Purple Politics: A Third Choice

By I.S., contributing writer

Photos from Google

Reader, I must express my gratitude to you for clicking on such a dreary title— and a political one at that. But, let me establish now, that this politics column will be unlike any other you have read (or have been forced to read in your general education political science class). I aim mostly for entertainment, but I will also attempt to provide an engrossing form of colloquial—sometimes satirical—education in the world of politics and government.

Politics aren’t scary or hard to maneuver through, they aren’t only for a certain type of person to be involved in—despite what some may suggest. They are a piece of our lives that, whether you like it or not, affects every single thing that you do and every single aspect of who you are. It is the foundation that this nation rests on, and seeing as we all aren’t too fond of our roots right now, I think it’s high time we learned a bit more about donkeys and elephants. It’s time we investigate the ways that us Gen Zers can make a change for the better.

With this being the inaugural edition of “Purple Politics,” let me first address that everything you read in this column will in some way or another be biased and tied directly to my own personal opinion. I am a political science student here at McKendree who has been trained by our lovely political science department to use my gumption to its absolute fullest extent. Take comfort, friends, I’m not radically skewed right or left. In fact, I hang pretty moderate when it comes to red vs. blue (hence, the purple). I do, however, carry many opinions around in my brain and I love to share them with anyone who will listen. When all is said and done, I’m a natural-bred arguer and a passionate debater at heart. But, I love even more to listen and to learn about the different ways we perceive things as students and as humans. Philosophy, ethics, public policy? I love it all. That being said, please note that I am open to any and all responses/rebuttals and will do my best to respond to any oppositions or queries that the comments may hold.

To get the ball rolling, I come to you with a request. Granted, I’m assuming you’ve likely sealed your own party preference in concrete by now, deeming it untouchable by any information I may have to share with you. I was that way too when I first began my journey as a political enthusiast. But, I beg of you bearcats, when the time comes to submit your ballad for the presidential election, instead of voting based off of social pressures, twitter trends and the opinions of your friends, take the time to educate yourself. Having a solid opinion is by no means a negative notion, but I believe that regarding each side of each argument is important in establishing a strong, well-rounded opinion. We should be evaluating each candidate in the areas that we value on a personal level, and consistently keeping a keen eye out for fake-news and false information or friendly pressures from opposite-partied individuals. You are not entitled to share your decision or the reasoning behind it with anyone else if you do not wish to. It is a confidential experience that you should take time to dwell in before rushing towards a decision.

I cannot stress to you enough the importance of using your vote this year. You may have your doubts about the election system—don’t worry, I do too. But, we have to use our voter privilege as young students now more than ever to make a stand for our country. It’s been made radically clear just how powerfully our united presence holds in the face of agonizing inequality and tumult, so let us keep the fire raging as we select a president to lead us to a brighter future. No, that does not translate to MAGA.

So, let’s talk candidates for the 2020 presidential election (here comes the bias).

Hear me out! Yes, I know that the past two elections have prevented us with sucky candidates, but hopefully I can inspire you a bit. Below are my personal feelings towards the elephant and the donkey—I plan on discussing the candidates individually in-depth later on in this column.

Donald Trump

Although I once used to appreciate the rewarding factors that the Trump Administration brought to America’s economy, I now loathe this ‘man’ for his acts against women, sneaky deprivation of civil liberties, refusal to lead amidst a global pandemic and (possible) affiliation with serial-rapist Jeffery Epstein—all subject to debate, yes. But, I’m prepared. I simply refuse to gift my vote to a man who objectifies the female (and black) body so vigorously—it’s heartbreaking.

Joe Biden

I also don’t really care for Joe Biden, a man who, although stands as a strong liberal candidate against Trump, defines mass incarceration as an ‘American Dream’ and rises every day to promote (mostly irrational) war and hostility among neighboring nations and within our own. In fact, I think that if Biden’s spot on the ballot hadn’t been reserved before the George Floyd movement, he would not even be considered as an appropriate candidate for the election. His authorship of the 1994 controversial crime law [increase incarceration, cells, security etc., and disproportionately affecting people of color in the areas it was targeted at) speaks for itself. We have to realize that Trump’s reign of horror does not instantly gratify this man as good. This is the same situation we had with the Democratic candidate last election. I personally think that his success in the polls is a reaction to the independent nostalgia for the Obama Administration.

Gosh, it’s exhausting isn’t it? We, the people, have gotten seriously ripped off between the choices of “crooked Hillary,” Donald Trump, Biden, or an impeached Donald Trump. Why such crappy choices to choose from? Have faith. There is a third candidate this year and she deserves at least a tiny bit of your attention.

McKendree bearcats, meet Dr. Jo Jorgenson, the libertarian-elected candidate for the 2020 presidential election, known also by residents of her hometown as “a rose between two thorns.”

So far, I am loving this woman. I visited her campaign website the other day and skimmed through her ideas for the oval office. I must say, she is brilliantly down-to-earth and supportive of all things a true democratic society should entail. She (yes, finally, SHE) comes to us from Greenville, South Carolina, a mother of two who is a senior lecturer at Clemson University. She boasts several degrees, partnerships, and business ownerships. She has a stellar collection of volunteerism and respect for civil rights. What’s not to love? It would be as “if Dr. Collins was our president,” as stated by an incoming senior at McKendree: “it would literally be like having the greatest poli sci professor of all time as our commander in chief. How sick is that?”

But, there is one challenge we must face. How desperate are you for a change in pace over in the oval office? Can you afford to give your vote to a third-party candidate, or is Biden our only hope?

As you can see, I could go on for pages about this stuff, but I’ll spare your brain until next time. Until then, use the links below to read up on your candidates and formulate your own, educated opinions! Register to vote! Stay up to date on current events!

We are the future; use this time and this election to prove it.

Welcome to Purple Politics with Izzy.

How voting works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9H3gvnN468&t

Learn about Jo: https://jo20.com/issues/

Read stances on all the issues: https://www.politico.com/2020-election/candidates-views-on-the-issues/