Okay, I went to the dictionary. The synonyms for the word debate in the noun format are argument, controversy, disputation, contention. I guess I am way off, then, in saying that the recent “no rules” debates held on CNN are not what they should be.

I delved further looking to see why I always thought debates needed rules. My thoughts did not come just from the feelings that I thought the “debates” I had seen lately were disasters. I can watch adults argue at work or kids argue in my kitchen. I don’t need to watch television for that and I definitely don’t need to watch a political debate for that.

Seems competitive debates are for high schools and colleges. These involve rules and judges. This does not necessarily mean that political debates need rules. It would be nice, though.