Form and Content

In graduate school research and paper writing, it was popular to distinguish between form (the outer, hollow, meaningless shell) and content (substance, meaning, significance, purposeful). The Presidential debate October 3 was an exercise in form and content. There was a lot of the former, and little to none of the latter. Rommey was aggressive and commanding. Obama was absent. Neither said anything that had not been said a thousand times before. Neither articulated a clear and compelling vision for the future. Unfortunately, my suspicion is that, given the dearth of critical thinking in this country, people will succomb to whichever "form" fits their preconceptions, tune out to what the other candidate says, and continue down the road of mindless submission to the ideology of choice. The American people deserve more than platitudes from candidates and uncritical analysis from talking heads on the networks.
There is a clear distinction (it has been clear for some time) between a philosophy of smaller government and one of appropriate, efficient larger government. Let's hear the cases substantiated. There is a clear distinction between selfish, individual, libertarian values and values that put others and their needs first and structures policies on that basis. Let's hear that debate. There is a different between anti-intellectual closed mindedness with failed economic policies and an openness to potential with a reception of proved data and an objective search for policies that will benefit everyone.
Candidates, whichever side of the aisle you represent, will you PLEASE tell the truth!