Debating the Debates: 2016 Election

Many Americans have been watching the 2016 Presidential Election so far with reactions along the lines of this:

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Or this:

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Or this:

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There have been many ups and downs over the past year. We've heard incredibly negative rhetoric from all sides, at all times. We've seen the two debates we've gritted our teeth through so far both devolve into shouting matches between two third graders on the playground who just can't seem to get along. I'm sure that I am not alone in wondering; "How did it come to this?"

Of course in politics we can expect the usual disagreements, arguments, and harsh words between opposing sides. But when did it become normal to constantly talk over one's opponent during a debate when it was not your turn to talk? When did it become normal to attack your opponent for problems they were not responsible for creating? When did it become normal to be so hyper-focused on tearing down your opponent that your answer to a question from an American citizen amounts to little more than a temper-tantrum and another round of the blame game? When did it become normal to ignore the seriousness of one's past words or actions and brush them off as "joking around" or "locker-room talk"? Since when are the actions, words, and behaviors of the candidates for the President of the United States not taken seriously, in all points of their lives, past or present?

Along with whatever this weird clown hysteria is spreading over the country, it seems like this year the election has turned into a very dark circus. What is perhaps most disheartening for me to see, is the lack of respect that the candidates show towards the concerned Americans and their questions. To use a question or prompt as an opportunity to rip into your opponent and attack or criticize them is no new tactic in American politics or debate strategy- but it gets very tiresome when this is almost the only tactic being used in Presidential debates, and it gets very frustrating as well when the tactic is used to avoid answering some of the tougher questions.

What I'd like to see from the third and final Presidential debate of the 2016 election is for both sides to take it as seriously as possible. We did not come or tune in to hear them make fun of each other, change the subject, or ignore the questions and issues that we face today. We have grown tired of the mindless negativity of this election, and want to hear what each candidate has to say about the questions and issues that we are concerned about. We're not voting on who has the best insults or threats for their opponent, after all.