, ignore the League.
That’s too bad. No moderators will be perfect, but I’d be easily comfortable with the League’s role as moderator, especially over other alternatives.
I’ve been asked, sometimes, if I would ever debate someone in Whitewater. Of course. Websites will sometimes devote a day or few days to a back-and-forth exchange between two people. One takes one side of an issue, the other the opposite view, and they engage in an extended exchange. The fewer the constraints, the better.
As has been true from the first day of this website, my email address appears on the right sidebar: adams@freewhitewater.com.