Genevieve Partner English 2010

Do We Have to Choose?

It’s beginning to look a lot like election time, and as you know, the closer it gets the more we hear about the candidates that are running. There are two candidates in particular that everyone knows of, but that doesn’t mean that we should. These candidates are Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate, and Donald Trump, the Republican candidate. We’ve heard these two bickering constantly over the past year, and at times it has been incredibly painful to listen to. On occasion it becomes a contest of who can put their foot in their mouths the farthest, and so far Trump has the lead being quoted here saying, “"I want surveillance. I will absolutely take (a) database on the people coming in from Syria. If we can't stop it -- but we are going to if I win -- they're going back." This is in response to being asked about immigration and the potential threat of terrorism from the immigrants. Trump is known for his insane comments on many topics, not just immigration reform and there is a plethora of quotes regarding his ideas on many different topics here.

As disturbing as that information is, this isn’t all that is important in this election. There are a number of topics that both Trump and Clinton have weighed in on that matter, and yes, both of them have had some really great ideas on how to run this country. For instance, Clinton believes that unity is the only way to move forward past these issues of the activist group Black Lives Matter, and the controversy surrounding the recent shootings against the police in response to these issues. Trump believes that there should be less government involvement in business, making it easier for people to run their businesses and thus create jobs and a better running economy. However, with many of their good ideas come some serious questions that makes one re-think voting for either of these candidates.

Trump’s statement quoted above is only one questionable and borderline racist comment that he has made throughout his campaign. A good example of his un-presidential like conduct is documented in this article, “The Seven Craziest Things Trump Has Said” where he has collected only a handful of quotes from Donald Trump himself. One of these quotes that is particularly offensive is number 2 of the article. “’When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you,’ Trump gestured toward members of the audience at his June 16 announcement speech from Trump Tower. ‘They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.’ Oh, thank you Mr. Trump for adding in that nice little comment on the end about how some of them are good people, but the rest are apparently rapists and criminals to you. We don’t want to forget about those few who are still good people, although you are grouping them with the rapists and criminals. It’s hard to believe that we as Americans are actually considering electing this person as the President of the United States.

To make matters worse, our other candidate is a woman who can’t be trusted with state secrets! There are many reasons that this “email scandal” as it has been nicknamed in the media is a serious problem for our country. If Clinton can’t be trusted to do something as simple as handle state secrets, then how can we trust her enough to run our country? Or meet with other government officials and come up with solutions for the problems that we face as a nation? As you can see, her lack of judgement brings into question whether she can do the job of Commander in Chief at all.

Things are starting to look hopeless for the country this election, and the American people are aware of the dilemma of voting for the lesser of two evils. This is made readily apparent in the poll conducted by the New York Times and CBS. It states that, “More than a third of Republicans say they are disappointed or upset that Donald J. Trump, who crashed the party’s nominating process, will represent them in the fall campaign; an equal number say he does not represent the values the party should stand for. Democrats are only marginally happier with Hillary Clinton as their party’s candidate. A quarter of Democratic voters say they are disappointed in her as the nominee; an additional seven percent saying they are upset.” The parties themselves are upset with their candidates, and then you consider the rest of the population that is not affiliated with a specific party and their political views, it will be surprising if anyone votes this election! It really makes you wonder what this world is coming to when people are so devoted to their specific political party that they are willing to still vote for the candidate chosen, even though they do not agree with the candidate themselves. Aren’t we voting for a presidential candidate? Not a political party to win? George Washington, the first President of the United States says in his Farewell Address, “However combinations or associations of the above description may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” He is saying without a doubt that we should not enter into factions or “parties” as we have throughout history. He is saying that it will only lead to men using these parties as an end to their own means. Oh, if only we had listened, we wouldn’t be in this situation.

There is one small ray of sunshine in this mess, however. You can always vote third party, or you can write in your own candidate! Personally I will be looking into this option, and I highly suggest the same. Only time will tell what will happen in this election.

Comey, James. “Statement by FBI Director James B. Comey on The Investigation of Secretary Hillary Clinton’s Use of a Personal E-Mail System.” Federal Bureau of Investigation. U.S. Department of Justice. 5 July 2016. Web. 18 July 2016.

Chozick, Amy. Thee-Brenan, Megan. "Poll Finds Voters in Both Parties Unhappy with Their Candidates." The New York Times. 14 July 2016. Web.

DonkeyHotey, “Hilary Clinton vs. Donald Trump: Caricatures.” Flickr.com

Gass, Nick. “The 7 Craziest Things Trump Has Said.” Politico. Politico LLC. 7 December 2015. Web. 18 July 2016.