Trump vs. Sanders: A Lose-Lose
Image courtesy of thefiscaltimes.com
By CHRISTIAN WESTPHAL ‘21
As I sat down to watch the Democratic debate this past week, I felt a sense of hope — Mike Bloomberg, former mayor of New York City and successful businessman, was surging in the polls. This stage was his chance to prove his worth and to attract the voters he desperately needed. Though he was trailing Bernie Sanders by a significant amount, I figured that Bloomberg's first debate appearance would help close that gap and finally bring Democratic voters to their senses. Boy was I wrong.
What followed were a series of failures, with Bloomberg unable to effectively articulate his ideas and consistently failing to handle the barrage of criticism from the other candidates. Most damagingly, Elizabeth Warren attacked Bloomberg on his silencing his employees with Non-Disclosure Agreements. Unsurprisingly, he dropped almost 3% in multiple national polls overnight. So, what exactly does this development mean for the other candidates? For one, Joe Biden reclaimed second place. The true consequence — the one that disheartens me most of all — is that Sanders seems to be pulling away from the pack. My prediction: a Sanders vs. Trump general election.
Before I explain my frustration, I think it’s important for you, my reader, to understand my own political beliefs. I identify as a centrist, agreeing with some Democratic policies and some Republican ones. When I register to vote (I am not eligible for the 2020 election), I will do so as an independent. I firmly believe America’s two-party system to be a sham and think that one should vote for the person — not the party — that one agrees with the most. Therefore, I suggest you keep an open mind when reading this article (regardless of party affiliation) and try to understand my genuine frustration.
Let me begin with President Trump. He’s racist, selfish, narcissistic, and completely unfit to run our country. Yes, he is unpredictable and ignores the climate crisis — which, by the way, I think should be our country’s top priority. I think he has ruined America’s international reputation by placing his focus purely within our border.
The other option, according to my prediction, would be a Sanders presidency. Just for a minute, imagine the consequences of a Sanders victory: the financial sector will no doubt crash, with investors losing hope in a company’s ability to turn profits. The U.S. economy will lose its growth and enter a recession, with industries moving abroad to circumvent stringent regulations. Yes, our country struggles with wealth inequality; yes, our society places many individuals at a complete disadvantage. However, having an overpowered government and high taxes (I do think we need more taxation, but not to Mr. Sanders’ extent) is simply not the right course of action right now. I believe that Mr. Sanders lives in an idealistic and ignorant state of mind, one that his blinded followers can’t seem to realize. If we were in a perfect world, his ideas would make sense: everyone deserves access to a good life. That said, he is clearly not an economist and does not understand the implications of his fiscal policies: wealthy companies and individuals will head overseas (whether he likes it or not), thus taking thousands of jobs and economic potential with them. If we want to end up like Cuba (which, by the way, is not doing so great), Sanders is the way to go.
Two years ago, when I realized that I would not be able to vote in this upcoming election, I got really upset — I would have to wait four additional years to voice my opinion and would not have the opportunity to help boot Trump out of office. My inability to vote, however, has turned out to be a blessing. Thank God I don’t have to choose between these candidates (even if I could vote, I probably would choose not to). But to those of you who are able to, I have one thing to say: good luck. You will need it.