2016: The Year of the Outsiders
Let’s face it – for the
political parties of the
United States, this
election campaign
has not exactly gone
to plan. Two figures
have captured the
limelight of each of
the two parties – for
the Democratic Party,
Senator Bernie
Sanders of Vermont
has captured the
embittered and
cynical, and yet also hopeful feelings of the liberal youth of the country, those who are angry with
the establishment politics of the party that is represented in this campaign by Hillary Clinton – and
for the Republican Party, the man who has became a brand, Donald J. Trump, who is embarking on
his crusade of saying what he thinks (whether or not it’s both politically correct or correct) to ‘MAKE
AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!’.
Both these people are
complete polar
opposites, in terms of
views, Sanders
standing for equality
and rights for all,
whilst also focusing on
wealth inequality and
most money going to
the ‘top 1%’, Trump
standing up for those
voters disillusioned
with the policies that
Barack Obama has instigated in his seven years as President of the United States, and fearful of the
rise of terrorist groups like the so-called Islamic State. But yet, both are eerily mirror images of each
other – both outsiders to the political system of Washington D.C. dramatised in such hit TV shows as
Netflix’s ‘House of Cards’ – and both are gaining momentum steadily: Trump being a very long way
ahead of his fellow candidates Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich, and Sanders gaining heavy
momentum against Clinton after a surprising victory in Michigan which destroyed statistics (polls the
day before suggested Clinton had a 99% chance of victory in the state).
What has evidently happened in America is that people are ‘mad as hell and can’t take this anymore’
– this, being politics as usual in the country. There is a heavy feeling of discontent towards people
such as Hillary Clinton and Ted Cruz – the ‘establishment politicians’ from each of their parties. For
the Republicans, this campaign has been a maelstrom of events that no one could have predicted.
Lacklustre performances from Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush have seen those two establishment
candidates fall away after earlier being tipped for great accolades, to the extent that one of them
dropping out. Trump seems to have paved his way for the nomination with his ability to wrap up
support in a range of states giving him a strong claim to the nomination.
On the Democratic side of the spectrum, Hillary Clinton remains on the pedestal of the frontrunner,
where she has been for much of this campaign. Sanders has been a thorn in her side by recording
massive upsets in states like the aforementioned Michigan and winning landslides in states like New
Hampshire and his home state of Vermont. While a better would place his money on Clinton,
Sanders still has a definitely good chance of recording one of the greatest political upsets in US
history and to fulfil his proposed ‘political revolution’. Clinton has to rely on southern states to hold
her lead but now, with most of them now out of the way, Sanders will be hoping to cause more
upsets in the North and perhaps clinch the nomination.
Our Government and Politics teacher, Mr Robinson, offered some of his own views towards the
election, He felt that Trump is ‘exceeding all expectations’ after he was said to be ‘a no-hoper, or a
joke candidate’, and that because of his popularity, his fellow Republican candidates are ‘splitting
the vote, and must drop out to stop Trump’. In terms of the Democratic race, he says he is surprised
that a ‘confessed Socialist, Sanders, is gaining large numbers of supporters’, something which he
feels would have been ‘impossible a few years ago’. He even says that though ‘Hillary is definitely
the front runner, there is still a large possibility of Sanders gaining the nomination’ and that he is a
‘credible threat’ to her.
So, to say that this election season so far has been interesting is a massive understatement. The
performance of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders has exceeded what anyone could have possibly
thought; one is the evident frontrunner of the Republican Party, the other is swiftly gaining
momentum against Hillary Clinton and could possibly even take the frontrunner position off her in
the next few weeks, as the states are looking much more favourable (in terms of demographics) for
Sanders. Whatever happens in the US elections this autumn; one can definitely say for certain that
the results will be interesting. Whether they are the best results for the USA – well, that definitely
remains to be seen.