Tomah Journal - Opinion: "Ultimately, I called the rounds on foreign policy a tie - both candidates were losers.
As for domestic policy, there was no debate. Both candidates declared their intention to ignore the constitution, with Bush calling for a renewal of the Patriot Act - on the same day the Supreme Court declared even more sections of that act to be unconstitutional - and Kerry calling for even more stringent 'security' and 'police' activities.
All of which left me realizing that, once again, the American people have been left with a choice between Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum. Or is it Tweedle-dumb and Tweedle-dumber?
Of course, there are presidential candidates out there who have a truly different point of view, and who might have offered a viable strategy for getting us out of the mess the two major parties have gotten us into.
But somewhere in the 32 pages of debate rules the two major parties submitted to the media must have been the rule that these other candidates be excluded from the debate. And, as usual, the media happily complied.
So, the Libertarian, the Green, the Reform, the Constitution and all the other presidential candidates were prohibited from expressing their views, as the two major parties and the press once again decided what the American people would - and would not - be allowed to hear, and for whom they would - and would not - be allowed to vote.
Throughout the debate, Bush frequently stated the world would be better off with a 'free Iraq' and a 'free Afghanistan.' I couldn't help but think how much better off the world would be with a 'free America' - an America that has the same fair and democratic elections that Bush supposedly advocates for Iraq.
