I’ll start by admitting that I don’t know half as much about politics as I should. I understand the party system, I can tell you the three branches of government, and I comprehend the basics of how the American political machine functions, but that’s about it. I’m familiar with the mainstream candidates and have an opinion or two on the issues that get the most airtime, but my knowledge of politics does not go much further beyond that. Therefore, I’m not usually one to get caught up in or speak up when the drama within the American political system reaches a boiling point. However, in light of recent events, I find it increasingly difficult to say nothing.

So far, the Presidential race for 2016 has been more comical than anything else. In my humble opinion, no candidate from either party has shown competent leadership fit for guiding a country into an increasingly more hostile world. The best the Democratic party can muster up is remnant of American political royalty, more caught up in “chilling in Cedar Rapids” than truly protecting the middle class of America. Meanwhile, the Republican Party, marred by the obnoxious antics of Donald Trump, seems to be wholly more preoccupied with cannibalizing itself rather than finding unity. So, where is the respite? If no suitable candidate can be found from the two dominant parties, who will step forward to lead this country.

Apparently his name is Deez Nuts. Yeah, you heard that correctly, Deez Nuts.

Are you kidding me? Now while this may sound like yet another joke to come piling out of the presidential race, unfortunately it is not. An independent filed under the name of Deez Nuts garnered 9 percent of the vote in a poll conducted in North Carolina. That’s where it crosses the line for me. America still is the greatest country in the world, the freedoms enjoyed here go unrivaled anywhere else on the globe, but not only allowing but also parading around this kind of mockery is unacceptable. Complacency is the killer of progress and that is what we are becoming. America is becoming dangerously complacent. Instead of soaking up Trump’s idiotic rants or finding humor in a candidate name Deez Nuts, we should turn to what matters.

As the people, we only get what we demand. If we want this election to be one giant joke, then we will end up being the punch line. Right now, 16 million children go hungry in the U.S. that means 22 percent of all children are under or mal-nourished. Moreover, the U.S. ranks 27^th in Math and 20^th in science performance. The future of our country needs a leader to usher in change and progress, but instead the major networks are more concerned about covering a candidate named Deez Nuts. America is on top for now, but if we continue to allow and perpetuate such immature men and women to run our country, we won’t stay that way.