Something is brewing. We all feel it. We’re at a critical impasse as a nation. The reality of globalism, shifting racial demographics and a twice-elected African-American Commander-in-chief has ignited a resurgence of vintage overt racism among those seeking to maintain their historic rank at the pinnacle of the social order. Extreme corporate greed, corruption and the domino effect of severe economic disparities that prompted the Occupy movement continue to inform the conversation of today’s political landscape. At the grass roots, people are calling for the demolition of social inequality and oppressive systemic racism that continues to permeate society. Their voices have been heard on the streets and in the mainstream, as the biggest influencers around the globe are utilizing their platforms to give voice to the angst of those communities. From Black Lives Matter to Ammon Bundy, the protest arising from every corner of society is evidence that the prevailing dissatisfaction with the current power structure has reached a boiling point. Something has to give.
The stakes are high and the next President of the United States will be called to unite and galvanize these extremes. With this in mind, I have given careful consideration to each candidate in order to determine who I will cast my ballot for in my state primary elections. This decision did not come easily, but by the process of elimination, I have come to a decision.
Ted Cruz
The politics of this conservative evangelical republican Senator will work hard to wedge further the imbalanced status quo that has ushered the country into this critical state of flux. Cruz has run his campaign almost entirely on the premise of sanitizing the White House of any residue of the Obama Presidency. Straight up, if Obama signed it, enacted it, mentioned or thought about it, Cruz will repeal it as his first order of business. Oh, and he legit doesn’t believe that climate change is real…bruh.
Donald Trump
Having to evaluate the real-estate-mogul-turned-reality-TV-star-turned-real-life-candidate for the republican presidential nomination is the struggle of my life right now. I’m still not entirely convinced that this isn’t the longest-running, most highly-rated episode of The Apprentice ever recorded. But if I must give energy to the production that is Donald Trump, I’ll just say that he is a fascinating entertainer who has taken his show on the road. This season he is playing a chauvinistic, racist fearmonger who has based his entire campaign on exploiting the angst of a demographic clinging for dear life to the last remnants of white supremacy. He doesn’t have to make sense, he doesn’t need a plan, he only needs to be angry, combative, white and male to appeal to his supporters. Alarmingly, there are plenty of them.
Bernie Sanders
Here’s where it gets tough. Sanders excites me. I absolutely ‘feel the Bern!’ I am thrilled that he is voicing the frustrations of the disenfranchised, calling for campaign finance reform and confronting unchecked abuses of power. Bernie is not pandering, my man is genuinely about this political revolutionary life. I need Sanders in this primary to speak this word and shift the conversation center. If I’m voting my personal interests, I’m casting a ballot for Sanders but I recognize that in order to secure the office of the presidency, the democratic nominee must have broad appeal to draw moderates, conservatives of color, as well as selective activists with no concept of intersectionality. Slap my momma and call me jaded, but in a country that can’t seem to come to a consensus that black lives do, in fact, matter, I don’t see the population showing up in the general election for Bernie’s brand of realness. I think a Sanders democratic ticket would secure a republican victory (see terrifying options above) and this is not a gamble I’m willing to take.
Hillary Clinton
Frankly, there is no candidate better equipped than Clinton to work within the system to stabilize the country at this pivotal moment. Aside from her illustrious legal career prior to becoming First Lady of the United States, she has effectively served as Senator of New York and US Secretary of State, she is “wicked smart,” and, most importantly, she’s electable. A quick look at the demographics of any Fortune 500 company reveals that white women are America’s favorite minority to work with. Hillary’s politics are progressive enough to move the needle for the benefit of all Americans and moderate enough to gain the 218 of 435 votes needed to get things done. In an interview with Politico, President Obama said, “I think what Hillary presents is a recognition that translating values into governance and delivering the goods is ultimately the job of politics. Making a real-life difference to people in their day-to-day lives.” I’m going with POTUS on this one as I cast my 2016 Virginia primary ballot for Hillary Clinton. #ImWithHer
