With the 2016 election only a year away, three democratic presidential candidates recently embarked on the campaign trail. Former Secretary of State Mrs. Hillary Clinton, former Maryland Governor Mr. Martin O’Malley, and current Vermont Senator Mr. Bernie Sanders are competing in the race to become the next Commander-In-Chief.
“This election is extremely important for people our age. It is the first election where many of us can vote and there are so many different candidates to choose from,” Convent of the Sacred Heart junior and Advanced Placement United States History student Anna-Luisa Brakman said.
Although Mrs. Hillary Clinton lost the democratic nomination to President Barack Obama in the 2008 election, the former First Lady hopes to return to the White House in 2016. Mrs. Clinton announced her campaign for presidency April 12 with a video highlighting her ability to connect with citizens across the nation, according to hillaryclinton.com.
Mrs. Clinton’s slogan, “It’s Your Time,” emphasizes her focus on bettering the everyday lives of the American people. Her executive agenda includes raising the minimum wage, developing renewable energy, and completing the Iran Nuclear Deal, according to an interview from theskimm.com.
The next candidate, Mr. Martin O’Malley, was Governor of Maryland from 2007 through 2015, and therefore has experience in campaigning and working with other politicians, according to martinomalley.com.
During Mr. O’Malley’s campaign trip to Iowa November 16, he will meet local voters and address issues such as immigration reform, cybersecurity, and climate change, according to martinomalley.com.
The third candidate, Mr. Bernie Sanders, presents himself as viable competition to both the democratic and republican candidates, according to theatlantic.com. After the first televised democratic debate October 13, Mr. Sanders received social media attention and garnered an additional 1.3 million dollars in donations, according to theatlantic.com.
As a self-described socialist, Mr. Sanders intends to confront healthcare and gun control issues, according to theskimm.com. His unofficial campaign slogan “Feel the Bern” is meant to show the public his playful side, a supplement to his discussion of serious issues such as lowering the cost of college tuition, strengthening social security, and creating more job opportunities, according to berniesanders.com.
Mr. Vincent Badagliacca, Chair of the History Department and Upper School History teacher, is excited to see the race progress.
“The presidency is a serious job and the nation has many serious issues that it needs to confront,” Mr. Badagliacca said. “The public is clearly dissatisfied with both the democratic and the republican parties and how things are being handled in Washington. This is revealed by the strong showing in the polls by political outsiders, whether it’s democrat Bernie Sanders or republicans Ben Carson, Donald Trump, or Carly Fiorina.”
With the second democratic debate November 15, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. O’Malley, and Mr. Sanders will soon face-off in an attempt to win the hearts and votes of the American population, according to uspresidentialnews.com
– Arielle Kirven, Co-Arts and Entertainment Editor