It’s getting to be that time of the election year when candidates gather before panels, fielding questions and refuting their opponent’s answers.

Tuesday, July 25, 2000

It’s getting to be that time of the election year when candidates gather before panels, fielding questions and refuting their opponent’s answers.

Granted, viewership of televised debates are still pretty low, but presidential debates have long served as a tool to help Americans decide who should be the next president.

For a society that can be too complacent to do its own research, the debates may be the only source of information for some Americans.

The Commission on Presidential Debates decides which candidates are invited, as well as scheduling the events.

Their standard criteria include constitutional eligibility, ballot access and electoral support.

The first criteria of constitutional eligibility makes sense. Why waste time listening to an individual who is not even eligible to become president?

The second criteria requires that the candidate should have at least a mathematical chance of securing an Electoral College majority in the general election.

Also, in order to be invited to the debates, the candidate has to have at least 15 percent of the voters of the five opinion polls conducted prior to the debates.

This system just isn’t fair to third party candidates trying to make a bid for the presidency.

Candidates who aren’t able to raise millions of dollars for television commercials and numerous visits to states all around the country simply don’t have a shot at ever becoming president.

Does that mean that such a person isn’t worthy of trying to be the president? Certainly not. Ever fighting chance should be afforded to reasonable candidates who might make an impact on the political system.

Ralph Nader, the Green Party candidate, is considered to be a serious candidate. But until he can earn at least 15 percent at the polls, he will be excluded from the debates.

Meanwhile, Americans will continue to think the only two candidates out there are George W. Bush and Al Gore. Other candidates will fall by the wayside.

Regardless of whether Nader or Pat Buchanan are invited to the presidential debates, Americans should still tune in.

The first presidential debate will be Oct. 3, with the vice president candidates verbally duking out two days later. Each debate will be televised, and efforts are being made to utilize the Internet to the fullest extent as well.

It’s your decision, so be a part of it. Learn about the candidates and get to the voting booth this November.