SocraticGadfly: April 14: A #DemDebate I may not watch

April 09, 2016

April 14: A #DemDebate I may not watch

I've skipped most of the recent GOP debates and town halls because I need them like another hole in my head.

But, I've caught at least part of all debates, and selected town halls.

Why am I likely to take a pass on the one scheduled for April 14 in New York City?

Oh, several reasons, while noting that Sanders' definitive Wisconsin win will make it more exciting.

1. At this point in the campaign, and in a two-person race, do we really need two full hours? I think not, but maybe CNN wanted round-hour length.

2. Short of breaking FBI news, Sanders is going to say nothing new about Clinton's email problems.

3. Short of having a gun put to his head, he's not going to talk about Clinton's backing a coup in Honduras, etc.

4. Neither one of them will mention the Panama Papers other than to say, "Hey, no Americans," or, in Sanders' case, to excoriate free trade, which he already has, which has nothing to do with international tax dodges, shadow banking, etc. Well, Sanders may somehow turn that around to Citizens United, but that's leading to point No. 5.

5. What new will Sanders say in domestic policy proposals? Probably not much.

That said, given the new Clinton campaign fireworks over gunz, maybe I'll watch this one after all!

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That all said?

Unlike many pearls-clutching Americans, I have no problems with debates being hard-hitting. Would that we had parliamentary government to sharpen differences between parties, and do better about refining stances within parties while we're at it.

Oh, I may actually watch it, or watch/listen in the background — to see if I'm proven wrong on any of the points above. I doubt I will be.

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