This year’s presidential race is causing quite a stir among college students and professors. Yet, behind all this media frenzy, the truth is that one of these candidates will become the next president of the U.S.
To help get a grasp of who these candidates are and what they represent, political scientist George Bass, assistant professor of the Department of History and Political Science in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, gave a quick breakdown of this year’s presidential candidates and the real issues they support.
Why you should vote
While students are fixated on getting good grades, it should not overshadow their political activism. The idea of everyone being able to vote is a relatively new phenomenon that is punctuated by years of struggle and disenfranchisement, so the fact that young Americans can freely participate in elections should not be taken lightly.
“The Civil Rights and Women’s Suffrage movements fought tirelessly so this right could be expanded to all,” explained Bass. “I think that’s a powerful reason not to take voting for granted.”
How to pick a side
Many students may shy away from voting because they aren’t sure about the party ideologies or where the candidates fall on the political spectrum. With issues and candidates constantly forcing candidates to realign, it can be confusing to identify yourself with a political party.
According to Bass, candidates’ perspective on economics, foreign policy and their view on the role of political institutions are the true determinants.
In terms of economics, the Republicans prefer a laissez faire approach as they believe that the neoliberal market will regulate itself, while the Democrats think that the public should regulate the markets.
Regarding foreign policy, Bass explained that the Democrats tend to be more open to negotiations with foreign countries, while, traditionally, the Republicans have adopted a more aggressive foreign policy approach.
Furthermore, Democrats believe that political institutions should be used to solve problems, while Republicans are weary of these political institutions and favor less government involvement in everyday lives.
However, with candidates sometimes blurring the division between the issues, it’s important to listen to the candidates.
“I mean actually reading their policy platforms and examine their records,” Bass said. “Vote for the society you want to live in.”
Each presidential candidate has a website where he or she lays out his or her vision for the U.S., but if you are still confused about your political identity, visit isidewith.com, a website that helps you to figure out where you fall on the political spectrum and the political party that aligns with your views.
One of the best ways to start becoming politically active is to vote in the primaries. Florida has a closed primary, meaning that you can only vote for candidates within the party that you are registered with. Therefore, if you are registered under “no party affiliation,” then you will not be able to vote for any of the major party nominees in the primary; however, you will be able to vote for local offices that run on non-partisan ballots.
Get to know a few of the candidates
Donald Trump, the million-dollar man
According to Bass, Donald Trump’s political platform is the million-dollar question.
“He has not elaborated in much detail on the specifics of his platform,” he said.
Trump’s political platform hinges on his “make America great again” slogan, but his political solutions remain vague, and much of his appeal comes from the fact that he isn’t a Washington “insider.”
While, his main talking points are reversing trade agreements and increasing border security, his fiscal policies are nonexistent and his political platform is less political and more media-driven than his competitors.
Is Ted Cruz cruising to victory?
Cruz is the most ideologically-driven candidate.
Bass said, “Cruz’s platform revolves around reducing the scope of government and ‘returning’ the country toward more traditional ‘American culture.’”
He promises to focus on more aggressive foreign policies, which include “carpet bombing” ISIS and removing the U.S. from the Iran Nuclear deal.
John Kasich, the moderate-conservative
According to Bass, John Kasich is often presented as the most moderate candidate in the Republican primary.
“Kasich has made a name for himself by refusing to attack other candidates,” he said.
Kasich is the former governor of Ohio and has moved to the center of the political spectrum. He supports some gun-control policies, which puts him at odds with the rest of the party. However, his most moderate position is taken when he discusses illegal immigration.
Bass said, “He claims that politicians should be focused on keeping families together, not widespread deportation.”
Marco Rubio fits the mold
Bass said that Marco Rubio is running as a traditional conservative candidate, even though most of his policy positions lean more to the right of the political spectrum. He is strongly against abortion and same-sex marriages and is in favor of repealing the Affordable Care Act.
“Rubio advocates for supply-side economic policies and is a firm proponent of traditional cultural values” Bass said.
If you are looking vote for a conservative, Marco Rubio would definitely fit the mold.
Hillary Clinton is the Obama 2.0
“Hillary is essentially tying herself to the values of the Obama administration,” Bass said.
Clinton supports the Affordable Care Act while proudly touting her experience as Secretary of State and senator. Furthermore, she presents herself as a moderate within Democratic primary.
“She wants to make college more affordable and to expand health care coverage,” Bass said. “But does not go as far as her rival in pushing for these services to be free.”
It seems that Hillary is trying to rally democrats who see Bernie Sanders as “radical,” but after paying close attention to her policies, it’s clear that she is echoing President Barack Obama’s political sentiments and running on the same political platform.
Should we be feeling the “Bern”?
“Similar to Trump, he is running essentially a populist campaign, albeit with a much more specific list of policies he would like to see enacted,” Bass said.
Bernie Sanders is campaigning on a platform to remove the influence of money from politics. He is fundamentally concerned with addressing inequality. He is a more extreme democrat as his policies include replacing the Affordable Care Act with a single payer system similar to Europe and Canada. He also wants to see free education in the U.S., which has garnered him support from many college students.
Does this mean that college students should vote for Bernie Sanders? It depends on if you think he addresses the issues that are most important to you.
That is what voting boils down to: voting for someone whose interests parallel yours. To understand politics or your presidential candidates, staying informed and paying close attention is probably your best bet.
