However it is accomplished, the numbers of participants need to be reduced to have meaningful conversation with all the top-tier contenders. That’s not the only thing that needs to change. I’d suggest some other adjustments.

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First, no question that has been asked before should be asked again. Moderators have run the Medicare-for-all vs. public option argument into the ground, yet neglected education, debt, Russia, the courts, jobs, Iran, civil rights and a slew of other topics.

Second, moderators should be able to turn candidates’ microphones on and off. No interruptions. No cross talk. No going wildly over time. Period. Let people talk and then enter an orderly queue for responses, comments, etc.

Third, the debates need fewer questions and longer answers, while also not running longer than two hours. (No normal viewer can handle much more than that.) Eliminate open and closing statements and do one topic per 30 minutes, for a total of four subjects. The candidates should be compelled to talk at length on major topics so we can assess what they think, how they reason and what they know. Imagine a debate with four questions only (with needed follow-ups):

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What legal or constitutional changes do we need post-Trump to protect our democracy?

How would you increase American productivity?

What would be your policy toward Russia?

What, if anything would you do about the debt?

Longer segments are more likely to force the candidates off soundbites and require them to think more substantively about critical issues. Certainly, in the context of the debt, for example, entitlement programs and taxes could be addressed. In the productivity discussion everything from job training to infrastructure to K-12 education would be fair game.

Fourth, let the candidates ask some follow-up questions of one another. (Each one gets one question for one other candidate.) Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) could ask Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) why a store manager with no college degree should be paying taxes to subsidize wealthy kids’ college education. South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg could ask Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) how she will get rid of the filibuster when all Republican senators and several Democrats oppose such a move.

The debates have become Kabuki performances that do not assist voters to make informed decisions or candidates to demonstrate the depth of their knowledge and preparedness. They haven’t changed many voters’ minds because they are currently designed to create conflict, reward zingers and reinforce trite narratives. Frankly, as the debates are currently constituted, candidates should not have to spend this much time on these useless or even counterproductive exercises. If the DNC cannot figure out how to improve the debates, they should dump them.