"The COD will protest the Vice-Presidential Debate in Danville if third party candidates are excluded."

The Coalition for Opening the Debates is an alliance of progressive citizens who feel that third party candidates must be included in all national debates, because of the importance of their ideas in the national dialogue.

We feel that the two-party political system has been corporatized and controlled by a select group of moneyed interests who prevent any challenge to their hold on power.

The Commission on Presidential Debates in comprised of three Republicans and three Democrats and co-chaired by former heads of the RNC and DNC. Obviously, the Commission cannot be impartial, and should not be able to determine the inclusion or exclusion of candidates.

The Commission has chosen an arbitrary threshold of 15% to determine inclusion in debates. With this threshold, only one third party candidate in American history would have been included. This barrier is an impediment to democracy and a filter of views that may be contrary to the two controlling parties.

Therefore, the Coalition for Opening the Debates will protest the Vice-Presidential Debate in Danville, KY at Centre College if third party candidates are excluded from participation.

We will protest legally, though we plan on our message being heard. Our protest is directed toward neither Danville or Centre College, but directly takes aim at the Commission on Presidential Debates and the corporate parties they represent.

We neither endorse nor decry any peaceful, nonviolent civil disobedience on the day of the debates.

We invite all Americans to join us in Danville, KY on October 5 to raise awareness of the exclusion of viable options in the upcoming election.

The day will be filled with demonstrations, marches, and opportunities to raise awareness of issues disregarded by the two-party duopoly.

We plan to raise issues such as: Corporate control of government, campaign finance reform, the death penalty (supported by both Bush and Gore), the failed drug war, environmental protection, the prison industrial complex.

Join us on October 5 as we fight for democracy against entrenched, exclusive power.

Important event information

Official event web site

Maps to Centre College, Danville, Kentucky

LaDuke not invited, but plans to attend.

As of this writing, Green Party vice-presidential candidate Winona LaDuke has not been invited to participate in the debate scheduled for October 5th at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. Winona LaDuke has stated she intends to be in Danville to join in the protest.

The Constitution Party's VP candidate (Joseph Sobran), the Libertarian Party's VP candidate (Art Olivier) and the Green Party's VP candidate (Winona LaDuke) all plan to be in Danville to protest their exclusion.

COD plans to protest, educate public

The Coalition for Opening the Debates will hold teach-ins to inform activists and the public about how the debates are closed to third party candidates and the issues they represent.

We also plan to host civil disobedience workshops for any activists who wish to engage in peaceful direct action, though such actions are apart from the official itinerary of the COD.

An array of progressive groups will be in attendance, all of which will work to inform the public of issues being left out of the official debates.

What you can do to help

Spread the word!
Pass this link on to as many people as humanly possible. Inform progressive organizations. Contact speakers who may be interested in addressing an audience of informed protesters.

Help organize!
Contact codpower@hotmail.com to help. We need coalition contacts from every segment of the progressive movement, so your help is a must. We need people who can build puppets, coordinate events, get media attention, and just bring people to Danville.

Solidarity!