“It is clear that Trump would be the most un-presidential president in U.S. history; but that’s the point.”
Historically, every generation or so, there is a political movement in America. It has become increasingly clear that this current election cycle is a tipping point and that we’re about to witness the greatest political shakeup in decades.
While the Democratic Party is doing its best to stifle the Bernie Sanders phenomenon and elect their Queen, Hillary Clinton, to the throne previously known as the presidency, Donald Trump has successfully ended the Cruz-Fiorina ticket by playing on the heartstrings of enraged American conservatives everywhere.
How did we get to the point where an elitist liar and a billionaire are their respective party’s front runners, and what does this mean for us, the voters?
The answer is simple; Americans have had a mounting lack of trust in the political class, and that mistrust has finally reached the boiling point. Voters are sick and tired of the small class of political elites that have been running the show for decades, and are demanding a change.
That is part of the reason Bernie Sanders achieved such success, particularly among liberal youth and as those who do not feel Obama took strong enough action during the last eight years. For fear of upsetting the very corporations that get them elected, Sanders’ own party is selling him out in hopes of a Hillary Clinton nomination; hypocrisy at its finest.
On the right we have a similar anger driving an entirely different phenomenon. At the beginning of this election cycle, conservatives had a pool of extremely educated, level headed, forward-thinking leaders to select from, yet we chose Trump. With all of these choices, why did the people on the right select such a loud, obnoxious and powerful candidate who is too stubborn to ever admit failure?
It is clear that Trump would be the most un-presidential president in U.S. history; but that’s the point. Trump supporters are angry with Washington’s bureaucracy, the lack of decision making and the chronic inaction plaguing the Senate. Cruz and Fiorina did well at projecting a more traditional, yet modern, image to the party. But they are both presidential, which was perhaps their greatest downfall.
So where do average Americans stand in 2016, and how is it possible to pick our favorite candidate? While some still believe it will come down to a contested nomination, I think that that would be a bad move for either party at this point in time.
This year, voters (in record numbers compared to years past) have shown up to cast their ballot. If the Republican Party wants a bright and successful future, then it is time to tune into the will of the people.
If the parties focus on their followers, and the people focus on policy rather than a name or a face, there is still hope for 2016, hope that the right decisions will be made going forward.
