The race for the Oval Office rushed through the Capital District, much like that old bicycle race years ago that shared its name with Donald Trump. It seemed that before we could grasp the news that Hillary Clinton would appear in Cohoes, every candidate descended upon us. New York state may not be the lynchpin in the upcoming battle to see who will represent each political party come November, but it’s more important than it has been in recent elections.
Perhaps it’s a matter of perspective, but the 2016 primaries appear to be the most scrutinized in recent memory. The in-party fighting with one another overshadows the sometimes empty promises shared over screaming crowds. But, the overall picture foretells that there is more at stake than just a receiving a party nod.
Each side of the proverbial aisle has their hands on the reins of a populace looking to revolt the status quo. True, Republicans are typically conservative and Democrats are by and large liberal. It goes beyond that. The space between the two major party lines are as far apart as Confederates and Unionists.
Evoking the Civil War is not outlandish. Take, for example, the term socialism, which is strongly associated with Bernie Sanders. Clinton, a reformist by record, finds herself neck and neck with a candidate who 30 years ago would have been laughed off stage. On the other side of the aisle, Republicans appear to be handling a different kind of animal in Trump — one they may not want to see representing the party in November. But, his “saying it like it is” rhetoric strikes a chord with many who want to see a change back to Reagan.
You’re not going to see an endorsement here. In fact, you should get a sense that much was held back from this editorial. The point of it all is, something has to change. Voters are speaking of their favorite political candidates as if they are members of their favorite sports team, favorite prize fighter or worse, some form of demigod. On the flip side, any opponent is evil.
The political world is not world class wrestling. The drama that surrounds that world, however, one could argue is similar. Nonetheless, the collective people of the Capital District are intelligent and well-educated. By and large, we can see through the façade of empty promises, and are insulted by the childish back-and-forth so prevalent in today’s debates.
Something has to change because this childish behavior is ripping the country apart. Let’s talk about the facts, let’s look over the issues threatening our world, and let’s get to work.
