This is something new. Two rightwing, pro-voucher advocacy groups are sponsoring a debate on August 19 among Republican hopefuls in Londonderry, Néw Hampshire.
In the past, presidential debates have been sponsored by the League of Women Voters or national television channels. This debate, however, is sponsored by two organizations–Campbell Brown’s “The 74” and Betsy DeVos’s American Federation for Children–that promote charters and vouchers and oppose teachers unions and tenure.
This would be like holding a debate sponsored by the National Rifle Association, the tobacco industry, or advocates for abortion.
The audience will hear plenty about “our failing schools” but they are not likely to hear that test scores on NAEP are at their highest point ever, as are graduation rates. Or that dropout rates are the lowest ever. Prepare to hear the sponsors rattle on about how terrible our schools are, how lazy and greedy our teacher are, and why…
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Crazy Normal - the Classroom Exposé 
Jon Awbrey
August 7, 2015 at 20:04
As I commented on Diane’s post, these are not debates but focus groups, designed to test ad copy on target audiences.
Lloyd Lofthouse
August 7, 2015 at 20:27
Makes sense, but there will be viewers who will tune in and not get it. They will believe everything they hear as if it is gospel because they have been hearing it for so long it has to be true. After all, we live in the United States and according to Gallup, almost half of Americans think that humans were created by God 10,000 years ago in one day.
Jon Awbrey
August 7, 2015 at 20:46
We must regain our ability to laugh at laughingstocks. I watch the MSM, even PBS, making laughingstocks of themselves by straining to report the antics of these clowns with a straight face, and all it does is desensitize their audience to absurdity, lies, and hate.
Lloyd Lofthouse
August 8, 2015 at 08:05
I don’t think these media clowns struggle to keep a straight face. Psychopaths have no trouble lying with a straight face to manipulate and fool others to get what they want, and journalists are listed as #6 for the top ten professions with the most psychopaths in them. At least, that’s what Forbes reported in the Top 10 Jobs That Attract Psychopaths.
“It’s important to note that a psychopathic person isn’t necessarily one that is set out to kill others (even though you might feel as such on a Wednesday afternoon in the office.) In reality, psychopaths merely – and typically – just lack emotions and empathy, or the ability to identify with others. Dutton has said that ‘a number of psychopathic attributes [are] actually more common in business leaders than in so-called disturbed criminals — attributes such as superficial charm, egocentricity, persuasiveness, lack of empathy, independence, and focus.'”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2013/01/05/the-top-10-jobs-that-attract-psychopaths/