Unless you've spent the last year living under a rock, you're aware that American politics have become terrifying this election.
Democrats and Republicans alike are hanging their heads in shame over our current presidential candidates, Trump and Clinton.
As the primaries began, we watched in growing horror as some of the more moderate alternatives began to drop off like flies: Webb, Kasich, Carson and Bush. When even extremist Sanders dropped out of the running, it seemed as though time had stopped for many of his supporters.
Things only got worse when it became clear that the two largest parties in the USA have managed to throw forward the oddest of candidates.
Both extremists in their own right, Clinton supporters seem determined to convince us that a vote for her is a vote for women, but is that true? Hillary has long been a prominent figure on the American political scene, first as First Lady to an unfaithful husband, then as a Secretary of State who lasted one term. Not terribly promising, I'll admit. Let's not even get into the email debacle, Benghazi or really any of her other scandals.
On the other hand, we have Donald Trump, self-made billionaire (and self-made target of much ridicule) who seems to attract nothing but drama. A foreign relations nightmare, his proposed policies sound as though his speech writers are entirely intoxicated during each and every writing session. We're just as mystified by his abrupt transformation from Democrat to Republican. From the wall on the Mexican border to the allegations of marital rape, he doesn't strike many as a winner, either.
For those of my generation, many of us are asking the same question: this is the first election I get to vote in? Americans of all ages, however, have come together to ask a single question: which is the lesser of two evils?
Have no fear, America, there are other options! The two third parties most prominent in American politics are Libertarian and the Green Party, both a bit unheard of for many who've been focused on our traditional bi-partisan dominance.
The candidate of the Libertarian Party, Gary Johnson, boasts a decidedly moderate platform, with a focus on more liberal social policies (legalized same-sex marriage, for example) and more conservative fiscal goals (such as lowering wasteful government spending in order to lower taxes), something that appeals to voters on both sides of a highly polarized fence. Jeb Bush has already voiced his support for Johnson, encouraging other voters to do the same.
The Green Party, lead by Jill Stein, leans more singularly to liberal voters,particularly those who've supported Sanders in the past. However, some of her more unusual suggestions, such as government funding for homeopathy seem bewildering even to those who'd pledged their allegiance to Sanders.
Many of us have grown up hearing that a vote for a third party is a wasted vote, but I'd like to challenge that notion this election. With Johnson polling at 11 percent, as compared to the 2012 election's 0.9 percent, a third party bid seems just crazy enough to work this time around.
So folks, whether you'd rather a circus clown like Trump, a liar-liar-pants-on-fire like Clinton, an off-beat choice like Stein, or the more moderate Johnson, I encourage you to explore your options.
Happy voting!
