He’s graciously allowed me to nominate a debate moderator, and I would suggest Rico for no other reason than that he’s fairly well known, and I have no ties to the guy. That, and Gwen Ifills is kinda busy. . .
I respectfully suggest a format: Rico picks eight questions at random, from Dopers posting them in this thread, and any debaters get a 750-word* (thereabouts) response. They also get a 250-word* rebuttal. We close everything up, and do a ‘Cecil Primary’ election later on in a poll for the Great One’s endorsemen.
Thoughts?
Tripler
Note: Word quantities can be changed. I just threw 'em out there to get the ball rolling.
I’d like to thank my opponent for getting our debate process moving along. I second the nomination of Rico as moderator and ask him to post here whether he shall accept. While remaining impartial, I ask him to press both Tripler and I for answers when he feels we’ve avoided the question.As I posted in my announcement thread, I’d like us to get to many more than just 8 of your pressing questions and suggest slightly more pithy answers. My opponent and I are working on a date and time and should he accept, we’ll need to be sure our moderator is available as well. Say Tripler, what time zone do you schedule your life to? EST here.
With the technical rubbish out of the way, let the questions begin! Keep in mind if your question is more than two or three sentances or has more parts than the final question on the movie Quiz Show, the moderator may redact yout question in the interests of time.
Obama proposed comprehensive health care reform, including a public option. Lieberman threatened a filibuster, so the public option was stripped away, leaving us with Romneycare. As President would you,
a) Keep Romneycare,
b) Push for Obamacare,
c) Overturn Romneycare, including the mandate to buy health insurance.
If c) would you permit insurance companies to turn down people because they have pre-existing conditions? If not, how would you deal with adverse selection issues? After all, what’s to stop people from buying insurance only when they are sick? Also, how would you cover the rise in the budget deficit caused by the repeal of the Affordable Choice Act?
Awesome! And I agree–if we’re more Waffle than an IHOP on a subject, I would implore him to kick us in the shins.
I threw eight out as a ‘starter’ number. I’d like to keep it around a dozen or so, just for this first round of debates. We can always start another debate thread later. . .
Here’s the rub: I’ve got a real-world business trip coming up from the 29th to the 3rd, and I can’t guarantee I’ll have internet access during that time, or the hours at night to partake (it’s an “in the field” business trip). That’s why I lean towards having Rico post a few questions, and we post our replies in a decent time frame. I mean, real life does have it’s demands on us. . . But I am in Utah, so I’m MST. I’m usually at work from 0630 to 1730, and have an hour or so at night for ‘typing time’. I don’t have time for too much research, so the voters are gonna get it straight and unfiltered from me.
Anyhow, that business trip is the only major, unpredictable obstacle in the way for me. Otherwise, I’m open.
Tripler
I’m like a kickass cup of black coffee: hot, energetic, straight, and unfiltered.
I found snowmaster’s campaign declaration to be a bit prudish,[sup]*[/sup] so I will endorse [del]Tripler[/del] [del]BrainBorgia[/del] someone other than him, but I would like support for my campaign for a Congressional seat.
I am pretty much with the Pirate Party on IP issues, and for socialized medicine.
Also I want (in theory) a large negative income tax/Basic Income Guarantee, and to pay off the national debt and start a sovereign wealth fund. But I’m not going to get all of that.
Youbecha. We need a few more dopers to submit some good questions… I’d like our debate to be more than our moderator having us run down our platforms. I’m available any evening as soon as we have enough questions, excepting Saturday night when strangely enough I will be busy both gambling and volunteering for a charitable organization. I imagine Sunday evening would be inadvisable given that I’m told there’s some local trifle of a sporting event going on.
Alright–I’m back. I heard there was something about a Big Game going on today, but I don’t see the Devils or the Red Wing being advertised, and it’s too early for the Finals yet–hell, the haven’t even started the playoffs! I don’t know what all the hullabaloo is about. . . but I’m sure I’ll enjoy the relative quiet.
Anyways, I’m in. I do want to start getting a few questions rolling. Have you heard from Rico yet?
I am hyper political AND have actually designed, moderated and been a panelist for candidate debates up to the Congressional level. If the candidates will have me I will volunteer to do my best to ruin their days as I have those of others foolish enough to presume to answer my questions.
I ask up to 10 questions. You MUST answer them in 750 words or less.
Non moderators may ask questions and you MAY answer those.
To any answer the other candidate may reply with 250 words.
I may choose to follow up any answer with a ‘clarification’ question that must be on topic. This is called the ‘That doesn’t really answer my question, Senator’ rule.
Other ideas? And are we limited to two candidates?
