Presidential Debates

     The problem with nearly all presidential debates is that they are hardly debates at all --- at least not in the usual sense.  Lincoln and Douglas debated the right and wrong of allowing states to decide the slavery question by vote.  So far as I can tell there was never any question about the facts.   Real debates typically, though not always, start with a common understanding of what the facts are and then proceed to analysis of the significance of those facts, value judgments.  There can be a mix of facts, analysis and moral or ethical judgment.  You can oppose high tax rates on the ground that they penalize incentive and stunt growth.  That's largely a question of fact.  You can also argue the fairness or unfairness of progressive taxation philosophically.  But everyone agrees on what the rates are now.  That facilitates discussion of ethical and moral quesions about taxation, the proper role of government etc., i.e. value judgments.  In contrast the presidential debates this election year and, for that matter, almost all previoius election years, are more like arguments in an elementary school yard than they are like debates. 
     "Unemployment is up 20% since such-and-such year".  "No, it isn't".  "Yes, it is".  "No, it isn't".  "You're a liar".   "You just want to help millionaires and billionaires".  "No, I don't".  "Yes, you do".  And so on.  
     What is needed is better formatting.  They had the right idea with the Lincoln-Douglas debates.  First, one cadidate says whatever he wants to say for 20 minutes (or some other length of time) while the other one shuts the hell up.  The moderator keeps his opinion to himself.  In fact, all the moderator does is serve as a time keeper.  Then the other candidate has his turn.  Then each has a rebuttal period and maybe something after that --- whatever the rules provide.
If both candidates will avoid ad hominum arguments and accusations such a return to the fundamentals of real debate could be a great aid to public understanding of the issues.  What we get now usually doesn't help much.