Ross: Even-handed enforcement gets results
Oct 23, 2020, 6:29 AM | Updated: 9:13 am
A broadcast of the final debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden plays in the shuttered indoor bar area at The Abbey, which remains open with socially distanced outdoor seating, on Oct. 22, 2020 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Last night’s presidential debate had the EXACT same rules as the previous debate, but because of the chaos last time, the debate commission had an idea:
“And what we thought we would do, we’d just enforce what they had agreed to,” said Frank Fahrenkopf.
And it worked. Only once was the mic was cut off while someone was speaking:
“We have done an incredible job on health care and we … OK,” Trump said.
That was it. And we got a great debate.
For example, on the health care topic:
Biden’s priority is to make health insurance a right – regardless of the cost to make that happen:
“It’s gonna cost over $750 billion over 10 years to do it.”
Trump’s priority is to protect Americans from socialism:
“He’s talking about destroying your Medicare, total destr- … and destroying your Social Security. And this whole country will come down.”
It was lively, you could understand them, and what that tells me is when you enforce the rules, you end up NOT HAVING to enforce the rules as much, because when people know you’re serious ABOUT enforcing the rules they will enforce the rules ON THEMSELVES.
This is an age-old lesson. You always HOPE for voluntary compliance, but the way you get results is even-handed enforcement. And when you do it right:
“By the way so far, I respect very much the way you’re handling this, I have to say …” Trump said.
Even the enforcees will respect you.
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