Why Only Two Options?
It seems you just can't escape it. It's on the news, it's online, everyone's talking about it. At times it just feels like the world is shouting at you, "The elections are coming, the elections are coming!"
The media, through its almost exclusive coverage of Trump and Clinton, tricked voters into believing we only have two choices, although according to a new CNN poll, "When asked whether they would be excited by a Trump or Clinton presidency, fewer than 3-in-10 muster that level of enthusiasm for either".
Shouldn't you be excited by who you are voting for?
In a country of almost 319 million shouldn't there be more than two people to chose from? Almost nothing in the modern world boils down to only two choices. Want to watch a something? You can pick from Redbox, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and more. Want to eat out? Simply choose from one of the of restaurants around you. Stores have dozens of selections of, well, everything.
And yet, for the President of the United States, we the voters get to choose from only two candidates?
Millennials Can Change the Game
Bernie was by far and large a millennial favorite in the race to the primaries. He speeches drew thousands, his name was plastered on just about every other bumper, and he dominated the millennial vote. And yet, even if you have plans to write in Bernie Sanders only certain states accept write in candidates (spoiler alert: California is not one of them).
And now it seems we are supposed to vote for either Clinton or Trump although many millennials don't identify with either.
So if you cannot find yourself voting for Trump or Hillary, please don't give up and sit this election out.
Because believe it or not, there are more than two choices.
A Vote for a Third Party Candidate is a Vote for Real Change
Let's be real: A third party candidate chances of winning this election are slim. We know this.
But here's the huge news: There are grants available to help fund different parties if the party receives five percent of the vote. Without five percent of the vote, these public funds are denied to third party candidates. This is why your vote for a third party candidate could bring about real change. Imagine how much easier it would be to raise awareness of third party candidates if they had the funds to do so? Talk about a total game changer.
The Green Party
If you loved Bernie Sanders, chances are the Green Party's platform may resonate with you. The overview of their platform is the importance of environmentalism, non-violence, social justice and grassroots organization without the support of corporate donors.
The Green Party also selected Jill Stein to be their candidate for both the 2016 and 2012 race. Stein, a practicing physician, is committed to the belief a healthy environment is a human right. Some highlights from her plan include a Federal minimum wage of $15 per hour, promote education and medical care as a right, end institutional racism and protect the environment through stopping fracking and offshore drilling as well as labeling GMOs.
She has also offered Bernie Sanders the opportunity to join her on the Green Party Ticket.
You can check out more about the Green Party and as well as follow Stein on Twitter and Facebook.
The Libertarian Party
The Libertarian Party is committed to individual freedom and "...is for all who don't want to push other people around and don't want to be pushed around themselves. Live and let live is the Libertarian way."
Libertarians strongly believe in an individual's right to govern their own life and their platform highlights personal liberty, economic liberty, and securing liberty. Some details in the platform include opposition to the death penalty, the end of income tax, against the force joining and paying of fees to unions to be a government employe and support of a free market.
Gary Johnson, previous governor of New Mexico, is the candidate for the Libertarian Party. According to a Pew Research Center poll of voters under the age of 30 Gary Johnson is leading Donald Trump by a percentage point.
You can follow Gary Johnson on Twitter and Facebook and learn more about the party.
Let's Be the Ones to Break the Two Party System
In the history of our 43 presidents, 36 of those presidents have pledged allegiance to the party of Republican or Democrat. It wasn't always meant to be this way. George Washington himself believed political parties could destroy a nation because parties would be more focused on revenge and beating each other instead of what is best for the entirety of the nation.
Some critics may say that in an election as dire as this, a vote for a third party candidate is not only a wasted vote, but a vote which may help either of the two candidates win.
To this I say, let's not let fear win.
If you don't believe in either of the main candidates running then do not give them your vote. This system cannot continue to rule us or divide us. Few things in this world, especially politics, can be divided simply into two sides.
Vote for what will, in the long run, make the future a better place.
