When Donald Trump decided to run for president, I, like many other Americans, did not take him seriously. After he started to go up in the polls, I still did not take him seriously. I would roll my eyes at every racist or just completely offensive comment he would say, and then pay attention to the other candidates.
However, after watching the prime time Republican debate that aired Aug. 6, I realized that he is one of the few Republican candidates that I do not completely dislike. This is not because I believe he should be our next president. This is because he is shaking up politics and showing Americans that if our political system is not working, it is OK to look outside of the box for solutions.
In fact, in the debate, John Kasich said, “Here’s the thing about Donald Trump. Donald Trump is hitting a nerve in this country. He is. He’s hitting a nerve. People are frustrated. They are fed up. They don’t think the government is working for them, and for people that just want to tune him out, they’re making a mistake.”
Trump has managed to do this in three ways that have the potential to change the way Americans see politicians.
1. Trump has demonstrated that it does not take a governor, senator or other politician to run for president.
One of the reasons he was not taken seriously in the beginning was because he did not fit society’s view of a politician. He is a celebrity and an influential business owner, which does not reflect what a “proper” presidential candidate should be.
He is not the first candidate whose resume does not fit the stereotype, however. In fact, Dr. Ben Carson is a neurosurgeon and Carly Fiorina is a former CEO of Hewlett-Packard Company. They are both running against Trump as Republican candidates. The only reason the credit is given to Trump as opposed to others like him is because Trump has the publicity to make an impact on America.
If an individual is keeping up with the presidential campaigns, then Carson and Fiorina are certainly figures they would have stumbled upon. However, if an individual tuned in to any news station, he or she would have been exposed to mostly one dominating figure: Donald Trump.
Regardless of whether Trump wins or loses, his running has opened up the minds of Americans to be more accepting of nontraditional politicians. This can potentially be a very positive thing because it seems that, although it can certainly be argued that traditional politicians have been successful, nontraditional politicians may just be a better fit.
What qualifications determine if an individual is truly fit to run a country? Will a political science or law degree help the politician make decisions on education standards? Will governing a state or two determine if an individual can negotiate with enemies from other countries? Not necessarily.
In my opinion, a proper president would be a polymath. A polymath is an individual “whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas; such a person is known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems.”
This certain type of individual may seem like an unicorn in a field full of horses, but they exist, and I believe they should run our country. Even if their many interests do not necessarily mirror qualities that can be translated politically, the point is that polymaths have the potential to become experts in just about anything. This is because polymaths start out just like ordinary people, but then decide to enlighten themselves on multiple subjects.
Leonardo da Vinci was actually a polymath, and he was a “painter, sculptor, architect, scientist, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, astronomer, cartographer, botanist, historian and writer.” The talents and achievements of da Vinci may never be able to be surpassed, and the breed of polymaths may be too rare, but should we not at least raise our standards in regards to political candidates?
I, personally, do not want another politician. I want a jack of all trades because a president does not only focus on one task or one area that is affecting our country.
2. Trump has shown that your ideas do not necessarily have to remain loyal to the political party you identity with.
Throughout the Republican debate, it was pointed out many times that some of Trump’s viewpoints come off as more Democratic and liberal as opposed to Republican.
After Trump explained that he would implement a system similar to a single-payer system in regards to health care, Rand Paul attacked his stances by then saying, “The Republican party has been fighting against a single-payers system for a decade. So I think you’re on the wrong side of this if you’re still arguing for a single-payers system.”
If an individual is a Democrat or a Republican, however, does that mean that they must agree with every single one of their party's beliefs? I see myself as a liberal, but I do believe that competitive capitalism is good for the economy, and I am not particularly fond of abortion.
Instead of simply conforming to a stance on issues due to a political party, is it not better that politicians expand their minds and stand for what they think is best for the country even if it is a mixture between two political ideologies?
3. Trump has taught that it is OK to speak your mind instead of telling the people what you think they want to hear.
Politicians are known to give deceptive answers that are meant to not offend anyone, but also rarely answer the actual question. The sad reality is that, sometimes, this actually works. In a documentary made by Alexandra Pelosi, “Journeys with George,” she interviewed individuals who attended George Bush’s campaign events and asked them why they are supporting him. Many of them did not actually know his positions on the issues but instead made remarks along the lines of “I just like him.”
Scott Walker may be one of the politicians who falls into this category. It was pointed out in the prime time Republican debate that he has changed his stance on citizenship, among other issues, and he did not actually confront the accusations head on. Politicians can surely evolve and change their minds on topics. This, in fact, demonstrates open-mindedness. However, when it occurs frequently, it may be because a politician simply wants the support of the people and therefore embraces their viewpoints regardless of whether the politician actually agrees.
Trump, on the other hand, is one of the candidates who was not given a filter at birth and now speaks his mind regardless of the situation. He speaks without fear of offending people or being politically correct. This brutal honesty is something America is not used to when it comes to politicians, and it is therefore very much cherished. Chris Christie is another politician who is unapologetically himself. His campaign logo, in fact, is “Christie 2016. Telling it like it is.”
They are both acknowledged for their honesty.This will hopefully make it so politicians do not feel as though they are allowed to dodge questions or barely give their opinion on crucial matters any longer.
Although previous candidates have done similar actions as Trump to stir up politics, I believe that Trump is finally getting the message across. Even if the American people do not agree with his ideas, the ideas of more honest candidates, differently qualified candidates and mixed political ideologies may be ones that the American people need.
