Commission co-chairman Frank Fahrenkopf told the Washington Post earlier this year that negotiations with the RNC had broken down because it “wanted to control things we aren’t prepared to let them control.”

No one believes that it will be easy to formulate a new debate framework. Republicans will no doubt anger the corporate media by declaring that many of its prominent members are too biased to moderate. Democrats will no doubt continue to insist that Fox News’ participation be limited — they already refuse to have any primary debates on Fox News.

But after 35 years of the commission’s glacier-like grip on debates, it’s time to have a thaw and welcome new ideas and new players. With more than two years to go before the next set of general-election debates, we have time to sort it out. Let the debate over the debates begin.