The CNN/Youtube Democratic debate was horrible because a) almost all the videos submitted were incredibly weak, and b) CNN chose the weakest of the bunch. Rather than forcing those who want to be president of the U.S. to defend their policies, the candidates got off easy and were for the most part simply able to launch into their stump speeches.

This problem will continue in one form or another as long as CNN or another biased group is the gatekeeper.

The better way to choose the videos is to ask known quantities (such as bloggers and pundits who have reputations they would presumably want to protect) to rate the videos on their difficulty vs. their triviality or generality. Then, the most difficult videos would be selected.

Each individual rating would be made public. That way, those rating the videos could be held accountable for their selections. If they rate something incorrectly or refuse to rate some videos, they would hopefully face a hit to their credibility. Those rating the videos could also indicate whether they think the statements made on a video are inaccurate; that would be made public as well, and the videomaker and others could reply...

Continued here.

I can put a site like this together, but I need some backing to fund the development and, more importantly, the promotion.

Why is Senator Ted Kennedy supporting sweatshops? Consider the first paragraph of the editorial "Families pay the price for failed system" by the Senator (link) about a Massachusetts company that was the target of an immigration raid by ICE last week:

All over New Bedford on Tuesday, hundreds of women and men woke up, kissed their children goodbye and left for another day of work at Michael Bianco Inc. They knew it would be a grueling day because there was no other kind of day in the sweatshop-like conditions of the factory. But they were willing to work hard and without complaint because they believed in the American Dream, in which hard work creates a hope for a better life - if not for them, then for their children...

Stripped of its intended emotional impact, he's promoting working in a sweatshop and saying that it leads to the American Dream. One might have seen similar articles 200 years ago promoting indentured servitude.

It was lax enforcement of the last amnesty that made it possible for companies to exploit illegal aliens, and now Kennedy is opposing enforcement of our laws and promoting his own latest amnesty which will apparently have even weaker enforcement provisions that his 2006 version (McCain-Kennedy). And, if passed, his bill would be seen as an amnesty by millions of people around the world, many of whom will come here illegally in order to take part in the next amnesty.

And, as long as there are illegal aliens in the U.S there will be people willing to exploit them, as well as politicians who oppose the enforcement of our laws.

Not only is Teddy Kennedy supporting sweatshops now, he's setting the stage for many more sweatshops in the future. Why?