We all have that conservative Facebook friend that you used to go high school with and were never actually friends with, but they show up on your newsfeed, attempting to convince us all that Donald Trump is misunderstood. He'll post paragraphs on why socialism will never work for this country while also posting some mildly insulting or racist memes. We also all have that one girl who posts daily about women's rights, supports planned parenthood and human rights, but also is openly attacking against conservatives. The one thing that both of these people have in common, is using Facebook to try and convince everyone that their political views are the only ones that are right.
The race for the upcoming 2016 election is something like we have never seen before. In this day and age, the media has the ability to put any spin on a quote or action made by any candidate. And the bias created is having an effect on voters of all parties. However, social media is creating a whole different type of bias for our generation. This type of bias is popping up on your news feeds of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For those people not interested or up to date on the future of our country, it is the only political information they are receiving because it's almost impossible to avoid.
If even a little piece is taken seriously, it could end up swinging a vote because a Facebook meme said that Bernie Sanders supposedly will never let the price of Arizona Iced Tea raise to more than a dollar. While there is no truth to this statement, memes like these are being posted on every social media site and posing a threat to all that don’t pay attention to the actual political issues at stake. The scary part is, most of these people are capable of voting because of their age. This is definitely not an issue our founding fathers had to deal with, but all we can hope is that most plan to make an educated vote, which again, may prove to be difficult in this age of media. While some believe that nobody actually takes these ridiculous memes seriously, the internet has proved to fail us before and it is most likely failing us now.
This 2016 election is already making history with Donald Trump “sizing up” against his fellow candidates and threatening to build a wall. Bernie Sanders is talking socialistic policies, and Hillary Clinton could be the first female President. With all of the crazy debauchery the internet throws us, I encourage all to remember the seriousness behind what the possible winner holds for our country, and do not let social media encourage your decision. With that being said, here are some examples of the most RIDICULOUS memes on the internet which hopefully will not be the sole factor of your vote. Actual quotes from each candidates are also included below them. They may not be completely hold truth because remember, we're still dealing with politicians here, but I hope they encourage you to be the judge of your own vote and to do your own research on such claims and promises, outside of social media.
1. Bernie Sanders
"We got to put young people to work, we got to give them an education, rather than putting them in jail.” -Bernie Sanders
“Our goal as a nation is that if somebody works 40 hours a week, that person will not be living in poverty,”- Bernie Sanders
“Despite the central role that undocumented workers play in our economy and in our daily lives, these workers are too often reviled by many for political gain and shunted into the shadows.” -Bernie Sanders
2. Donald Trump
is forcing their most unwanted people into the United States. They are, in many cases, criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc. ...Many fabulous people come in from Mexico and our country is better for it. But these people are here legally, and are severely hurt by those coming in illegally.” -Donald Trump
"I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct. I've been challenged by so many people, and I don't frankly have time for total political correctness. And to be honest with you, this country doesn't have time either." -Donald Trump
3. Hillary Clinton
"No. We just can't trust the American people to make those types of choices ... Government has to make those choices for people."- Hillary Clinton
"Whether I am meant to or not, I challenge assumptions about women. I do make some people uncomfortable, which I'm well aware of, but that's just part of coming to grips with what I believe is still one of the most important pieces of unfinished business in human history—empowering women to be able to stand up for themselves." - Hillary Clinton
