It’s primary season for the 2016 election, and this isn’t a typical election; this election is more controversial than previous ones.
In 2012, Mitt Romney and Barack Obama ran against each other, and people were at odds over the future of the nation. But those two candidates were relatively moderate for both their parties. Even so, all sorts of divisive talks about each candidate ensued.
In 2008 was a similar situation. John McCain and Barack Obama were also pretty normal candidates coming out of their parties, but still great controversy surrounded both of them. The up-and-coming Barack Obama especially took a lot of flack as he talked a lot of social democratic policies, but he really turned out to be a moderate candidate one could argue.
The elections go on and on with some more controversial than others, but 2016 is unique in its controversy. Many agree this young country needs change and fast. Whether that change is through the left wing or right wing, the American people feel the change is needed to survive as a nation.
We are coming to a crossroads. As a country, we can’t stay stagnant for much longer if we’re to live on. This country is such a young country in the grand scheme of things, like the European nations have long outlived us. If we don’t make a decision where to turn down the crossroad, the United States of America will be nothing but a footnote in history.
This is why not just heated debate but emotion is fueling the 2016 election. This is due to the parties themselves facing great change too. The Republicans are locked in a “civil war” many different sects of conservatism are trying to be the head ideology of the party: Neocons, Paleocons, Tea Partiers, Libertarians, Traditionalist conservatives, Social Conservatives, Fiscal Conservatives, Liberal Republicans, and Progressive Republicans all at odds with each other.
As for the Democrats, it's between the old democratic ways and the now Social Democrats. Hillary Clinton is the former and Bernie Sanders the latter. With a Social Democrat candidate like Sanders who is far left, this is creating a lot of controversy among conservative voters. Sanders could be the turn at the crossroads for the left in America, or at least he’s the symbol of that notion.
On the other side of things there’s Donald Trump: the candidate everyone's talking about for better or worse. Trump is the segue the right is looking for. This is also why he’s so controversial. American politics isn’t used to candidates as radical as Sanders and Trump.
But is this really all that bad of a thing? Is it bad that there’s radicalism in the political parties? Some believe this is necessary this time around, others find this is what could destroy the country.
Though the outcome of 2016 and the future of America is unknown, one thing’s for sure: big change is coming to the United States.
