The 2016 United States Presidential Election has befuddled the American public and has turned the political arena into a laughing stock of the world. As election day draws nearer, the candidates have been caught in controversy after controversy. As each day passes, the American public becomes more and more dissatisfied with each candidate and each additional controversy compounded the American public becomes more disheartened. The two party system has allowed for the election to become a failure; it has not nominated the best candidates, it has not chosen a leader for the public. It has turned the presidential campaign for one of the most powerful spots in the world into a mudslinging campaign that focuses on destroying a reputation that is not there.

Originally, the citizen elected for the public office of president was someone of the highest integrity. Although they were far from perfect, they were known for their outstanding character and morals in the face of obstacles. Rather than trying to win the election, they worried about how to change policy for the greater good. In today's election, it is no question that neither candidate has the slightest resemblance of integrity. They attack each other incessantly, in a way that resembles two children arguing.

As a result, the American public is torn between two candidates that do not satisfy the characteristics for the highest public office. We are forced to essentially pick between the lesser of two evils. However, a question many people face is how to vote to appease their conscience? Neither candidate has outstanding morals or ethics. Do you fulfill your civic duty by voting or do you refuse to vote in order to save your conscience? The conflict has resulted in a schism between conscience and civic duty More Americans now are dissatisfied with who they are voting for than ever and morale is very low. This is because for the first time Americans are faced with a choice in which either outcome goes against traditional American values.

The traditional values of honesty, integrity, and outstanding virtue are long past as each candidate has repeatedly lied, shown lapses in integrity, and shown multiple flaws in virtues and morality. The question remains, "How will our country survive these next four year?" The answer is by sticking to the morals and values our forefathers believed in. We cannot let one person define our whole society. We must show that these two candidates do not personify the values of the American public. We must elect to let the virtue of many outweigh the vices of a few.

We must unite under the morals of understanding and mutual love in order to rise above the obstacle before us. I firmly believe we are living in a pivotal time in which the future of the United States depends on how we respond to the current situation. It depends on how well we can unite as a people in order to say "this does not define us." The is ours to make and how we respond may affect the generations to come.