This “debate” is stage-managed production. Only the pain this tried rite inflicted prevented sleeping through the hypocrisy and deceit.

The whole event was orchestrated and vetted. It is designed to conceal truth and chloroform the public. No ‘give and take’ with real people occurred. No discussion or substance was permitted. Hand-picked voters gave written questions to the moderator, who then decided which would speak, and even that was rehearsed. The microphones were silenced as soon as the question was asked.

Both candidates claimed the largely vanished “middle class” while concealing plans being framed now to cut social programs drastically. Governor Romney cited the growth of poverty and unemployment as talking points. President Obama ignored them. The point of this fraud was to craft an illusion of real differences where none exist. Indeed the election merely serves to decide which tactics will be used to implement the same, agreed-upon policy.

The tone was set by the first question: a 20-year-old college student wanted to know if he would be able to support himself. Governor Romney said that he knows what it takes to create jobs. President Obama said, ‘your future is bright.’ Neither gave specifics, unless that was covered by the fact that the million jobs President Obama saved were bought with the brutal cuts in wages and benefits he imposed on the workers. Neither candidate could offer any policy addressing the disastrous situation facing youths and students.

Crowley asked about the plight of the 40% of unemployed people without a job for more than 6 months. Neither mentioned February’s bipartisan bill slashing the duration of jobless benefits. Neither mentioned their plans to end extended unemployment benefits altogether on January 1.

What courage from both!

Both agreed on the attack on immigrants, on opening public lands to energy corporations, on corporate tax cuts, on war abroad, and on reform [privatization] of public education.

The key moment came when President Obama summed his ‘vision’ for America, nay-saying government job programs, and delivered his standard benediction to capitalism: ‘I believe that the free enterprise system is the greatest engine of prosperity the world’s ever known.’

This, the media predictably presented as a conflict between drastically differing visions of society.

Fraud all!