Many people believe that the 2016 election is to be called the “outsider” election. What makes 2016 a year of the “outsider”‘some may say that it is because the presidential candidates are appealing more to the publics anger than to the usual political policies. Others may say it is due to the fact that there is such a fresh twist on the candidates: their views and backgrounds.
A 74-year-old democratic socialist that is adored by the younger generation, a 69-year-old billionaire who the underprivileged trust to represent them, and a 68-year-old former First Lady who cannot be trusted with the governments most deadly secrets (Safi, Marlo). It’s both the unconventional political tactics and the candidates’ uniqueness that make the 2016 the year of the “outsider” election.
In 2013 CNN conducted a poll that found that only 13 percent of Americans say they actually trust the U.S.government. It’s clear that the country’s view on politicians have
drastically changed. Confidence in big corporations, news media, and the financial industry are at an all-time low. Leaving anger at the whole establishment to sky rocket, along with the openness for unconventional alternatives (Seib, Gerald F.). Politicians, such as Donald Trump, have been using the country’s anger in order to fuel their political campaigns. The country’s anger, in large part, are because of the economic and cultural differences surrounding the country in todays world.
The Republican Party is being more comprised of middle-class voters, instead of the usual big business interest, drown to the GOP for their stance on cultural issues as abortion, gay marriage and Obama Care (Leonhardf, David). The Democratic Party is being filled with younger voters, coming together through their political stances on environmental issues, such as global warming, hydraulic fracking, and off-shore oil drilling (Leonhardf, David).
In addition to the use of public anger, 2016 is a year of the “outsider” election because political policies seem not to matter as much as the candidate’s attitude toward the issues at hand. Having experience in politics actually seems to be a huge liability for the presidential candidates. The lack of political experience allows for a fresh take on politics, with-out worry of politicians just going through the motion of doing their jobs.
Presidential candidate Donald Trump, with-out the background of politics, doesn’t care about political correctness. For some voters Trumps lack of political correctness and strive for perfection is a very appealing quality. In past elections, candidates have been known to sugar cote their ideas, which only lead to disappointment once it came time for those ideas to be put in play.
So it’s both the unconventional political tactics and the candidates’ uniqueness that make the 2016 the year of the “outsider” election. The tactics of candidates using the American publics’ anger toward environmental and cultural issues to fuel their campaigns for presidency, in addition to, the uniqueness of past experience and attitude toward political policies both make for a great “outsider” election.
Leonhardf, David. “Why The 2016 Election Is Different from All Other Recent Elections.” Wsj.com/articles/why-the-2016-election-is-different-14514124419 Jan. 2016.
Seib, Gerald F. “Why The 2016 Election Is Different.”
Pittnews.com/article/62181/opinions/2016-the-year-of-the-outsider 29 Dec. 2015.
Safi, Marlo. “2016 The Year of the Outsider.” Nytimes.com/2016/01/19/upshot/why-
2016-is-different-from-all-other-recent-elections.html?_r=1 31 Aug. 2015.
