I will be the first one to tell you, I know absolutely nothing about politics. It's not that I haven't tried to get into it, I really have, but it just doesn't absorb into my brain. The summer I turned 18, I registered to vote, fully anticipating to take part in future elections. I still wasn't sure about politics by the time the first local elections rolled around, so I guess it was a good thing I was away at school without an absentee ballot.
This time around though, I was really hoping to get more into the election. Since the announcement of the candidates this summer, I have been both more and less opinionated about politics. With each passing debate and ridiculous statement made, these campaigns seem to become more and more of a joke than anything else. The interest that I have tried to build up has been diminishing back to the dismal nothing it always was.
This past Wednesday was yet another debate, the third for the Republicans, which took place in Colorado. The primary pressing topics of the night were taxes, government spending, and medicare. Each of the ten candidates got to make their opening statement answering the question, "What is your biggest weakness?" which was followed by multiple, for a lack of a better term, bullshit answers and even an attack on other candidates by John Kasich.
As always, the most entertaining of the night was Donald Trump, who, from the start was called out for his "comic book version of a campaign," and later being asked if he has the "moral authority" to be President. Whether you support him or not, I think everyone agrees that the things he says proves very clearly that he does not possess any moral authority. Between his remarks about illegal immigrants, strikes against women, and comments on gun control, Trump does not quite know how to filter his statements.
Another issue that came up, obviously because of the location of the debate, was the legalization of marijuana. John Kasich was the only one given the opportunity to discuss the topic, but he argued that legalizing the drug would only send the wrong message to kids. Drugs did come up earlier in the debate also though, when Ben Carson suggested that government regulation over drug companies would only lead to higher prices.
When it came around to tax cuts and government spending, there was a lot of talk and very few probable solutions. Many offered up the idea of a flat tax, which would have everyone paying the same percentage of their income, with no deductions or exemptions. Another proposal by Trump was to reduce taxes and make up the lost revenue by taxing offshore corporations. Unfortunately, the candidates don't have the greatest of math skills, leaving all of their arguments flawed and solving nothing.
The more I try to understand politics and presidential campaigns, the less sense it makes. Politics may always be a unknown world for me, as I'm sure it is for many people--including the candidates. I do hope though that by the time the election rolls around in 2016, I will have enough of an understanding to vote with confidence for a candidate that I understand. Until then I guess we just have to wait and see how many other ridiculous things can be said.
All in all, I look forward to the day Kanye is on that stage debating.
