Too few debates

I have been looking forward to hearing, seeing and questioning our two candidates for the 26th District.

The primary associated events sponsored by California Lutheran University, The Star and others were most illuminating. So, I need to express my deep disappointment that the candidates only agreed to one event leading up to the November election with a rather closely held attendance, saturated servers making webcasts unavailable and a fairly noisy FM radio link allowing (barely) a listen to the lively and worthwhile discussion.

To my mind this shows a disdain for the very constituents the candidates so loudly claimed were their greatest concern. Why will there be no more such events, where give and take and further engagement with the voters are encouraged?

Surely, the candidates don't believe the mailbox stuffers and distorted TV ads provide any value for thoughtful voting decisions. Whoever emerges from this as our representative should bear in mind that 25 months from now they will be asking for our vote again with the high likelihood that the 113th Congress will do an even worse job than the disaster of the 112th Congress.

That will be a burden our representative will have to face us with, and now we will add the perceived reluctance to engage in.

- Michael J Sander,

Thousand Oaks