In the history of the United States, there have never been this many incriminating cases against each major candidate running for president. Nobody who knew the full background of these two candidates a year ago would have chosen them to be here today, and what that suggests about the corruption of the political process is a different discussion. No matter how you want to describe the decision we have as voters this November, the candidates we have are the candidates we have. However, I think through the absurdity surrounding both political campaigns, and I realize that we are forgetting a very important part of this election. The media seems to only flash two names in front of us, Trump and Hillary, but aren’t we forgetting someone?
Standing at their sides are Mike Pence and Tim Kaine, respectively, seeking the position of Vice President. Unfortunately, many voters tend to set the VP candidates in the background with help from the media; the two presidential candidates have frequently overshadowed them. What is the point of the VP office anyways? Even John Adams, who was the first Vice President, characterized the office as “the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived”. Well, the office has changed a bit since the days of John Adams. Most notably after the Cold War, vice presidents assumed authority over an increasing number of executive actions, including national defense and foreign policy decisions. But the influence of the VP goes beyond that. He will be one of the closest knit people to the president during their years in the white house, and the personal influences on a president have historically affected policy decisions. So the question is who would you like acting as the main advice contributor to the hands holding the nuclear codes? What if you didn’t just vote for half the ticket on Election Day; would your choice change?
Let’s take a closer look at our two candidates for Vice President. Tim Kaine is the former governor of Virginia and is now serving as a senator for the same state. Although Kaine is an outspoken Catholic, he supports same-sex marriage and believes the church ought to change their doctrine on the issue. A common misconception I hear too often about Kaine is that he is pro-life. However, his most recent views were revealed when he supported Hillary in overturning the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits Medicaid funding for abortions. Unfortunately, he cannot be pro-choice and stay in line with the Democratic Party’s platform at the same time. Another thing I hear about Tim Kaine is his pro-second amendment stance. As governor, he introduced a bill holding gun dealers liable for selling firearms to illegal gun owners, and his most recent action was vetoing a bill that would’ve allowed the legal possession of guns in people’s cars. In terms of the issues and his demeanor, he comes across as a male Hillary Clinton.
What about Mike Pence? His addition to the Republican ticket has definitely eased the minds of many evangelical voters, as he is forthright about his Christian faith. At the forefront ,he seems awfully similar to his opponent, but the difference is his policy decisions don’t deviate from the doctrine of his church. While Donald Trump doesn’t line up perfectly with the Republican establishment, Mike Pence brings a calm, prudent approach to defend those views. In fact, he eases the minds of many who view Trump as a dingbat crazy man with bad hair because he’ll bring a voice of reason to the conversation. If you think Pence won’t be able to balance out the ticket, remember that Trump is Trump, and he could’ve chosen whoever he wanted. You can bet he’s going to lend an ear when Pence speaks up. After signing the Religious Freedom Restoration Act as governor of Indiana, (which by the way was not an attack against gays but a protection of religious rights, hence the name), Pence’s views were solidified. If you hear him speak, you’ll get the impression of a calm, steady spirit of reason in the room. Fairly different from Trump to say the least. However, because his stance on big issues hasn’t changed since he joined politics, he tends to be the most divisive person in the room as well.
What if we all looked one step past Trump and Hillary, and voted for their running mates? Would you change your vote or would you be more confident in your original decision?
