See for yourself:

Go watch the 1992 presidential debate. Ross Perot stood on that stage with two free traders -- Bill Clinton and George HW Bush -- and warned Americans of exactly what NAFTA would do to their jobs. It was very prescient. Yet he was the one the media depicted as a crazy crackpot.

Was this also not the last time that the GOP and Dem's agreed to allow a 3rd party to debate? Since then they've conspired to not allow a 3rd party in any Presidential debate.

Perot was too high in the polls to exclude. He was over 20% and I think even higher. But it also illustrates that the only real way a third-party candidate can become viable is if it's led by a billionaire who self-funds.

take the journey

@Cernovich I watched these debates and voted for Perot in 1992. I was 32 years old and didn’t tell a soul who I voted for, not even my parents, they were Bush voters. Perot made too much sense for me to deny.

Bill's ears perked up at "giant sucking sound."

Well, we can see in the debate the exact moment that the idea takes hold, and @MonicaLewinsky's eventual fate was sealed.

Where do I get my "Perot was right" t-shirt?

Dam...we were so close. If twitter was around during this debate we could have saved ourselves.

Ross Perot's 1992 warning about the "giant sucking sound" of jobs leaving the US proved prescient, with 700,000 manufacturing jobs lost as industries moved to Mexico for cheaper labor under NAFTA, benefiting some but hitting blue-collar communities and the middle class hard. Bill Clinton, NAFTA's champion, also signed the U.S.-China Relations Act in 2000, enabling China's 2001 WTO entry, costing the US over 2 million manufacturing jobs as Chinese imports surged on 0% tariffs, further harming workers, the middle class, and corporations' long-term viability with ever longer and more brittle global supply chains. By underestimating these trade deals' impact, Clinton prioritized short-term corporate profits over American livelihoods and security. Despite his eloquence and empathy, the 1992 election winner set an agenda overlooking the American people he served, with lasting effects. In 2008, another eloquent, empathic candidate emerged to finish Clinton's project. Yes, we can.

Too bad American presidential "debates " don't have that variety of political and economic thought on display. He was right of course although he was a "spoiler " in the election and got Clinton elected.

After voting for Bill Clinton and seeing that everything Ross Perrot said would happen, did happen... I became an Independent and never trust politicians or the media again. A real turning point!