With all the news coverage and media attention on the upcoming 2020 presidential election, one would think the ordeal is just right around the corner. The debates and opening remarks from the twenty democratic primary candidates, coupled with President Trump's controversial tweets and comments attacking members of his House of Representatives are all indicative of a divided nation. However, with all this attention and energy being placed on the 2020 election, one might lose sight of the fact that we are still over a year away from November 2020, and there is a lot to be done before we can pick the next leader of the United States.

The debates from this week elucidated a couple of interesting trends that have arisen as a result of our current political landscape. Although politics is always wrought with disagreement, the divide within our political parties is even more evident as unsatisfied Americans either gravitate more towards the middle or further away on their respective sides. With candidates arguing with each other about how far left Democratic policies should lie, picking apart each other's plans for healthcare and immigration, and calling one another out for their actions in positions they have held in the past, it has become clear that voters must look at each of the candidates with scrutiny and truly weigh their values. Because while the main priority of the Democratic party for this election might be to defeat Trump, it is important to consider that our nation could be thrown into another round of chaos if we don't go through these candidates' values and ideas with a fine-tooth comb. Another interesting change that has come about within the party is an increased emphasis on the old versus the new, and I am not simply talking about age. We have older candidates, such as Bernie Sanders, vouching for the complete overhaul of the political system and establishment alongside younger candidates with relatively more moderate and reserved opinions. The stark contrast between these two types of candidates has further exacerbate the divide within the party. This divide could be the instrument for much needed change; however, it also has the power to frustrate Americans and deter voting.

Presidential candidates should ideally be symbols of change and promise for a better America. With the increased reliance on social media for news, augmented by the fact that our president goes to Twitter before he consults his White House officials on crucial decisions, we have witnessed these symbols take on a new meaning. Candidates become caricatures and memes, with out-of-context sound bites and one-liners suddenly defining their entire campaign. The Democratic debates play out more like a reality television show than a political discussion, and we all tune in to see who has been voted off the stage. Although this makes for great entertainment and allows important political discourse to reach a wider audience, we must be careful not to let these exaggerations determine our alignment. The televised debates, advertised as epic showdowns, have always proven that personality sometimes trumps policy when it comes to voter approval of candidates. By acknowledging this fact of American politics, we can be better poised as voters to make educated decisions for our country.