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Debatable Senate Debate: Candidate left out calls it a 'sham'

MORAGA - The U.S. Senate debate Wednesday night between incumbent Rep. Barbara Boxer, a democrat, and Carly Fiorina, a republican, is nothing but a "sham" said Duane Roberts, the Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate today.

Roberts, who has proposed a debate among all qualified candidates, said he and other independent, smaller-party candidates were not invited to the debate at St. Mary's college Wednesday.

**Laura Wells, Green Party gubernatorial candidate who's been banned from the Governor Debates, will join other pro-Democracy demonstrators protesting the closed debate.

"This is a sham debate between two multi-millionaires backed by big business interests. I doubt they are going to say much of anything about matters that affect a majority of working people here in California," said Roberts ( www.voteforduane.wordpress.com)

"What are Boxer and Fiorina going to talk about? They agree with each other on many issues. They represent what voters are rejecting. To elect either one will just mean more of the bad government people don't want," he added.

Roberts, a community activist from Anaheim, said his views are populist and independent of the special interests that dominate today's politics and politicians. And that's why he is being excluded from the debates - to ensure voters don't know there is a candidate who represents their views, not corporations.

Roberts is critical of both parties on everything ranging from the wars in the Middle East to healthcare, noting: "The healthcare reform bill profits Wall Street billionaires who control health insurance companies. Driving private insurers out of business would save billions of dollars and guarantee everyone has access to high quality healthcare."

He also said he would put education as his priority, something politicians also say, but can't afford because they are voting billions of dollars to multiple wars.