For a lot of us, this is our first chance to dive into the world of politics and get a say in our governmental leadership choices. And for others, another election just may be old news. No matter how familiar, or unfamiliar one might be with politics, it's important to understand what you are getting into and how to vote correctly based on your views.
Dare I speak the dreaded name?
Trump.
Because of information outlets such as social media, news stations, and even everyday people who feel the need to impose their personalized, arrogant opinions onto others, an unfair prejudice has been placed on Donald Trump's name. Therefore, he may not be the devil he is portrayed as. A good public speaker? Maybe not so much. But a good president? Well, it's hard to argue against the positive impact he's had on our country these past years in office.
During 2019, the number of job openings outnumbered the unemployed, along with rising wages and fast pay increases. This includes some of the lowest unemployment rates for women, African Americans, veterans and youth. NATO allies have increased their defense spending for our collective security, and have I mentioned our military is stronger, and more supported than ever? A 3.1% bump in annual pay for the military was issued in December of last year, along with an increased military budget, which allows the U.S. greater protection. A rise in tariffs has also protected U.S. domestic industries and allowed for more strength in our trade barrier. Affordable healthcare options have emerged, secure borders being developed, and the Space Force has been added as the 6th branch of the military. Although I could go on, chances are "Anti-Trump" readers are screaming into their screen right about now.
Next in the running is Bernie Sanders, who appears to be at the top of the Democratic primary for this upcoming election and has generated a wealth of "people-power" based on his conservationist attitudes. With policies ranging from Medicare for All, tuition-free college, and an act that would impose higher taxes on the rich, everybody wins...Right? However, people seem to be pondering if these activist ideals will be enough to run a country. Staying in the public eye and building quite the political organization may have given him a strong lead, but the truth stands that most Americans are not socialist, and as they look closer into his policies, he might steer away from this candidate. Sanders does seem to add to the diverse Democratic field of candidates, however, and his approach of being progressive on economic issues remains popular.
But what does it mean to be Republican or Democrat? Liberal or Conservative? It's important to figure out where you stand on the line as far as political parties go when considering who to give your vote to. A republican generally believes in limiting the government's intervention in an individual's work towards prosperity and that they should focus mainly on the state and community level, not center at the federal level. This might include lower taxes, free-market capitalism, gun rights, and restrictions on immigration-through a conservative approach. A democrat, however, might associate with the idea of Majority Rule with Minority rights and support organized labor unions, environmental protection, strict gun laws and more, primarily through liberalism. Of course, these ideals are not limited to one party or the other, and can be admired by anyone. Taking an independent approach is an option some Americans exercise as well, in order to not limit themselves to a set of already organized features.
Aside from Trump and Bernie, there are 11 other candidates running in the 2020 election. So my advice? Research. Complete your own research, dig into some background and learn the truth about the faces you have been seeing on TV. We have an unlimited amount of ways to find out information, and following the first link that pops up on Google is not the answer.
It's easy for people to judge the "powerful" when they don't see what is really happening behind closed doors. Although we think that the media is giving us a leg up with information regarding the election, they're actually putting us a step behind with bias and what can only be explained as fake news. Whats portrayed on screen is drama in hopes of public outcry; the 10-second clip of a speech that's controversial or rival politicians preaching staged opinions in hopes of support for their campaign. They depend on viewers to blindly follow the crowd, and fail to research for themselves. If you want to have a voice, an impact, a vote, it's time to start digging and see what "Big Brother" has been hiding.
