Sample
Letter to the Editor #1
VOTER
DEMANDS FAIR DEBATES
Now that
the conventions are over, it's time for the presidential candidates
to debate the serious issues facing our country. Unfortunately, the
televised debates are being manipulated by a bi-partisan, corporate-funded
group that is intent upon shielding legitimate third-party candidates
- and the issues they represent - from the eyes of the American public.
The Commission
on Public Debates (CPD) has this year decided that candidates must
reach 15 percent in the polls to be included in the debates. This
number has no basis in history or federal regulation, or any logic
whatsoever, except that it is sufficiently high to exclude third-party
candidates who have yet to enjoy the full-scale national media coverage
accorded to the two-party duopoly. Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura was
polling at just 8 percent before his participation in televised debates,
and then went on to win the election.
The outrageous
15-percent requirement roadblocks the progress of third parties, and
silences discussion about the issues they represent - issues such
as real campaign finance reform and fair trade policies that include
environmental and labor standards.
We call
on the CPD to create truly "objective criteria" for debate inclusion,
as federal law requires them to do. We support the criteria suggested
by Rep. Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. in a resolution to Congress: that candidates
should be included if they reach 5 percent in the polls - a number
that mirrors federal regulations for campaign funding - or receive
more than 50 percent support in polls asking who should be in the
debates.
Polls
show that 64 percent of Americans want to see Ralph Nader in the debates.
Voters must now demand access to the information they need in order
to make an informed decision in this election. Call the Commission
on Presidential Debates at 202.872.1020 and demand that they establish
a fair inclusion criteria and let Ralph debate. To find out more about
what you can do, visit votenader.org.
Sample
Letter to the Editor #2
Dear
Editor,
Ralph
Nader should be included in the upcoming presidential debates. It
doesn't matter whether you support Nader for President, and it isn't
a question of whether Al Gore or George W. Bush will be helped or
hurt most if Nader shares the stage with them. It's a question of
democracy.
Voters
deserve a real choice. They deserve a robust debate before they cast
their ballot. There is no justification for keeping Nader out of the
debates. He will be on the ballot in virtually every state. He’s a
nationally-known candidate who has spent decades successfully pushing
for legislation that opens up government and protects consumers. On
many issues, there is little difference between Gore and Bush. For
example, both support expanding American involvement in global trade
organizations. Nader believes such organizations reduce American sovereignty
and threaten the environment and workplace conditions. We deserve
a real debate and choice on this and other key issues.
The commission
on debates recommended including only candidates who receive 15% of
the vote in polls. This is not surprising: The Commission was composed
of Democrats and Republicans only, and the two parties want to keep
their stranglehold on our democracy. How is a candidate from another
party to get 15% in the polls unless the American people see him matched
up against Bush and Gore? What are the Democrats and Republicans afraid
of?
Everyone
committed to true democracy should make their voices heard and call
for inclusion of Ralph Nader in the debates. Call the Commission on
Presidential Debates at 202.872.1020 and demand that they establish
a fair inclusion criteria and let Ralph debate. To find out more about
what you can do, visit www.votenader.org.
Sample
Opinion-Editorial Piece
VOTER
DEMANDS FAIR DEBATES
Now
that the conventions are over and the political postures have been
assumed, it is time for the presidential candidates to debate the
serious issues facing our country. Unfortunately, the televised debates
are being manipulated by a bi-partisan, corporate-funded group that
is intent upon shielding legitimate third-party candidates - and the
issues they represent - from the eyes of the American public.
The
Commission on Public Debates (CPD), headed up by the former chairmen
of the Democratic and Republican parties, has this year for the first
time ever set an arbitrary rule that candidates must reach 15 percent
in the polls to be included in the debates. This number has no basis
in history or federal regulation, or any logic whatsoever, except
that it is sufficiently high to exclude third-party candidates who
have yet to enjoy the full-scale, free national television coverage
accorded to the two-party duopoly.
This
outrageous requirement effectively roadblocks the progress of third
parties by branding their candidates as unviable, and silences discussion
about issues that are important to millions of Americans -- issues
such as real campaign finance reform; excessive corporate control
over our government; and fair trade policies that include pull-up,
rather than push-down environmental and labor standards. The concept
of democracy collapses in the absence of real debate among the legitimate
candidates for the presidency.
The CPD
claims the 15 percent polling requirement identifies candidates who
have a "more than theoretical" chance of getting elected. But recent
history proves otherwise. Minnesota Gov. Jessie Ventura was polling
at 8 percent before his participation in televised debates, and he
then went on to win the election.
We call
on the CPD to create truly "objective criteria" for inclusion in the
debates, as federal election law requires them to do. We support the
criteria suggested by Rep. Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. in a resolution to
Congress, which calls for inclusion in the debates of all presidential
candidates who reach 5 percent in the polls - a number that mirrors
federal regulations for campaign funding - or those who receive more
than 50 percent support in polls asking who should be included in
the debates.
Polls
show that 64 percent of Americans want Ralph Nader to be included
in the debates. The voters must now demand access to the information
that is necessary to make an informed decision in the 2000 election.
Add your voice to the growing number of organizations, newspapers
and citizens who are calling for fair presidential debates. Call the
Commission on Presidential Debates at 202.872.1020 and demand that
they establish a fair inclusion criteria and let Ralph debate. To
find out more about what you can do, visit www.votenader.org.
Paid for by the Nader
2000 Primary Committee, Inc.
P.O. Box 18002, Washington, D.C. 20036
