No you misunderstood my point. The fringe candidates are the only ones that actually coax out real answers from the major candidates. The game has changed. It used to be (the whole thing is really modern, but whatever) the host asked tough questions, and the candidates responded. Now the hosts ask soft balls and all you get are prepared statements.

But the fringe idiot candidates can basically yell and scream at the other candidates and push them to say or not say something on record. And if enough audience/national-viewers hear the question and want the answer, the candidate has to put out a statement. From that you’ll learn just how meaningless it is or not.

And that’s where a lot of these special interest deals are forged. The major candidate agrees to give up a very small concession that may be of importance to a few fringe voters and overall meaningless to their campaign, and gets those voters. But if nobody presses them on the issue, they give up nothing and they still get the votes. It’s better to have some balances in there for a 2 party winner takes all system. It’s the only parliamentary part of the process. Forming a coalition before election.