The Answer to GOP's Overcrowded Debate Field

Real Clear Politics ^ | 05/18/2015 | Bill Scher

[Blood of Tyrants]

12 is still too many. In a two hour debate each candidate would get only 10 minutes to express themselves.

[Timber Rattler]

Boil it down to the one objective measure that really matters before the first vote is cast: money.

The GOP-E would just love that.

[tennmountainman]

It will be a real freak show.

All this GOP outreach program needs is a Chinese and Muslim
candidate.

[USS Alaska]

How do you accomplish that? Boil it down to the one objective measure that really matters before the first vote is cast: money. Here’s the only criterion the RNC needs: Only let on stage the top 12 fundraisers.

I agree and just sent another another couple of shekels to TED CRUZ.

If crazy haired donald wants to self fund in order to get on the first staged debate, that's OK with me.

Our guy will make the top twelve in terms of dollars and if he doesn't, we will know that there aren't enough of us to matter.

Then I'll spend my money on ammo.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Let the people decide. Every $100 donated during a certain time period would be a vote for that candidate being included and would go to their campaign. But only in $100 increments from verified voters.

[Dr. Sivana]

On that basis, Rick Santorum, who won the Iowa caucus in 2012 wouldn’t even have been invited.

[skeeter]

As long as the money measure includes only individual contributions raised and doesn't include money the RNC steers into certain candidate's coffers, fine.

Otherwise, using the amount of money raised as a measure of who gets to participate in debates will turn out to be just another scam rigged in favor of the GOPe.

[USS Alaska]

The GOP-E would just love that.

What would you propose?

[GeronL]

Oh right, let polls and the establishment decide who is on stage... what could go wrong?

[duffee]

12 is too many but the first criteria should be announced candidates, the second should be poll standings and the third should be an ability to raise money. The GOP-E will probably do whatever it takes to stop before Senator Cruz is selected even if the number of debaters is one or if the debates have to be cancelled.

[petro45acp]

SIMPLE. Get a policritter to define his position on all the so called “issues...” Frankly on the republican side, it should only be about the constitution....period. In any event, if they are all claiming to be republican and they don’t measure up in a clear declaration of their position, then out the door.

It is either that simple, or it’s not and we are lost.

.02, YMMV

KYPD

[EQAndyBuzz]

“What would you propose?”

Final 4 format. Winners of their bracket is determined by donations of $100. This will eliminate liberals. In addition, donations must be matched up with registered Republicans.

Keep narrowing it down until 4 are left. then 2 debates. One on economic issues and one on international issues.

[Baynative]

Start with simple set up questions:

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS TO THE FOLLOWING--

1. Who will immediately take action on reversing unconstitutional executive orders, including illegally issued acceleration to resident status for illegals?
2. Who will put all our resources into securing the border?
3. Who will scrap the tax code and make fair tax a priority?
4. Who will hold Washington bureaucrats legally and criminally accountable for violating the rights of American citizens?
5. Who will stop Iran from further development of a nuclear program?

Thank you. The rest of you are dismissed. Now let's get down to business.

[Engraved-on-His-hands]

Saying that money should be the criteria rather than votes is one of the things wrong with the Republican Party today.

[arthurus]

Better, chuck the whole idea of “debates.” One, they are not debates. Two, they serve to showcase the one or two candidates the leftist interlocutors are interested in. Three, only leftist interlocutors need apply. What possible good can come from debates for which the DNC chooses the interlocutors? If there were no more than three candidates then the Reagan or Cruz among them can spar successfully with the competition and with the leftist interlocutor.

[bigbob]

[Georgia Girl 2]

Also anybody that has not actually announced that they are running should not be allowed on the debate stage.

[Boogieman]

I have a solution:

Winner-take-all cage match. 12 men enter, one man leaves. Welcome to Thunderdome!

[conservativejoy]

I think there should be no more than six on a stage and there should be another six on another stage, and so on until all the candidates are particiopating. These debates should be done simultaneously with the same questions for each panel, and aired consectuvively over 3 nights.

After that first debate, those candidates who receive the most individual contributions whould continue to the next round, narrowing the field to six.

It seems fair to give them all one chance to be heard by the public. Their performance and voter response in contributions will then determine their inclusion or exclusion in the rest of the debate series.