Each week journalists Leah Fleming and Charles Richardson of the "Telegraph" get together to talk about issues on the minds of Middle Georgians. Scroll down to watch the video discussion.

Hot Topic #1:

Throughout this election season voters have been treated to numerous spirited debates between the candidates in several races. The races have been high-tech with social media components. But how do they compare to the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858? The Lincoln–Douglas Debates of 1858 were a series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate for the Senate in Illinois, and Senator Stephen Douglas, the Democratic Party candidate. During those debates, thousands gathered to watch an event where one candidate spoke for 60 minutes, followed by the next candidate speaking for 90 minutes. That was then followed by the first candidate rebutting for 30 minutes. None of the debates used microphones so viewers had to strain to hear. What was even more spectacular about those debates is that viewers could not even vote. At the time, U.S. senators were elected by state legislatures. Fast forward to 2014, says Charles Richardson, editorial page editor of the "Telegraph". “Voting has become so commonplace that we’ve forgotten why we do it. It’s not about attack ads or nice weather on November 4th. These people in 1858 were interested in what their government representatives would do, even those they couldn’t vote for.”

Hot Topic #2:

Ebola has been on the minds of many Americans as another case of the disease turned up in New York. Richardson attended a recent event at Fort Valley State University where Ebola expert Dr. Earl Long said “It really is very difficult for Ebola to get from where it is to Georgia.” He added, “I think people are unnecessarily worried.” Long said the flu should be a much greater worry, because it is much more contagious. “The flu kills tens of thousands of people within the United States every year and yet there exists enormous panic all over the country because of one or two cases of Ebola,” he said.

Tags: Leah Fleming, Telegraph of Macon, Charles Richardson