In 2008, a young Illinois Senator by the name of Barack Obama transformed the way elections take place in modern-day America.
They’ve gone from being a time-honored tradition to a reality television show splashed across CNN and Fox News. Americans desperately wish to elect the next George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, but, unfortunately, it takes movie star charisma to get elected President nowadays.
From a two-headed race for the Democratic nomination, to 14 different Republicans vying for the Republican nomination, the 2016 Presidential election is poised to be one of the most eccentric and captivating elections in recent history.
A self-proclaimed democratic socialist, an eccentric billionaire with extreme views, two family members of former Presidents looking to extend their family's political ‘dynasty,’ a neurosurgeon with no political experience, and a Senator with a questionable voting record in Washington are just some of the figures in the race; and people wonder why students are interested in the race.
“Even though I won’t be able to vote for a couple years, I try and at least pay attention to what’s going on because it is my future,” said Freshman Preston Keomany.
As of Monday, Decemeber 14th, Donald Trump leads the Republican polls with 33% support of Republican voters, while Sen. Ted Cruz comes in second with 16%. Both men have encountered backlash for controversial comments, with many claiming they're out of touch with the everyday American.
In the Democratic field, former Secretary of State, and wife to former President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton enjoys an 18-point lead(53% to 35%) on her next closest challenger, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Clinton’s domination has been said to be more of a reflection of her last name then it is her policies, as she’s been marred by controversy throughout her campaign.
Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, looks to bring a fresh voice to the White House. His refusal to create a SuperPac, an organization who supports a specific candidate and is able to accept unlimited amounts of donations, has been met with support from voters who appreciate his grassroots approach. SuperPacs spent over $520 million on television advertisements and other campaign efforts during the 2012 election cycle alone.
“I think both sides [of the political parties] are pretty awful. I’m scared at what the future holds with our country because of the poor candidates,” said Junior Jessica Laurita, who will be able to vote in the upcoming election, “None of them have really stood out to me in a positive way.”
The candidate to draw the most ire and negative attention has, by far, been billionaire Donald Trump. His self-funded campaign has come out fighting since day one; Trump frequently skirmishes with reporters, Hispanics, and fellow candidates in his attempt to be the most recognized figure. Despite the negative attention and controversial comments, Trump currently leads the Republican polls, and what was once bid a joke by voters and strategists alike, has now become the biggest force to reckoned with in the election.
The issues that plague the nation are grave, and could have dire consequences on the future. Our national debt currently stands at $18 trillion, climate change is a major issue, tensions with Russia and the Middle East are alarmingly high, racial inequality is rampant throughout the country, and these are just a small sample of the issues we face.
“Donald Trump has said a lot of interesting things, I feel like he’s somewhat of a savage,” said Senior Jaimi Cohen, “Yeah, he’s said some controversial stuff, but some of the ideas he has really make sense.”
Whoever is elected President on November 1st, 2016, must unite the country and lead us into a new, prosperous era with a population of creative minds and dedicated spirits. During the 1930’s and 40’s, President Franklin D. Roosevelt united the country and made everyone feel American again. Despite the tough, and, at times unpopular decisions he made, Roosevelt spurred economic growth and took our country out of the darkest times it’s faced since the Civil War.
“I just want someone that will lead the country in the right direction. I’m tired of the bickering and fighting between everybody,” said Senior Jacob Fillmore.
Trump, Sanders, Clinton, Rubio, Carson, Cruz, and all the other candidates, must realize that this election will have major implications on the human race as a whole. We face some of the greatest and most challenging issues we’ve ever seen. The health of Mother Earth is hanging in the balance of this election. Please vote smart.
