The United States is having a Presidential election this year. Whether you love them or hate them, every U.S. election is an event that many around the world pay attention to. The United States is a dominant power and the U.S. President is seen as the leader of the ‘free world’. Despite the rise of China and aggression of Putin’s Russia, they cannot be compared to the power of the United States. This year will be the last of the Obama administration. When he was first elected in 2008, many in the U.S. and the world felt the aura of change that Obama brought. Considering the failures of the Bush years from the War in Iraq to the 2008 Financial Crisis, Obama was seen as a breath of fresh air by liberals. Obama’s legacy will be debated years after he has left office but many would agree that he has had one of the most difficult presidencies in recent U.S. history. He has struggled with the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), a slow recovery to the U.S. economy, The Iran Nuclear Deal, the Trans Pacific Partnership, legalising same-sex marriage, relating with a Republican Congress, and the Drone Program.
The first declared candidates were announced in April 2015 and grew ever since. As of now the Democrats (Obama’s party) have three candidates while the Republicans have fourteen with a number of candidates already dropped out of the race. With their control in the US Congress, the Republicans will be looking to take over the White House. Because the Bush years still in recent memory and the Republicans have lacked an effect in Congress, they will be looking to boost their appeal especially young people and minorities. The current frontrunner for the Republican nomination is Donald Trump. Trump’s rise has divided the Republican establishment due to his antics against Latinos and Muslims. However, this has not stopped Trump from making vile comments in his campaign and his poll numbers double his closet rival. The big question is if this can go to the Primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire. Trump’s closet rival is Ted Cruz. Cruz is a popular Texas senator with a very conservative platform. Despite being part of the Bush family, Jeb Bush has been doing poorly both in his campaign and poll rankings. Other candidates include Florida Senator Marco Rubio, famous neurosurgeon Ben Carson, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Ohio Governor John Kasich, etc.
Now that Obama is ending his second term, the Democrats look set to back Hillary Clinton for the democratic nomination and the presidency. She has worked as a key player under her husband and as Secretary of State under Obama. So it looks like she’s continuing the tread of Obama and Clinton. Unlike 2008, Hillary does not have a lot of competition so she should have the democratic nomination in the bag right? Wrong. A candidate that looks to remind Hillary of 2008 is Bernie Sanders, a Senator of Vermont. His policies and voting record are more progressive than Clinton’s. Sander’s voting record include opposing to the 2003 Iraq War, the Patriot Act and the Bush-Era tax cuts. This has forced Clinton to move away from her centre-left positions. Despite her questionable record as a Senator and the Benghazi controversy, Clinton is doing fine in the poll for the democratic ticket but Sanders is a significant threat to her campaign. There is a general bias towards Hillary Clinton as the head of the Democratic National Committee worked in Clinton’s campaign for President in 2008 and is given more coverage than Sanders. So Clinton will not be given a free pass and a potential Sanders win in the Primaries can be a big upset for her.
The U.S. election is a long campaign that goes till November when Americans decide who will be Obama’s successor. A number of issues will be put forward from the US economy, combating ISIS in Iraq and Syria, the Iran Nuclear Deal, Climate Change, etc. The U.S. election has also brought its entertainment from gaffs to one-liners. However, in November, the world will see who will be the new leader of the ‘free world’.
This was an anonymous submission