It's the issues, stupid.

As this election moves forward, I have yet to see proper debate.  Rather than the candidates burning through obscene amounts of money touring the country and slinging mud at each other, I would really have liked the whole run-up to the election to be a series of debates.  I would have liked to see the candidates battle it out verbally in debates where they are forced to keep it about the issues.

In these times where many are struggling to keep the roof over their head;  because of storms sweeping the coasts or the storms on Wall Street; I think it is obscene that the candidates spend their time making speeches and slinging mud at each other.  Rather than giving the voters a chance to understand what the candidates plan to do, if elected, the voters are subject to marketing.

The most important presidency in the world is decided by how successful the respective candidates marketing campaigns are.

The CIA World Factbook states that the United States have a "strong democratic tradition". How can thee be democracy when there is no debate?  How can there be democracy when the voters are not invited to understand the issues and the proposed solutions?