Debates don't cost a lot of money- and neither do websites with positions clearly stated. I've got over four years of my positions clearly on www.esrati.com, other candidates tell you about their wife, kids, and empty promises. You don't learn much from a 30 second ad, nor does it help to jack costs of media up in the critical retail fourth quarter every time we want to have an election.

We could save billions and get better politicians by paying for elections straight out of our pockets. Mail a catalog with every candidate getting equal space to every voters household who asks for one. With in-depth content, written by the candidate- with links to sites, we may actually get enough info to make a good decision. That along with buying time on TV for real debates- and making everything available online- and we might be able to shorten campaign season to a more tolerable 6 weeks- instead of half their terms.