A lot of us watched the Presidential and Vice Presidential debates over the last few weeks. A lot of us also watched shaking our heads at the depths to which the discussion had gone. In a country that has some of the freest and most enlightened thinkers, the folks running for president are endlessly debating, in a vicious circle, who lied about what. This doesn't even rise to the level of "fair fighting," this is just fighting at a new low in presidential politics.

As someone who went to fight overseas as a US Marine, I've seen what it does to people, and it isn't pretty or uplifting. At points in my life I've had to fight and I'm sure I'll fight again but it is a method that falls low on my list. Let's instead compete. A competition of ideas.  It is fair to point out a flaw in someone's argument and counter with the benefits of your ideas, as long as it's factual, but compete instead of fighting.

In my experience, when someone uses underhanded tactics of "war" to "win," their argument and logic isn't sound. They couldn't compete with a better idea so were forced to take the low way out by fighting.

I have known Kathleen Meil for a few years now and know that she has intellect enough to craft a well rounded argument for competition. I would put myself in that same category. We will be competing in a debate for Representative of Maine House District 94 twice before the November 8th election. Both debates will be live streamed online. The first is Oct. 20th, 6 p.m. in the basement of the Rockport Opera House (http://livestream.com/rockportmaine). The second will be Oct. 26th, 6:30 p.m. at the Washington Street Conference Room in Camden (http://townhallstreams.com/locations/camden-me).

So come on out! Watch some heavy thinkers showcase their ideas in a competitive forum that is void of personal attacks, systematic lying, and degrading of sectors of our great Nation. I'll try my best to steer the conversation not Left, or Right, but Forward. 

Paid for and Authorized by Owen Casas.