I'm not sure if you've noticed or anything, but the United States is about to elect a new President in November. So if you haven’t been keeping up with it… Surprise! We’re doomed!

Now I don't mean doomed in the aspect that the earth is about to split open and swallow our nation whole or anything of that nature, but in the fact that we as a country have failed to heed the warning of a very influential man in our controversial past. In George Washington's Farewell Address, he says, "However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion." So what does that little excerpt actually mean? To paraphrase, it says that political parties may be of some use to citizens but that men or women without morals could rise up in the party, take control, and destroy the system in which put them in control. What a novel concept: the abuse of power. Also, what a fitting quote for this election.

This year is just like any other election year, but if you have been keeping up with the debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump then you have seen how they have taken attempts to use personal attacks against one another to distract voters from their real platforms and agendas. You have two candidates that are both at fault for creating an all too very real battle between their parties, ethnicity, and gender. The Republicans and Democrats has pivoted their supporters into protests, Facebook tangents, and have taken advantage of the influence they have over the people that support them. The political system was designed to protect our citizens and our unalienable rights. By turning the people against one another it is breaking down the foundations and basics of the system. But one thing is evident: these candidates are the product of a flawed system reworked by those who would like to use the nation and its resources for their own personal benefit. It was not an accident.

So no matter who you vote for, love the candidate or hate them, just remember that as a nation we were turned against our fellow brothers and sisters in favor of those who are currently in power. Just remember that these candidates were endorsed by their parties and those parties are the ones that made this messy election possible. Their unwillingness to work together to better the country and the strong resistance to cut the other some slack in order to move forward is hurting us more and more every day. Our nation is only as strong as our leadership, and as of right now I wish that we had listened to our friend George Washington when he told us not to get wrapped up in this mess. For that reason, no matter which poison we elect into office, we’re doomed to a war against our neighbors and the dissipation of our political system. God bless America, we sure do need it.