Earlier this week, I read an article from the Los Angeles Times titled, “This election is much more than Trump vs. Clinton. It's old America vs. new America” (this is the link to the article: http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-election...). It’s clear that this election has been a polarizing one, but it’s most often thought of as Democrats vs. Republicans. I hadn't really thought of it as Old America vs. New America, but it makes perfect sense.
The candidates we have this election are selling themselves to very different, yet specific demographics and mindsets. Donald Trump is doing his best to appeal to Christian, white, conservatives. Almost all of his policies (though he’s barely discussed how he’s going to accomplish any of them) are bedrocks of traditional conservative platforms: pro-life, anti-marriage equality, and stronger borders. He’s pandering to people who want America to take a step back from its current direction and return to a culture more closely related to the culture of a time when primarily white, Republican men were in power. His approach represents old, traditional, conservative America.
Hillary Clinton is approaching the election from the other side. Just like a lot of Democratic candidates, Clinton appeals to minorities, young people, immigrants, and the LGBT+ Community. Her platform is classically liberal, with fleshed out plans for upholding marriage equality and a woman’s right to chose, as well as a focus on education and public services instead of building our military or a huge wall on our border. She’s pandering to people that believe that America needs to progress further instead of taking a step backwards. Her followers often see that the solutions to America’s problems lie in the future, not in the past. Her approach represents new, progressive, diverse America.
Depending on who you ask, you will hear that New America is right and Old is wrong, and vice versa. Both sides hold their fair share of fervent support as well as some people that have been marginalized by the two approaches that simply have to pick a side that fits more closely with their views. It’s not necessarily a matter of age, either. It’s a matter of mindset. There are plenty of millennials that share the values of older conservatives, as well as many older people that see things the same way that young liberals do.
No matter which side is right, and no matter which side you fall on, one thing is clear: there is a clear divide in America (well, another divide in addition to the racial, economic, and societal divides) that represents two very different ways of thinking in our country. There’s no way that one way of thinking can completely eradicate the other. But one side will win out this Presidential Election, and may take even more control through the down ballot.
Let me just give you my opinion. Feel free to listen to it or completely ignore it, if you choose. Before you vote, think long and hard about where you want this country to go. Would you like it to be sent back into the past, where things were only really good for some of our population? Do you want America to take a step back from all of the progress that we’ve made, a step back behind our international peers, and a step back from the efforts of so many people for such a long time? Or do you want to keep moving forward, keep establishing new standards of equality and justice? Do you want America to continue on the path of finding freedom for all, the same standards for all, and encouragement of diversity.
I know which side I’m on. You have to make the decision to either: one, take America backward or two, help push past our problems into the future. You decide on November 8th.
