By Matt Mcdermott, Source: TreeHugger

Another example of the tragically constrained nature of current US politics: There’s a debate planned for opposition candidates from the Constitution Party, the Green Party, the Justice Party, and the Libertarian Party, moderated by Larry King, and yet mainstream broadcast television in the US wants no part of it.

The debate between Jill Stein (Green), Gary Johnson (Libertarian), Virgil Goode (Constitution), and Rocky Anderson (Justice), organized by Free and Equal, will be viewable live on Ora TV and You Tube, October 23rd at 9pm ET. It will also be broadcast on Al Jazeera.

Under the contracts for the Dem-Rep debates, Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are prohibited from debating candidates from other parties.

Viewers will be able to submit questions (here on the Free and Equal website) beforehand, or can submit them via Twitter using the hashtag #AskEmThisLarry.

As I said when commenting on the arrest of Jill Stein outside of the last debate between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, the narrow philosophical differences on most if certainly not all issues between the Democrats and Republicans, and the constrained policy decisions on environmental issues this brings about, is truly exemplified in the state managed nature of the debates.

Outside views, to both the left, right and center are excluded, limiting the breadth of what can be discussed, what viewpoints are considered.

It’s not good for politics and its not good for the environment.