Third-Party Presidential Candidates To Debate Tonight On C-SPAN

This is a good idea, and one that needed more promotion, and national attention.

Granted, there is no way any one of these third-party candidates can win, and therefore it would not be fair to clutter a stage with every person who is seeking to gain the White House or some free air time.  Having just the Democratic and Republican candidates on stage the past weeks for the debates was proper as there are some very serious concerns that Americans need to think about this election.  Focusing on the candidates who are likely to win is the most important thing for the media to report on.

Having said that however I am not being dismissive of Libertarian Gary Johnson, Green Party candidate Jill Stein, Constitution Party candidate Virgil Goode, and Justice Party candidate Rocky Anderson.  I really do feel more voices and wider perspectives are needed in our national dialogue about the issues.

While the chicken and egg argument is often made about the need for exposure for third-party candidates which leads to voter support one can also argue that a party is not made from the top down.  How about winning seats for the third-party candidates at the local level and thereby showing there is grassroots backing that then supports why a third chair should be placed alongside that of the two main parties?

The debate tonight starts at 8pm EST on C-SPAN, Al Jazeera English and Russia Today, and streamed online at Ora TV and on  the Free & Equal debate site.