Presidential debates unfair

To the Forum:

I’m concerned about the next presidential election. I feel

that other parties besides Democrats and Republicans should be given a fair

chance to run, debate and win.

The criteria to be included in the 2000

presidential debates announced on Jan. 6 by the Commission on Presidential

Debates unfairly excludes candidates with a serious chance to win.

The

commission, made up entirely of Democrats and Republicans, has decreed that a

third-party candidate must demonstrate 15 percent support in polls to be

included. But such a high threshold could lock out someone with a realistic

chance for victory.

Although at first glance, 15 percent may not seem very

high – it is. For example, Reform Party governor Jesse Ventura was polling at

10 percent in Minnesota in September 1998, before being invited to the debates.

Ventura went on to win in November with 37 percent of the vote.

As the

election of Ventura demonstrated, debates can change the outcome of an

election. That’s why the Debates Commission should offer voters a broad

spectrum of candidates. There are other parties that offer new and different

ideas, and they should be heard from.

Excluding third-party candidates will

also drive down voter turnout. The derision to include Ross Perot in 1992, who

was polling at just 7 percent when he was invited, boosted turnout by 12

million from the previous election.

What could be more unfair than debate

rules that shut out the next potential president? What could be more unwise in

a democracy than encouraging millions of voters to stay home?

Inviting

every candidate on enough state ballots to have a mathematical chance of

winning would probably result in just six candidates on stage — hardly enough

to “confuse” voters.

Americans who want fair debates should write to: The

Commission on Presidential Debates, 1200 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Suite 445,

Washington, DC 20036.

Thank you very much.

Joseph M.

Giannotti

Kapa’a