In a mockery of democracy, candidates for president who are not major political party nominees were prohibited by the Commission on Presidential Debates from being part of the debates.

The commission, a conglomerate of corporations and wealthy media moguls, has set the bar so high for participation – 15 percent in the polls – that very few parties and candidates other than the D’s and R’s will ever make the cut. This is blatantly done to protect the Democrats and Republicans from being challenged by opposing views. The D’s and R’s get their campaign money from the same places, and those in power really do not care very much which of the candidates wins because both are likely to pander to their supporting corporate and financial powers.

Cynthia McKinney, former U.S. representative to Congress from Georgia and presidential nominee for the Green Party of the United States, is campaigning across the country and will be on the ballot in more than 30 states, including Maine. Green parties in these states and elsewhere are active and garnering public support. To exclude candidates like McKinney is prohibitive in the extreme. Let’s work to include third party candidates and independents in the national election debates. Our country would be better off for their exposure.

Nancy Allen

Brooksville