The following is an e-mail I sent The Utica Observer Dispatch dated July 9, 2000. They never printed it.
To the Editor:
The proposed debates between Bush and Gore are less then the educational democratic forum that they should be. Two of the most interesting candidates, Ralph Nader and Pat Buchanan, are being excluded.
I believe that the Commission on Presidential Debates that has planned these events is controlled by the Republican and Democratic Parties. The co-chairmen of the Commission are Paul Kirk, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and Frank Fahrenkopf, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee. In the old neighborhood that I grew up in, we would describe this as something that "stinks on ice."
The closed debates the Commission has proposed will be, in reality, campaign commercials for the two-party system. Millions of Americans have lost faith in the two major parties and want to hear about the alternatives. The Commission is trying to prevent that.
Shame on the two major parties for stifling the debate of issues by controlling the debate process! We would all be better informed by letting Ralph and Pat speak. No wonder more then half the eligible voters don't bother to do their civic duty come election day.
Is this what we can expect from a Bush or Gore presidency, underhanded back room deals that undermine the peoples right to know? Both Gore and Bush have made much of the trust issue in their campaigns. This "old fish" of a debate they are throwing us should make all Americans wonder just how trustworthy Al and George really are. How ever you feel about Nader and Buchanan, one thing I hope you agree with me on is that both have been willing to debate ANYONE in ANY FORUM, ANYTIME. The same is not true of "The Inventor of the Internet" Al and the "compassionate" George Dubya.
Read, think, speak, write, BE!
Jerry "Clapso" Avissato
Utica Contact Person for the Green Party
www.geocities.com/javissato/clapsoville.html