For most of my life, ever since an unfortunate incident where I parroted something my mom had said and informed my kindergarten teacher that: “if you don’t vote, you can’t b*tch," I have been excited to vote. Yet now, faced with my first ever election, I feel like I’m staring at a joke that has no punchline. “A socialist, a lunatic, and a treasonous liar walk into a bar…” But this is no joke. This is American politics in 2016.
I could not be more disgusted.
For my first ever election, I have the options of a socialist (Bernie Sanders), a lunatic (Donald Trump), and a treasonous liar (Hillary Clinton). From my vantage point, they all seem like pretty horrible candidates.
Faced with these three options, how could I possibly cast my vote feeling like I picked the best possible candidate for myself, or for my country? It is impossible to make the “right” choice because there are no good choices. When discussing this idea with my mom the other day she told me to “pick the lesser of the evils." However, the lesser of the evils is still inherently evil.
I recently received my absentee ballot in the mail. Since I live in Montana I have the option to vote on either the Democrat ballot or the Republican ballot.
The two party system is killing the American Dream.
I truly have no say in which candidate I vote for, I can only align myself with one party or the other. For many of the positions in my voting district the candidates are running uncontested within their own party. For example, I could vote Republican and my only choice for Representative is Ryan Zinke. Or, I could vote Democrat, and my only choice for Representative is Denise Juneau. There is no choosing a candidate that I feel best reflects my opinions, values, and morals. I can only pick the party that I think best reflects my opinions, values, and morals.
Right now neither party, Republican or Democrat, best reflects my opinions, values, and morals. Each party has its issues; each party blames the other party when something goes wrong. Neither party is right. They are each as corrupt as the other. The solution is not to “Vote Blue; No Matter Who!”; nor does the solution come about because “I think, therefore I vote Republican!”.
Recently, I was having a conversation with a friend. She told me that the problem with American politics is that the two parties compete against each other. Specifically, she said that “American politics are being played like a basketball game." Politics should not be played like a game. There should be no winners and there should be no losers. The parties should not be competing to win. Politicians should work together to do what is best and right for the country and its citizens.
Perhaps my feelings are naive and idealistic. Perhaps you are reading my article and rolling your eyes thinking “Silly kid. This is just how it is. This is how the world works."
But I do not think that I am wrong. I am right to be disgusted and disheartened. I detest having to put my faith in a system that is broken and corrupt.
Growing up, I was told I could be anything I wanted to be; I was told I could change the world. Now as an 18-year-old voter, I potentially have the power to change the world. I want to vote. I feel obligated to vote. Voting is my right, yet it is a right that must be taken seriously. Casting a ballot in a system that leaves me with no choices only perpetuates that broken system.
