Mute Button or Chess Timer! Control for future debates!

It is obvious that WE – THE PEOPLE need to keep CONTROL of the DEBATE if we are going to have one that is worthwhile watching. Two very effective methods used by schools for keeping things on track:

A. The MUTE Button! Controlled by the Moderator. During the 2 minutes of answering Chris Wallace’s directed questions, The opposing candidate should be completely muted. (Shut One Up!) Then for the 2 minutes of free-for all, Open both mikes and let them make points or repartee and then: Take them both off the air at the end of two minutes with the MUTE button.

That way – we all get to hear the Moderator’s full next lead-in and Question.

B. A set amount of talking time for each candidate can also be used as in chess! Give each candidate 40 minutes of 2 minute talking time for answering directed questions plus their repartee. The clock runs against that candidate whenever they are speaking (Even any utterance – ejaculation – blah-blah-blah – etc. uses up their clock time). At the end, the candidates get to make a closing statement for the number of minutes left on their clock. NO MINUTES – NO CLOSING COMMENTS.

We! Control the Vertical! We! Control the Horizontal! Not some Motor-mouth Candidate who wants to interrupt Civil Discourse!

(Apologies to some of you who may not remember the old radio program “The Twilight Zone”.)