To the editor: 

There are four political parties with candidates for president – Green and Libertarian as well as Republican and Democrat. It’s important that all of them be heard.

The presidential debates should include all candidates who are on enough ballots to be able to win the presidency, including Jill Stein, Green Party candidate, and Libertarian Gary Johnson, as well as Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump.

The Commission on Presidential Debates, which is actually a corporation controlled by the Democratic and Republican parties, stifles democracy by locking out all other candidates from the debates.

Trump and Clinton should follow the example of Ronald Reagan, who insisted in 1980 that independent candidate John Anderson be included in debates. When President Carter refused, Reagan debated Anderson without Carter.

The presidential debates are the most important events in our election process. We can’t have real democracy without a free exchange of ideas and an informed public.

~ Ellen Thomas, Tryon, N.C.