Watching the 2016 Presidential Election has made me concerned for the future of the United States' republican form of government. That may sound hyperbolic, but the popular groundswell for candidates who speak to people's fears or who play by a different set of rules than everyday Americans foreshadows problems down the road. In my humble opinion, both major political parties (the Republicans and the Democrats) have nominated candidates who are unfit to be president.
But this post is not about wringing my hands over the sorry state of politics. Rather it is a call to action. In discussing the unacceptable options presented by the Republican and Democratic parties this year, a few of my friends and I have decided to make our voices heard. Many people believe that they must vote for one of the two major parties. Certainly, the Electoral College system is set up to encourage that. But this election year provides opportunities for a third-party or independent candidate to win a couple of states. Maybe that won't change the final outcome this year, but if enough people vote for someone not affiliated with the two major parties, that groundswell will send a message to our candidates, our political parties, and our elected leaders that they need to consider the true Silent Majority who reside in the center of the political spectrum.
What we are suggesting is if everyone who finds the major party candidates unacceptable votes that way, then the majority of votes should go to other
candidates. It is a well-known fact that both Hillary Clinton and Donald
Trump have unfavorable ratings between 57-67% (depending on which poll
you look at and how recent it is). If 57% of voters who find them unacceptable vote for other candidates, that would send a strong, clear message to our political
leaders that our vetting process is flawed and that we deserve much
better candidates in the future. Whether those voters would be enough to change the Electoral College map,
we cannot tell. What we do know is that, right now, neither of the two major party candidates match our depiction of someone who should represent the face and ideals of the United States of America. We encourage you to join us in researching the
alternative candidates: Evan McMullin (independent), Gary Johnson
(Libertarian), and Jill Stein (Green). In this space, we will review all
the candidates' positions on issues. At this point, we have no plans to
endorse someone.
Moreover, this campaign is not limited to presidential politics, even
though it started with that. We encourage all voters to carefully
examine all candidates for public office. Vet them carefully against
your criteria, ignoring their party affiliation. Maybe as we voters start
examining candidates for their stances on issues instead of their party
affiliation, we will get representatives who truly represent us.
Look for "Vote Your Conscience" signs around Provo, Utah, (and maybe elsewhere) encouraging people to actively research the available
candidates and choose the person who they believe will be the best
leaders.
