Whatever happened to democratic values? They seem to have disappeared from the scene along with one person, one vote, a level playing field for each citizen, and the idea that those less fortunate can achieve the American Dream.
The Grand Old Party has taken this unfortunate mindset to another level within its own ranks. By decree, fiat, and collusion, it has been decided that only ten candidates will be allowed to participate in their 2016 debates. The contestants will be chosen based on the results of five national polls and the whims of certain media outlets. Those remaining will be left like so much roadkill on the Presidential highway.
However, in choosing this path, GOP Chair Reince Priebus, FOX News Chair Roger Ailes, and the rest of the Republican hierarchy are missing a golden opportunity to capture the country's imagination and, at the same time, prove their actions support the values they purport to cherish. It's simple, easy, and will draw BIG ratings. The answer:
A Draft Lottery.
Yes, that's right, the GOP meets the NBA, ping pong balls and all. It will instill excitement into a process that, for some, has the same appeal as grass growing, paint drying, or after-school detention. It will be called "Debate Night in America."
Here's how it can be done and programmed (All times EST):
7-8 PM: The entire GOP field will be seated in a room waiting for their names to be selected. On stage, there will be the same machine that is used to select the numbers for state lotteries around the country. However, there will be no names or numbers on the balls. When one is shot out, the independent host will open it up and the name of the candidate will be revealed. That person will walk out to seats on the stage and wait for his/her opponents. This will continue until the first half of the field is called.
8-9:25 PM- The First Half of the Field Debate
9:25-9:35 PM Internmission/Commerical Time
9:35-11:00 PM The Second Half of the Field Debate
With proper promotion, the Lottery could blow it's television competition out of the water. Las Vegas would set odds and accept bets about whose ball will come up and who would perform better against whom. FOX and CNN pundits would analyze the pre-game implications of the selections and add some pomp and circumstance.
The best part is that none of the candidates will know who they will debate on any given night. Instead of Marco Rubio going after Jeb Bush about the same things over and over and over again, he will have to prepare for all of his potential rivals. It would create a suspenseful atmosphere that these quadrennial confrontations have never exprienced.
This is a serious proposal that combats the Republican Party's penchant for exclusion at a time when inclusion is desperately needed. It would bring more voters to the screen and more candidates to the table.
Though those on the left and right, Democrats and Republicans, Liberals and Conservatives, don't agree on much, celebrating the right for all of those legitimate candidates to have an equal chance to present their case to the American people is something on which we should agree. After all, the long, dragged out, over-hyped, too expensive Presidential Campaign is really just a game of chance anyway.
Just like a Lottery.