Which is More Effective for Political Campaigns: Debates or Town Meetings?

"Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them." Paul Valery (1871-1945) French Critic and Poet

Town meetings have been as American as apple pie. It was where many people gathered to let the politicians, that they themselves elected into office, know about where they stood on issues that were of a concern to the town as a whole. Politicians listened way back then, but now the only thing that they seem to hear is themselves or other politicians. They make the decisions on what "We the people" are going to do.

Politicians have found that by holding debates, the questions can be hand picked and asked of the politician. The politician tells the debate organizer what questions that they'd be willing to answer. Basically, a done deal. They don't want to be broadsided by a question or an issue that they have no idea of or that was never intended to be discussed among the citizens in the first place.

Town meetings need to be brought back. Politicians need to understand or at least remember just a little of the basic American history, on what this Country was founded on. We spoke out and were heard. We all worked together as one entity in bringing this Country under one loud voice. We picked that one voice to represent us...."The People", that voted the politician into office.

It's either the type of town meeting that I am talking about has become a thing of the past or the type of politician that I am thinking of has become a thing of the past.