All aspects of the competitive political atmosphere along with candidates' scandals and physical traits affect the public's decision and the ultimate winner of the most coveted position in politics -- the president of the United States. Now, what if our society dismissed political parties and the multi-million dollar fundraising industry during campaign season? Would the decision better represent the most popular demands of the citizens and create a significant increase in voter turnout, or would it simply be too much to change political precedents?
The idea of a nonpartisan democracy is a debated topic essentially dealing with the idea of not allowing candidates to have any political party affiliation during elections, yet the issues of gender, race, and personal and political scandals still exist.
Beyond nonpartisanship, what if the candidates themselves were masked, required to make a statement, and picked for their policies rather than their party and demeanor? Presidential candidates are so often judged by a single sentence a headline proclaims, or by the superficial judgments of looks, race, and gender. For example, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon faced the first televised presidential debate in 1960. Kennedy had a professional movie crew who helped him with his appearance, including his black suit that stood out against the black and white of the TV, and his heavy makeup to reduce the appearance of sweat against the bright lights. Nixon's choice of a gray suit and manly stance against makeup (leaving him covered in sweat) made him appear weak and washed out compared to the suave Kennedy. Many people judged Kennedy based on his composure and appearance rather than his ideals as president.
Of course people can discern their personal beliefs and party affiliation based on descriptions of the candidates, but the judgement of who they are as people is an influential component as well. Two clearly recognizable examples should come to mind: Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Obama is the first black president in office marking a great milestone in political and American history while Hillary is currently hoping to win the Democratic primary and the presidency of 2016 as the first female commander in chief. These are significant factors people oblivious to the candidate's policies adhere to, for they superficially judge -- it's human nature. What if people were given descriptions of policies and ideals of candidates without ever placing a face until inauguration?
Once the demand for political funding dies, millions of dollars will not be wasted on campaigns if donors had the heart to fund other organizations in need. In the Citizens United, 5-4 Supreme Court decision in 2010, union and corporation spending limits were lifted, allowing them to spend however much they want in support of a politician running for office. Imagine that money being given to research, water purification, world hunger, or even building a less corrupt government (one can dream).
