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The First Debate: Iraq or Afghanistan, and No Solution for the Economy

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It’s perfectly fine to point to the number of centrifuges that Iran has, but it is fundamentally incorrect to do so without informing the people that the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty gives Iran the right to develop centrifuges for nuclear power.

The discussion on Iran degenerated into talk about how to or how not to talk with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the leader of Iran. Lehrer should have stepped in and stopped this before the discussion became trivial.

Where was the challenge of this talk about Iran without discussing Israel’s role in all of this?

When considering that question, Obama, McCain, and Lehrer failed because the Guardian from the UK reported today that Bush told Israel the U.S. would not attack Iran for certain reasons.

That’s big news. Lehrer should have asked about that development.

Where was the discussion about Latin America and what we are doing to destabilize Bolivia and Venezuela?

Or how about the destabilization of Pakistan? The remarks on Pakistan were entirely atrocious and an affront to the people of Pakistan.

At least both admitted torture should not be part of U.S. policy.

In closing, neither did well in this debate. Neither really appeared to care about the American people. Both were doing a fine job of posturing to be the next commander-in-chief.

But this nation does not need another commander-in-chief. This nation needs a kindly leader with a track record of challenging the conventional and putting forth policies to fundamentally change the systems in America.

I look to the group of third party options as options for filling the void being created by the two leading presidential candidates.

I suggest to those who are unhappy with the current bipartisan consensus to bailout Wall Street that you be your own media and seek out information on the third party candidates.

I suggest that you take your unhappiness and channel it into passionate letters to the editor, calls to your representatives and senators, calls to Obama’s and McCain’s campaign, and rallies outside of campaign headquarters and local media affiliates nationwide.

I suggest that you do more than watch the post-debate coverage tonight.

This nation demands more from Americans. Politics is not a spectator sport.

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Kevin Gosztola is a writer and curator of Firedoglake's blog The Dissenter, a blog covering civil liberties in the age of technology. He is an editor for OpEdNews.com and a former intern and videographer for The Nation Magazine.And, he's the (more...)
 

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Another Debate by virginius "gin" arnold on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 9:09:56 AM
very good, Kevin by Mark Sashine on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 9:10:54 AM
Trivia, you say - I add "shallow" by Margaret Bassett on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 9:18:57 AM
The worst thing by Mark Sashine on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 9:45:53 AM
The rhetoric that scares me by Kevin Gosztola on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 10:16:00 AM
the cloud.. by mikel paul on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 12:36:26 PM
Democracy by Angelo on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 10:22:47 AM
Angelo by Michael Shaw on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 10:59:15 AM
Well Kevin by Michael Shaw on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 10:50:34 AM
I left that part out by Kevin Gosztola on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 11:24:31 AM
ie McCain a jerk Obama a gentleman... by Michael Shaw on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 12:56:12 PM
We heard from many punt-it's that this was by steve scheetz on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 11:44:51 AM
RUN FOR THE BANKS by Matoska on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 12:53:04 PM
Matoska by Michael Shaw on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 1:22:41 PM
Do you know by pft on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 6:34:58 PM
You call that a debate! by Munich on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 1:37:39 PM
Re: "You call that a debate!" by Munich on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 1:55:33 PM
It was what it was by Eliot Gould on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 3:56:36 PM
Say what? by Mark E. Smith on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 5:45:50 PM
It's quite obvious by pft on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 6:42:07 PM
Step right up folks ... by Mr M on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 9:14:04 PM
Not Exactly by Heather Meyer on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 11:11:05 PM