By early June 2016, the presidential candidates will be set. Some six months later, on Nov. 8, the American electorate will decide between an incompetent leader and an untrustworthy leader, or possibly between a fascist and a socialist (and potentially a goblin-looking candidate by the name of Ted Cruz. Right off the bat, a good American should be thinking to himself, “Holy shit, is that all we got?” Yeah, Joe Shmo, in a country of over 300 million, that’s all we got. Albeit, I don’t blame the candidates themselves (I mean, yeah they kind of suck), if it wasn’t for the money-fueled campaign system we have in place, they wouldn’t have made it this far.
The candidates themselves seem like they are all good, decent Americans (except for Trump—he’s an idiot). Unfortunately, being a fine citizen doesn’t mean you are qualified for candidacy, nor does it mean that you can put together coherent solutions for the problems that face this country. When I look at the quality of candidates that this election has brought us, I get as queasy as Chris Christie when he sees a plate of vegetables. Looking at these candidates, on both sides, is like Bernie Sanders trying to decide which nursing home to move into: yes, he will pick a home eventually, but he wishes there was another choice. As a conservative, I would play it safe with Kasich, but he’s as likely to the get the presidential nomination as Jared Fogle. As I graze across the pageant of Republican Candidates there is no candidate I see as either President or one whose id isn’t immensely dominant over his ego. Then I consider the left: Hilary is incapable, out of style, and perpetuates political nepotism. Bernie is a cute, grandpa look-alike, Grateful Dead worshiping stud, who will surely do well in whichever old folks’ home he ends up in. Martin O’Malley who? I’m just not impressed. I don’t think that whomever gets elected will do a disastrous job given the checks and balances in our country and the increasing authority of the Supreme Court; however, he or she should at least represent our country well.
If Election Day were tomorrow, I probably wouldn’t vote. The prevalent, and seemingly perennial, polarization of our political system has, once again, screwed us over. The inexperienced, or perhaps explorative voter is forced to make a decision not regarding one solution over the other, but demonstrating a life or belief preference that will be reflected by his or her vote. One either wants to welcome all Muslims with open arms and gift baskets awaiting their arrival, or he or she hates them. One is either pro-choice or pro-life. The voter is either for unnecessary upper-class tax-cuts, or an increase in taxes that will depose the 1% and relocate them to the majority. He or she wants either war or peace.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the candidates, being the robots they are, respond accordingly and shift further and further to the edges of the political spectrum. The burden then gets passed on to the voters that want to fulfill their civic duty, but don’t feel comfortable with any of the proposed options.
June is right around the corner; the optimist would predict one side will come up with a candidate worth supporting.