An Apartment Divided: The Candidates, Part II
The Republicans
Hey everyone. Welcome back. If you read our last post, then you know we are doing a two-part series about the 2016 presidential candidates. Last time we talked about the Democrats and in this post we’ll talk about the Republicans. Just like last time, I will talk about the candidates in my party, and then Ryan will detail the negatives about each candidate. For this post especially, it is important to remember the views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely our own.
We’ll post “policy charts” (based on the candidate’s websites) for each person, and like last time we’re using Real Clear Politics average poll numbers for the Iowa Caucuses. We’ll be discussing the top five Republicans: Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, and Jeb Bush.
Part II: the Republicans
Haley:
Donald Trump (27.3%)
Donald Trump is known for being a successful businessman and celebrity. He is significantly leading most national polls, and has gained political success by tapping into the anger that many Americans feel about the state of federal politics. He is a political outsider and is able to independently fund his campaign, removing the need to cater to special interests. While he is also known for being outlandish, his supporters believe in him because he speaks his mind and calls it like he sees it, proving he is nothing like a typical politician.
“Not everything has to be about politics, but instead we just need to get down to the solution of problems as a country and not be so worried about being politically correct… I think he’s a little wild at times, but truly has the best interest of the American people.” -Anonymous, Elk Horn, Iowa
Ted Cruz (26.9%)
Ted Cruz is best known for being a strong religious and social conservative who isn’t afraid to stand against the status quo. He’s a skilled and intelligent debater, and has managed to gain political experience while still remaining an anti-establishment candidate.
“Ted Cruz is the Ronald Reagan of our time. Fighting for the American people. A man not scared to fight terrorism. A Christian man who is trying to bring God back into this country. Follow our founding fathers and abiding by our constitution. He is a true American.” -Jay Carstens, Bayard, Iowa
Marco Rubio (11.9%)
Marco Rubio is currently serving as Senator for the state of Florida. He is seen as a fresh, vibrant addition to the field and has gained particular support among young voters. His supporters believe he effectively combines conservatism with progress.
“He has a fresh face I believe the party desperately needs… He fulfills the Republican ideals in his proposals without drawing a hard line in the sand as to offend anyone or say he’s unwilling to compromise. Rubio has the ability to bridge age, gender, and racial gaps that exist within the GOP. These gaps desperately need to be closed if we hope to win this next election, and I believe Rubio can do it.” -Mackenzie Nading, Des Moines, Iowa
Ben Carson (9.0%)
Ben Carson has had a successful career as a neurosurgeon, and is best known for his groundbreaking pediatric surgeries. Having never held political office, he is seen as a mild-mannered political outsider and a strong conservative. His supporters believe he brings a sense of authenticity to the presidential race.
“I like Ben Carson because he stands with the Constitution. He wants to repeal the health care system and replace it with something that will actually work. I also like the way he would let the Pentagon run any wars that happen. I think someone who is coming in with a clear head, someone who can surround himself with the correct people will help America.” -Chris Turk, Indianola, Iowa
Jeb Bush (4.0%)
Jeb Bush was seen as an early frontrunner, coming from debatably the most politically influential family in modern America. While he is both the son and brother of former presidents, he also has had a successful political career in his own merit. He is seen as experienced and practical, and has a clear conservative record as Governor of Florida.
“Gov. Jeb Bush has a proven conservative record of success, and his compassionate, thoughtful style of Leadership is what America needs now! I am supporting Gov. Bush because he is working to unify Americans, so that we can truly understand and experience that today is in fact the greatest time to be alive.” -Mason Morgan, Des Moines, Iowa
Ryan:
Donald Trump
I could write a completely separate blog piece about why Donald Trump shouldn’t be president, but I’ll try to keep it short. Donald Trump is a racist, bigoted, and sexist man. It is disrespectful to the other great men who have served our country as president to have this man be potentially in the same office as them. This man has insulted a reporter with a disability, made sexist remarks against Megyn Kelly, stigmatized those from other countries, insulted a veteran and former prisoner of war, and proposed banning an entire religion from our nation. Most people will say they like him because he speaks his mind, but being president requires tact and diplomacy, two things Trump has none of. To be sworn in as president, one must swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Upholding the Bill of Rights is included in this oath, and Trump can’t even uphold the First Amendment in his policies. This man is simply not worthy of the office of the president.
Ted Cruz
I have a big number for Ted Cruz: 24 billion dollars. That was the cost of the federal government shutdown he orchestrated by his filibuster. He shut down the government because he wanted to repeal every word of Obamacare. That would mean young adults couldn’t stay on parents’ health insurance until they were 26, insurance companies could discriminate against someone with a pre-existing condition, and you can be charged more just because you are a woman. You can disagree with Obamacare and that is fine, but a man who shuts the government down over it, costing taxpayers billions of dollars, doesn’t sound presidential to me.
Marco Rubio
Senator Marco Rubio had the worst attendance record in the Senate for 2015. The Senator has missed 12 classified Senate Intelligence Committee briefings and 40 committee or subcommittee hearings by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Also, young Republicans love Marco Rubio because he brings a “fresh perspective” to the GOP. But when Democrats look at Marco Rubio, they see the same old rhetoric. Senator Rubio doesn’t believe in climate change, he opposes same sex marriage, and he would outlaw abortion even in the case of rape or incest. When electing a president, Americans want progress, not a candidate that pulls us back.
Ben Carson
Ben Carson is known to make outlandish claims showing he is clearly disconnected with the state of modern American politics. Carson has stated that Obamacare is the worst thing to happen since slavery, even worse than 9/11, and even suggested it caused more families pain than Osama bin Laden. His claims show his lack of experience and practical political knowledge. It is very obvious Carson has had no previous political experience, as evident by his partisan ideological claims showing he is completely out of touch with the realities of American policy.
Jeb Bush
Governor Bush doesn’t connect well with voters and this is evident as his poll numbers have plummeted since announcing his presidency. Jeb Bush doesn’t have the charisma, the campaign prowess, or the public support to override his entanglement to special interest groups and big donors. Additionally, his foreign policy decisions seem to match his brothers as he has suggested not only having the same advisors, but saying he would have also invaded Iraq even knowing the outcome today. Do we really want another George W. Bush presidency?
Behind the scenes…
No surprise here, but Haley and I still don’t agree on the same candidate. As you can see, there are positives and negatives for every candidate in this race, and we hope this helped clear up some policy stances and maybe even helped people decide who they should support. (If you haven’t read last week’s post on the Democrats please check it out here.) If you need any extra help deciding who you truly believe in, www.isidewith.com has a great quiz to match you up with the candidate you agree with most. Also, the point of these posts was to get the conversation started, so feel free to comment on things you agree with, disagree with, love, hate, or who you support. Finally, if you want more of our personal thoughts about the candidates or want to know who we’re supporting, you’re more than welcome to direct message us on Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for reading. See you next time!
