Without a doubt, everyone has been forced to endure the media fascination with Donald Trump. I would make a joke about him, but his legitimate candidacy is something that scares me so much that I cannot. There seems to be an underlying theme to this election cycle: America is looking for an outsider candidate, and the conditions are favorable for it. While Trump is technically an “outsider” candidate, he is still running as one of the major party candidates. Both Clinton and Trump have extremely high unfavorability ratings, meaning now is the perfect time for us to see a third party candidate rise to the forefront. We also know that this is a unique race because of the Bernie Sanders Card. He represents the drive for outsider candidates, the main problem with him breaking off from the DNC in this race is the splitting of the resultant democratic party, meaning that Trump will have an increase in proportional votes. So, here is what I would like to see this race become:
Outsider Left Candidate: Dr. Jill Stein/ Bernie Sanders Ticket
Jill Stein is the presumptive Green Party Candidate. She ran before in the last election with the same party and is a physician who fought against pollution that began affecting the people of her state of Massachusetts (http://www.jill2016.com/about). She is most definitely a political outsider and overall thinks that the two-party system is broken. She supports a “Green New Deal” to create jobs in renewable energy and supports tuition reduction and a right to health care. Learn more about these issues on her website. I would like to see Sanders support Jill Stein because he can bring her the national attention that she needs to be a true contender in the race. They also have similar ideas and plans for the nation. They would effectively peel away votes from Clinton from Sanders' run in the primary and would also produce an alternative female candidate, breaking Clinton’s strength with female voters. If there was a time to shake up the political landscape, Jill Stein is a lucrative candidate, particularly when paired with Sanders' strength with young voters.
Middle Left Candidate: Hillary Clinton/ Unknown VP Ticket
We all know Hillary Clinton, from her time as the First Lady to Senator, and later to Secretary of State. Clinton is not trusted by the American people, and she is no stranger to scandal, particularly in regard to Benghazi and her private e-mail server. One thing that can be said for Hillary is that she definitely has the foreign policy experience to be effective in the diplomatic role that the presidency holds. There is currently a lot of speculation about her Vice Presidential candidates. I doubt she is considering a Sanders-joint ticket after the prolonged primary and deep divides in their policy platforms. Senator Elizabeth Warren appears to be a popular idea, but one that does not remain practical for a general. While she would be a valuable asset on the campaign trail, it would not be as a Vice Presidential candidate. While I would not have a problem with a dual-female ticket, many middle and Conservative-leaning Americans may. There is also the concern with her politics. As a more radical member of the Democratic party, she likely does not have the moderate appeal needed to gain independent and swing voters who will be vital to winning a general. For information about Clinton’s Platform visit: her website.
Middle Right Candidate: Donald Trump/ Sarah Palin Ticket
It is hard to consider Donald Trump a true candidate for president, but the reality is coming nearer and nearer as we approach the convention. While I was hoping for a contested convention as Kasich and Cruz remained in the race despite their inability to mathematically cinch the nomination, that appears to be an impossibility, but with the chatter of the delegates to “vote with their conscience,” we may see a dramatic shift once it arrives (http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2016/06/17/the-lead-p...). My suspicion is that we will see a Sarah Palin resurgence this election season. After bringing her out in the primary season for an endorsement, I believe Trump was testing the waters. Trump is hurting with female voters, and bringing Palin onto the ticket may remove his increasing polling gap. She also is now an effective “outsider” candidate, which Trump has also branded himself. I find myself asking this question in this race: Would you trust the candidate with the nuclear arsenal? Trump, for me, is a clear “no way in hell," but if you want more information on Trump you can go to his website.
Outsider Right Candidate: Gary Johnson/ Bill Weld Ticket
In order to prevent a Trump win in the event of a Stein/Sanders ticket, the Republican base also needs to be split, and Gary Johnson is a good candidate for it, former two-term governor of New Mexico, is a Libertarian who supports a minimal federal government with a reduced tax rate and regulation level. His Vice Presidential nominee, officially, is Bill Weld. They are the true “outsiders” of the right, they both believe that it is time to stop the two-party system. They are also proclaimed to be on the ticket in all 50 states. For more information on their stances on the issues, including term limits on senators and congresspeople, simplistic immigration policy with a path to legal employment, rather than building a wall, go to their website.
This would be my ideal ticket, and with support from mainstream media it may give alternative candidates like Stein and Johnson a chance to create real change in Washington. However, I believe without a proper increase in the popularity of the Libertarian Johnson/Weld ticket we will not see a Stein/ Sanders ticket because without the splitting of the Conservative base I do not believe Sanders will risk a Trump presidency. I have included the links to the candidates’ stances because it is vital that we vote, but if you are going to vote I implore you to be an informed voter, and ask yourself the questions I ask myself: Can they be trusted with nuclear weapons? Will they cause a war? Do they support hatred and bigotry over fact? Will they make the changes they claim to support?
