Licoln vs. Douglas ‘The Smackdown’ Pt. 1

In order to attempt to reestablish a more ‘meaningful’ political debate, in what is considered to be modern day democracy, it is necessary to reflect on a historic political debate dating all the way back to 1858. Yes, ladies and gentlemen we are speaking of the epic smack down that was Abraham Lincoln versus Stephen Douglas.

The first step to creating a good, honest political debate is to gather two or more men with opposing views on a variety of issues, or maybe only one key issue, and have them duke it out, verbally speaking, to try and almost convince each other, and the public, that one way is right, or at least better, than an opposing way. So once Lincoln and Douglas had decided to have these debates they also decided to have one in each of the nine congressional districts in Illinois. That’s right folks, nine rounds, battle to the death, for the legislature.

Luckily for our ancestors the style of a formal debate used to be much more free-flowing in which each speaker would have adequate time to say their speeches and really tell the public what their all about. Unlike today where our trained circus animals run around spewing premeditated garbage in our faces, insulting us by thinking we’re so naive as to believe these perfectly orchestrated answers are really their own. Not to say politician’s are lying, although I’m not saying their not, but they simply are not given an adequate environment where the public can truly listen to what they have to say.