Debates Update

Michael Barone proposes letting Republicans and Democrats mix it up in the primaries with two-party debates. Since Republican debaters spend half their time attacking Hillary Clinton anyway, this is surely a good idea (at least once the early primaries weed out a few candidates). The combination of our new super-long election cycle plus legitimate political differences in this country makes for a weird dynamic - much policy debate, but confined within certain taken-for-granted boundaries (in the Dem debates every participant wants to leave Iraq, and the question is merely over the time and method; in the Republican debates everyone wants to get tough with Iran, and the question is only who will be most tough).

Since the next President will almost certainly not have a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, and since the liberal/conservative and centrist wings of both parties often clash in any case, moving forward on the most important issues - Iraq, health care, detainees - will inevitably involve compromise. To find those compromises, we should start comparing the views of each side now, rather than waiting until basically two-thirds through the election cycle.

Put differently, I would much rather hear a debate between Republicans and Democrats over how much government should intervene in the health care market (and how we should pay for that intervention) than a debate between two Democrats over the role of mandates in securing universal coverage. I would rather hear John Edwards attack Republicans for preferring tax breaks for millionaires over coverage for 48 million uninsured than hear him attack Barack Obama for a plan that only achieves near-universal coverage. When Mitt Romney ludicrously proposes to "double Guantanamo", having Democrats present to respond will enliven the debate, whereas now John McCain simply seethes in silence.

There are some issues - e.g. abortion - in which even bipartisan debate will probably not change anyone's mind. But anyone with faith with progressive ideas should welcome clash with conservatives as early and often as possible. The case for raising taxes on the rich to fund universal health care, for engaging in diplomacy with hostile countries, and for respecting basic human rights of detainees is already persuasive to Democratic primary voters. Forcing these ideas to engage the conservative counter-punch early on can strengthen their appeal to independents and moderate Republicans as well.