On November 8, 2016, Americans across the country will vote for the next President of the United States. Only one question remains: Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump? Whoever America chooses, the new US President will have the responsibility of leading America in the right direction for at least the next four years. While some Americans may see this vote as a clear choice, personally, I am not so set on voting for either candidate. In my opinion, both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump come across as average and neither candidate jumps out to me as the right person to lead this country.
Starting with Donald Trump, the presumptive presidential nominee for the Republican Party, the phrases 'build a wall', 'make America great again' and 'you're fired', quickly come to mind. When Trump first announced his candidacy on June 16, 2015, many people viewed it as a joke and that he had no chance.
After winning several primaries and becoming the presumptive nominee, many question why Trump has gotten this far, especially considering that he has not held public office before. Thirteen-year-old Lori Mae Hernandez, whom recently auditioned for this season of America's Got Talent, said it best: 'Weren't you the host of a reality show? You wanna be President of the United States?'.
Although the constant jokes and spoofs on Trump try to knock him down a peg, what really helps Trump gain support is the fact that he is not afraid to say what a lot of people are thinking. Voters are tired of a gridlocked Congress and want a presidential candidate whom will not be afraid to express his opinion, no matter how controversial, and get things done.
No matter how passionate of a speaker Trump is, the one thing harming his campaign are his controversial and offensive remarks. One in particular, the time Trump stated that Mexico sends the worst people: 'criminals, drug dealers, and rapists'. Although this comment sparked a huge outcry from the Latino group, Trump does not seem to care. In my opinion, this is what makes him a terrible candidate in my eyes. I want to vote for a candidate who I can at least respect, but I just cannot see how I can respect Donald Trump.
Enough about Trump, though, and time to move on to Hillary Clinton. Clinton is a role model for many women and in a world where gender equality is still a huge issue, Clinton's achievement as the first women candidate to become the presumptive presidential nominee is is certainly important and historic. While the potential for Clinton to be the first female President in US history gains her many supporters, gender alone should not be the only reason Americans vote for her. The President of the United States is the highest office in our country and one that should not be based solely on gender.
While Clinton has the necessary political experience, she is not a great fit either, considering the scandals impacting her campaign. Her latest scandal has revolved around choosing to use her own private email instead of the State Department's system during her time as Secretary of State from 2009-2013, thus causing concerns on whether or not Clinton sent classified information.
Besides the email scandal, one of her biggest scandals has centered around her involvement in Benghazi, Libya, while she was Secretary of State. On September, 11, 2001, a US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, was overran, resulting in the death of four Americans. The Atlantic reports that "Republicans have charged that Hillary Clinton failed to adequately protect US installations or spin the attacks as spontaneous when she knew they were planned terrorist operations". Both of these scandals call into question what actions Clinton took during her time as Secretary of State and if she can be trusted to run our government.
Will the next President of the United States be unpredictable Donald Trump or scandal-ridden Hillary Clinton? Personally, I am not to thrilled about either candidate taking office, but apparently this is the best America can produce for the 2016 Presidential election.
Choose wisely America.
