Presidential Candidate Debates

* As we enter the season when our leaders both prospective and present meet to answer the questions of the American people as proposed by the media, I am curious as to what criteria are used to determine who is invited to participate in these national debates.

I recall that in the early 1992 presidential debates the candidates of the Democratic and the Republican parties, Bill Clinton and George Bush, as well as the candidate for the Reform Party, Ross Perot, were invited to appear and answer the questions of the media.

If the United States is still truly a free democracy, I suggest that the candidates for the Green, Independent, Libertarian, Peace and Freedom and other “minority” parties be invited to take part in this integral part of our election process. The only hope for our present system of government is a fully informed electorate.

CHRISTINE TOBEY

Los Angeles

* America deserves a better election than one with issues limited to abortion, tobacco and drugs. Americans face fundamental economic problems. Americans also demand an end to the dominance of money in politics. It has limited the access ordinary people have to our government.

Having a “debate” between Clinton and Bob Dole is meaningless when they agree on welfare cuts, continuation of bad trade deals, the continuance of money politics and supporting the corporate new world order in general.

If Perot of the Reform Party, Ralph Nader of the Green Party and Harry Browne of the Libertarian Party were also invited to participate in the debates, real issues would emerge. Perot and Brown will be on all 50 state ballots. Nader is on the ballot in over half the states with no money whatsoever behind him, just dedicated volunteers. To exclude these candidates only contributes further to cynicism and despair in our land.

MITCHELL J. FREEDMAN

Lake Forest