The 2016 presidential election has been unprecedented in the way the candidates and their respective party affiliations have adjusted to the opposition. The American electorate has witnessed a slew of creative devices used to demine the other candidate. Such accusations have, at least within recent memory, been forgone in the name of good taste. A voter in 2012 was accustomed to a significantly different demeanor with respect to how the nominees conducted themselves. Surely there are always radical constituents on both ends who conceive wild and false personal claims about the opponent. Nonetheless the candidates remain, well, presidential. This election has been somewhat of an outlier in that much of the vitriol aimed in the direction of a nominee, has been produced by the other candidate.
The voter tendency to reject both the Democratic and Republican nominee is understandable. For example, many dislike Hillary Clinton because of her perceived mismanagement of Middle-Eastern and North African crises while serving as Secretary of State. Events including the attacks on the American Embassy in Benghazi on September 11th 2012. As for Mr. Trump, I will not delve too far into the reasons why a voter might be deterred. The the way in which he conducts himself or displays a lack of political understanding are some of the more notable issues. The compilation of reasons not to vote for Mr. Trump could constitute a separate article. Regardless, his elementary perception of global politics in addition to the divisive, often offensive speak, which he has become known for, are key detractors.
It is clear neither of the nominees retain the emotional base that previous candidates have gathered. Barrack Obama in 2008 for example. After eight years of the second Bush administration, in the wake of the Iraq War, and directly following the 2008 financial crisis, the country was primed for a policy change. The election of Barrack Obama, and the fervent passion displayed by his supporters indicated that that there was something about this nominee that resonated with a large number of Americans. Similarly, in 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected under like circumstances. The people wanted a change. A new, bold, confident candidate emerged to take the helm. In contrast, I do not find this election to be consistent with true belief in a nominee. The process is consistent with one in which there are two unpopular candidates running for a position previously occupied by one of the Nation’s more memorable Presidents.
To my point, the lack of enthusiasm surrounding both candidates, notwithstanding die-hard supporters, should not be an excuse for eligible voters to abstain from the political process. Simply because the choices may not be thrilling, should not be a reason to vigorously complain, and not vote altogether. These are the nominees, one of them will be the President of the United States, vote or not. Why not have a say? There will not be any replacements. The calls by Republican lawmakers for Mr. Trump to step aside and yield the ticket to his running mate Mike Pence are ridiculous and frankly impossible. There is a tendency among voters, particularly undecided young voters to dismiss the election and political process comprehensively because they don’t "like" the candidates. If we - the youth - would like to continue the stereotype of lazy, entitled, unmotivated individuals as millennials, and Generation Z are often categorized. Why not add indecisive, and too misinformed to select a presidential candidate during this pivotal election? I am a young person. I am disappointed in the state of political apathy the youth all too often displays. Many insist on remining at home on election day - so to speak - yet if a certain candidate is elected, we joke that we will simply leave the county. This is not political understanding, this is certainly not patriotism. What many, young and old, fail to grasp is that even though we may not admire or believe in a candidate, we still ought to believe in this Nation. We are electing a commander in chief who will represent our strengths and our values.
Just as Americans celebrate the right to vote, we too appreciate the right not to do so. Nonetheless, self-disenfranchisement has become a problem. We cannot expect to maintain an informed, free-thinking populous, if the citizenry has lost the will to pay attention, let alone participate in the republican process.
