Debate Schmebate

Turns out ignorance truly is bliss (albeit the type of bliss likely to result in unpleasant long-term consequences; the hangover following an ignorance binge is a lot worse than the hangover after an alcoholic one).

I personally have paid little attention to the news these past couple of weeks -- not due to any deliberate news blackout, it's just that job-related stuff kept me busier than usual, and since I decided months ago to vote for Gary Johnson, I ignored the Robama/Obamney debates completely. And I feel great, same way I feel great when I get dressed in the morning without dumping half a can of itching powder into my underwear first.

Of course, this analogy fails because neither Obama nor Romney have any interest in forcing me to pour itching powder in my undies; they only demand I accept skeevy TSAgents rooting around down there, whichever one gets elected.

There's another presidential debate being held in Chicago tonight (Larry King's hosting a discussion between Johnson and three other third-party candidates) which I wrote about for the Daily Dot, so to write the followup I might end up watching a presidential debate after all. But only because I'm getting paid, dammit.

Tonight's debate is being streamed live on the YouTube channels of various foreign news services, including Al Jazeera English and Russia Today. As its name suggests, Russia Today is staffed primarily by Russians, many of whom are old enough to remember when their country was the Soviet Union, famed for its distinct lack of political freedom or real choice in government. I wonder if they appreciated the irony, those Russia Today staffers, when they wrote about the debate on their English-language website:

In response to widespread blackout from both the mainstream media and political establishment alike, RT is honored to be presenting a platform for the major third-party candidates also vying for the White House this election year to debate.