2016 Presidential race signals American discontent with politics

By Ryan, February 12, 2016

By Anne Davey // Opinion Editor 

Unless you have been able to steadfastly avoid any form of news and media over the past six months, by now it’s likely that you’ve become well acquainted with the political candidates that are vying for the White House in 2016.
The term political candidate is a stretch in some cases, while others are seasoned political veterans. The field is crowded on the Republican side, in stark contrast to the sparse Democratic field. This election and the candidates themselves have made the race for the White House this election cycle an anomaly.
Donald Trump as the Republican front-runner, Bernie Sanders nearly tying Hillary Clinton in the Iowa Caucus and candidates funding their own campaigns might not seem to have much in common at the outset; however, they all point to a huge change in the way Americans are thinking about elections and politics in general.
The fact that a self-pronounced socialist and wild-card billionaire business mogul are strong contenders in this election speaks to the discontent Americans are feeling with the political system. People are angry, people want change, people don’t trust politicians and after the past decade. Who can blame them?
The Donald Trump effect early on in the race was not uncommon; non-politicians run all the time, in Presidential, Senatorial and Mayoral races.
It’s certain that things aren’t following the status quo of typical political elections and the widespread support for Donald Trump isn’t a short lived fluke, but a hugely supported movement.
So what gives? How come all of a sudden, after decades of electable candidates with strong histories of successful political careers taking the forefront, our nation’s top polling candidates are not fitting the bill?
Most people in the United States couldn’t care less about politics and a lot of people are really angry with the state of things in America; these two things combined have made for a special primary atmosphere, one that’s allowed Donald Trump to thrive and Bernie Sanders to pose a valid threat to Hillary Clinton.
Whether you are into politics or not, its hard not to be intrigued by this election – this year may well be a tremendous tipping point in American politics.
It is an exciting and different time, especially for people of our generation. The level of political engagement, social media and outreach are much greater than ever before. And while this alone might not be enough to get people involved, most Millennials are on the cusp of becoming working adults, so these elections and the policies of the candidates we choose to vote for are going to have actual tangible impacts on our lives.
Millennials all over the country are expressing their anger and distrust of the government. Issues like refugee placement, college loans and women’s rights are at the forefront like never before and are adding to the surge in popularity for outspoken, unconventional candidates.
Two political outsiders and a vast field of outspoken candidates are changing the way Americans think about politics. It seems that American citizens have finally exhausted their faith in insider politics, scheming campaigns and the “old boys club” of Washington D.C.
Whether the grassroots popular movement is successful in putting an outsider candidate in the White House in 2016 or not, only time will tell. But the success of such unconventional candidates, and diverse political platforms that go against party lines and the status quo, are probably going to be here to stay.