As winter quarter dawns on us, our priorities realign themselves in the rush of organized chaos that is college. Whether it’s midterms or work that is making your world mayhem, we can all become a little wrapped up in our daily lives. However, as November 8th, 2016 approaches, it’s vital that we utilize our right to vote, and that we do so wisely. As America’s aspiring youth, we must educate ourselves on the election and recognize how the outcome of this year’s presidential race will undoubtedly affect our daily lives.
It’s important to re-evaluate your own position on core issues at hand such as abortion, immigration, health care, welfare, foreign policy, domestic policy, etc. Equally important is deciding what issues resonate with you the most. Familiarizing yourself with these issues and solidifying your own position will benefit you, not only when it comes time to vote, but in the larger picture as well.
This may sound a little overwhelming, but we’re here to help. After you know your own stance and what matters to you the most, identifying with the candidates will become that much easier. In fact, we’re going to list the candidates from both major parties along with their experience and other facts right here.
Democratic Candidates
Hillary Clinton: former Secretary of State, won a Grammy in 1997 for Best Spoken Word Album, aims to improve college affordability through “The New College Compact”
Bernie Sanders: U.S. Senator-Vermont, fought for Civil Rights and witnessed Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech, supports legalization of marijuana
Martin O’Malley: former Governor of Maryland, opposed to the death penalty, experienced musician and member of a Celtic rock band
Republican Candidates
Ted Cruz: U.S. Senator-Texas, aims to triple border security, born in Calgary, Canada
Rick Santorum: former U.S. Senator-Pennsylvania, opposed to common core and nationalized education, father to seven children
Donald Trump: President of Trump Organization, reality television star, aims to ban Muslims from entering the U.S.
Jim Gilmore: former Governor of Virginia, on the board of directors for the National Rifle Association, as governor he “virtually eliminated” property taxes on cars and trucks
Chris Christie: Governor of New Jersey, defunded Planned Parenthood in New Jersey, aims to reform teacher tenure
John Kasich: Governor of Ohio, Fox News host of his show “From the Heartland With John Kasich”, published author
Rand Paul: U.S. Senator-Kentucky, practicing ophthalmologist, aims to end NSA collection of personal data
Mike Huckabee: former Governor of Arkansas, opposes abortion under any circumstance, former radio commentator
Ben Carson: former neurosurgeon, aims to repeal ObamaCare, recipient of the Spingarn Medal (highest recognition awarded by the NAACP)
Carly Florina: former CEO of Huelitt Packart, breast cancer survivor, opposes Planned Parenthood
Jeb Bush: former Governor of Florida, supporter of Common Core Nationalized Standards, aims to replace ObamaCare
These are the candidates currently running in the 2016 election, along with some information that we hope provides you with a slight glimpse at each of them. We highly encourage you to further research candidates that spark your interest and dig deeper to further your knowledge. Taking online quizzes may also be helpful in pinpointing which candidate’s platform most closely lines up with your beliefs. Usually, they consist of specific questions that target your opinion on core issues, which they compile to determine which candidate or political party matches your views. Below are links to some of most popular online presidential race quizzes:
http://www.isidewith.com/political-quiz
http://www.usatoday.com/pages/interactives/candidate-match-game/
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/05/05/quiz-find-your-presidential-candidate.html
Another easy, almost effortless, solution to staying informed as the election approaches is downloading a news app on your phone. Every large-scale news corporation has an accessible app that will send you notifications when there is breaking news. Simply taking some time out of your day to educate yourself on the election will certainly be worthwhile, whether it’s taking a political quiz, doing your own research, or downloading an app on your phone. Ten years from now, some of us will be looking to buy houses, further our education by earning an additional degree, start a family, or seek a pay-raise in our careers. All of these things encompass aspects that will be influenced by the future of our politics. Remember that the outcome of an election has lasting effects, and our voices matter in determining those effects.