Letters to the Editor: Republicans don't want to debate? Fine, just host the Democrats

To the editor: Over my 50 years of voting, I have found presidential debates to be valuable forums for comparing and contrasting the views of the candidates. Therefore I feel the debates must continue, even though the Republican National Committee has said it will tell its candidates not to participate in events sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates.

Although these forums would be less compelling and less informative, I support a format where the Democratic candidate would stand across the stage from an empty podium and answer questions for an hour or so.

Richard Shafarman, Santa Clarita

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To the editor: The news of the COVID-19 pandemic is scary; the news of the Republican attempt to subvert democracy is terrifying.

Their systematic approach to dismantling the democratic principles of our country is very similar to what happened in Germany leading up to the rise of the Third Reich. They are not protecting voter rights, making it extremely difficult for some people to be vote, calling any election they don't win dishonest or fake, denying the insurgency of Jan. 6 and refusing to find out all the details — and now, forbidding debates.

Our elected officials are sworn to uphold the Constitution. Republicans seem intent on doing away with the democratic institutions set up by those who came before us.

Fran Gale, Laguna Niguel

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.