It’s been said that those who want to be entertained by the circus will need to put up with a lot of clowns. The recent presidential debates, beginning with the primary debates of both parties leading up to the 2016 presidential election, to the recent Democratic Party primary debates on the threshold of the COVID infected 2020 presidential election cycle and culminating with the debacle, not debate, held by both parties on Tuesday, September 29th. Watching the behavior, searching for for substantive content and wondering the whole time if either of these two gentlemen had any idea of the trauma facing everyday, normal, hardworking Americans? Is this the best we can do in a contest to determine the leader of the most influential nation in the free world? Seriously, there is a leadership famine in this country. So called national leaders in Congress are unable to identify a good person right in front of them, as in the case of Justice Cavanaugh or Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett, both with impeccable character, unprecedented credentials, professional ethics and incredible evidence of lives well lived! There is a partisan blindness creating a devastating void in reliable, statesmanship and leadership at a time when the country is in desperate need. The most recent presidential debate was childish, annoying and a significant insult to anyone with an ounce of intelligence.

In the attempt to be part of the solution, let’s offer a suggestion for the format and questions to be asked at the next debate. The recommendation is simple, historical and seeks real answers to questions facing the American people.

First, the rules: Six questions based on the Preamble to the United States Constitution will be asked and each candidate will have three minutes to answer the question. The opponent will have a one minute rebuttal to each answer. Talking out of turn or longer than the allotted time will result in the offender’s microphone and camera to be shut down. Repeated violations will be penalized by removing one minute of rebuttal time per violation. If the obnoxious behavior persists, penalty minutes will be removed from question answer times or even removal from the room entirely. The panel of four to five judges enforcing these rules need to be experienced Junior High or Middle School teachers since they are skilled at dealing with the type of behavior that seems to surface at these events. The media and college professors need to be kept out of the debate moderation role in favor of experienced, down-to-Earth, nonpartisan secondary and middle school educators.

Second, the content of the six questions will simply be drawn from the Preamble to the United States Constitution since this is the document a newly elected President must swear to defend and protect. After reading, or quoting from memory, the Preamble, the moderator with take each objective and turn it into a question.

Question #1: The first line of the Preamble begins, “We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union …” and so the first question: “What will you do as President of the United States through policy and leadership to form a more perfect Union?

Question #2: The Preamble continues, “establish Justice.” So, please define justice and tell us what you would do as President of the United States to establish justice?

Question #3: The document proceeds, “insure domestic tranquility.” What will you do in leadership and policy as President to insure domestic tranquility throughout these United States?

Question #4: Next, the Preamble turns to say “provide for the common defense.” What will your leadership and policies do to provide for the common defense at our borders and internationally?

Question #5: Since the introduction to the Constitution continues “promote the general welfare.” What will you do as President of the United States to promote the general welfare of all Americans?

Question #6: The last goal of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution seeks to “secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.” Define liberty and tell us what your administration will do to secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and posterity?

Since the six questions allow three minute answers and one minute of rebuttal, the total speaking time will be limited to a maximum of twenty-four minutes. This is more than the time allowed for TED Talk speakers and should be enough to demonstrate both content and suitability for the highest office in the land. Our distinguished panel of educators may allow for a one minute concluding statement addressing the candidate’s understanding of “We the People” and the United State Constitution.

It is imperative that We the People as one nation under God insist on an end to the irrational, infantile contemptuous name and blame game in favor of the integrity and courage of true leadership which apparently at this point in history neither American political party has been able to produce.