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On January 6, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced its criteria for inclusion in the 2000 presidential debates -- and it's bad news for third parties. The commission, composed entirely of Democrats and Republicans, decreed that third-party candidates must show up at 15% in public opinion polls in order to be included.
This unreasonably high threshold will most likely lock every third-party candidate out of the televised debates, which are a crucial source of information for tens of millions of American voters.
For example, Reform Party governor Jesse Ventura was polling at 10% in Minnesota in September 1998, before being invited to the debates. Ventura went on to win in November with 37% of the vote. As the election of Ventura demonstrated, debates can change the outcome of an election. That'swhy the Debates Commission should offer voters a broad spectrum of legitimate candidates. Instead of acting as a filter, to "mainstream" our choices to an "electable" choice of candidates.
Inviting every candidate on enough state ballots to have a mathematical chance of winning would probably result in just six candidates on stage hardly enough to "confuse" voters.
I ask all members of the Democratic, Green, Libertarian, Natural Law, Reform, and Republican Parties, and independent voters- to support the opening of the presidential debates, to allow all parties that are mathematically eligible to win the electoral college in to the Debates. To have an open forum to the American people, to help all voters form a complete idea of the political spectrum of choices in The United States of America, and make a more informed choice in the all important Presidential Debates of 2000 and the elections of our nation's future.
Thank You,
Brian Costin, President, Open Debates of America
The link to reach this petition is http://www.i-charity.net/ptn/39
Please take the time to do this!