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PoliticsOctober 10, 2016

Moon landing: fake or real? And other public-submitted questions for Hillary and Donald

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For the second presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the American people of the internet have been asked to submit their own ideas for questions. Toby Manhire goes in search of some of the best

America is all about its ‘of the people, by the people, for the people’ ethos, and when Abraham Lincoln thought that one up he almost certainly had in mind the potential for the internet to crowdsource questions for presidential debates.

That vision has been realised thanks to the Open Debate Coalition, which has successfully arranged for the second presidential debate, a “town hall”-style affair on Sunday (Monday, NZ time), to involve questions posed via its website.

whatwouldyouask

Users can then vote in support of particular questions, with “Would you support requiring criminal background checks for all gun sales?” currently leading the pack, backed by more than 35,000 people and counting. That’s a good one, they should definitely ask that, but there are a bunch of other good ones, too, languishing with rather fewer user votes, and we hope they get asked, too.

Here are 20 of them:

1.

presqu11

Terrific wall-based question, Jared! This really would be good to ask.

2.presqu9

Only two votes so far for Tiffany’s moral dilemma (no, me neither) but this clearly needs to be put to the would-be free-world leaders.

3.

will you hit the nuclear button on impact and blame votersYidong may have been reading too many Marvel comics, but on the other hand this could catch Trump out.

4.

presqu12

Good thinking, Michael: instead of a debate, just read out the URLs of your websites and then fuck off.

5.

presqu1

Yes or no.

The future President Trump (artist's impression)
The future President Trump (artist’s impression)

6.

presqu2 Best dinner party eva.

7.presqu3

The government doesn’t like people posing questions about its legislative assaults on freedom, and it’s pretty clear that in this instance they got to him before he could finish. RIP Gary.

8.presqu23

Countries such as New Zealand and The Vatican have been plagued with violent Islamic rule, so it’s little wonder that Geraldo wants to know what you plan to do about it.

9.

presqu6

The anti-Godwin.

10.

presqu7

True, the American education system could use some work.

11.

presqu8

U OK, Ross?

12.    presqu13

And get the Mexicans to pay for it.

13.presqu14

Actually this could be a genuinely good one. Thanks again, Tiffany S.

14.  presqu16

Especially keen to hear Mr Trump’s thoughts on this.

15.

ghostbusters controversy trump clinton

Especially keen to hear Mr Trump’s thoughts on this, too.

As president, what will you do about female comedians in jumpsuits?
As president, what will you do about female comedians in jumpsuits?

16.

is globalm warming a conspiracy by israelDon’t just tell Hotman, tell us all.

17.

presqu18

Oui, quel est-ce?

18.

presqu19 Kinda meta but chuck this at the candidates and see how they get on.

19.

how big is your stash

Strange when you think about it that “How big is your stash?” hasn’t been asked in a presidential debate before. Thanks, Bob!

20.

presqu20

Keep going!