My Presidential Candidate

A couple years ago, at a moment when I was feeling extremely discouraged by our American political system, I had an epiphany. I realized that the path to change lies not in loyalty to individuals, but ideals. We need to stop creating and believing in ‘saviors,’ and instead view politicians as instruments in the advancement of our vision for a better world.

The electability of a prospective candidate should be determined, then, by their adherence to ideals and their presumed ability to manifest them. I shifted my outlook on elections, and decided to never become attached to one person’s ability to ‘save the world.’ History has shown that people are fallible, and over time can be corrupted. I believe it is best to understand that this is natural, and never assume the contrary.

For the purpose of achieving ideals, then, politicians ought to be viewed as disposable. Servants of principle and, in a democracy, of the people.

Every once in a while, certain people emerge who clearly fit this definition. One such appears to be campaigning for the presidency this year.

Thus, for this upcoming presidential election, my choice is very, very clear.

There is one candidate who appears to be in this race not to fuel their own ego, but out of conviction on behalf of the people of our democracy and our world.

There is one candidate who is, and has always been, a stalwart for peace.

There is one candidate who understands the danger of our climate and environmental crises, and sees the opportunity in the solution to the problem for creating jobs, rebuilding our infrastructure, and revolutionizing our energy economy to one that is clean, renewable, and self-dependent.

There is one candidate who, throughout his life, has consistently supported women’s rights, racial justice, and LGBT rights.

There is one candidate who understands the pitfalls of our health and education systems on the common American. And one candidate who is serious about ridding Americans of crippling student loan debt and exorbitant costs of healthcare.

There is, in other words, one candidate who is fighting for the middle class.

There is one candidate who believes that the greatness of America ought to be in how it treats its weakest and most vulnerable members — the elderly, the sick, the wounded, the unstable, the poor. A candidate for “the little fellers, not the Rockefellers.”

There is one candidate who stands to challenge the suppressive influence of corporate money in our government; indeed, who stands to upend the plutocracy that has become our political system.

There is one candidate who actually gets me excited for the future, of our country and our world.

That’s my presidential candidate.