The Youth Vote 2

TOJ is inviting local youth to weigh in this election year on primaries, candidates, issues and concerns being discussed on the national stage. The 2016 election season has brought a “yuge” number of young people to the polls  – and in some states, the youth vote could determine the outcome of the election.

Oakland youth are invited to share their views in this exciting election season and email their opinion pieces to editors@theoaklandjournal.com.

Donald Trump
By Michael Guadagnino, Jr.

Critics have labeled Donald J. Trump’s campaign the campaign of passion, rather than the campaign of substance. They say that Trump speaks to the angers and fears of the American people rather than providing legitimate reform proposals. They act as though Donald Trump supporters are uneducated, mindless beings that follow the presidential candidate due to his simple language and impossible proposals. Unfortunately, these critics seriously underestimate and undermine the true reasons why Trump is the front-runner to receive the Republican nomination at the Republican National Convention in July.

As a college sophomore who has followed politics and stayed current on national issues for many years, I support Donald J. Trump because he is right, regardless of how much he is wrongfully portrayed in the media and on social media. When it comes to illegal immigration, Trump has repeatedly preached that a country without borders is not a country at all. He loves immigrants and supports highly-skilled workers receiving visas to work in the United States, but he wants these immigrants to enter the country legally. While the media has consistently stated that Trump hates Mexicans, he has only repeated that Mexicans are welcome in the United States if they come legally so that the country knows who exactly is being let into the country. The United States is a country of immigrants, but we must ensure that we know who these immigrants are. Donald Trump is right.

In regards to fighting ISIS, Trump wants to continue to use drone strikes and airstrikes, but he does not want American boots on the ground. In October, he stated that the U.S. should continue to let Russia fight ISIS on the ground, with Americans just giving aerial support. Putting American troops in the Middle East would simply be a repeat of the disaster that was Iraq during the Bush administration. Additionally, Trump has consistently stated that allowing Syrian refugees into the United States is too dangerous, so we should be setting up safe havens in the Middle East instead. The fact is that ISIS has the ability to print passports and legal documents, and they have told us that they will use the refugee program to get operatives into the United States to attack the country. It would be foolish to take ISIS for granted when they make such a statement. When Syrians come to the United States with a passport, we really have no idea whether or not those refugees have ties to radical Islam. It is simply too dangerous to allow refugees into the United States until we actually have a way to vet them. Donald Trump is right.

Finally, Trump’s competitors have consistently stated that he would have no chance of defeating Hillary Clinton in a general election. However, Clinton has been the beneficiary of running against a candidate who refuses to point out her biggest flaws. When it comes time to debate for the general election, I believe that Donald Trump will be the most successful in terms of highlighting the countless illegal actions Hillary Clinton took part in when she was the Secretary of State. Debating Donald Trump is Clinton’s worst nightmare, even if she won’t show it just yet. Regardless, it is hard to believe that Clinton will do more damage to Trump than his own party and the establishment in his party has already done to him, yet he still leads the other three remaining candidates. They attack him because in the end, Donald Trump speaks on a platform consistent with the best interests of the American people, and, on the issues, Donald Trump is right.

Bernie Sanders
By Alexandra McCormick

In America, we believe in freedom and equality for all, not for one race, one gender, not one sexuality. This is why I support Bernie Sanders.

The first reason to support Bernie Sanders is that he is fighting against extreme corruption in America. Bernie has not accepted any donations from large super PACs (while at the moment doing better in donations than Secretary Clinton).

In addition, Sanders wants to have all around health care for every person in America, which would be different than Obamacare; he also wants to make public college student debt free, for those that could get into the college.

He also is a longtime supporter for racial and gender equality, before he was a well known politician. Even when he was a student, he fought for rights of all races, and even got arrested at one point. Unlike Secretary Clinton, Bernie has been consistent on his support for racial and sexuality equality, and is not just playing a face for the crowds

My final reason is that Bernie Sanders has shown over and over again that he has been the most honest and caring candidate for the people. His opponent has consistently lied about her positions on many critical issues. Sanders has ultimately stayed to his word for most of his life, and has acted in the Senate for his people, and not for the benefit of corporations.

To quote the great president, Abraham Lincoln, “The legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but can not do at all, or can not so well do, for themselves – in their separate, and individual capacities.” This is ultimately the goal of Bernie Sanders, to help the people of America, not the big corporations, not for the benefit of the top 1%, but for the American people. This is why I, and anyone for the good of the American people, should support for Bernie Sanders.

Cruz v. Rubio
By Ryan Schwertfeger

At present time, I’m torn between Cruz and Rubio for my choice to be the GOP nominee. However, if I had to choose right now, it’d be for Ted Cruz. He aligns most with my overall beliefs as a Christian conservative while also offering the best chance to stop Donald Trump from being the nominee.

I think Cruz is the answer, whether you, me and especially the “establishment” like it or not, for this election cycle to address many of the different factions we’re seeing in the party. People are going for Trump because he’s a non-politician and he exudes the anger, frustration and downright disgust that many Americans have. At the same time, there are still plenty of people that support Rubio and Kasich because they want someone with at least some government experience to know what’s going on in Washington, D.C. Cruz voters seem to be going for him because of his beliefs and his record of sticking to his word when serving in D.C.

As much as I don’t want to see Trump as the nominee, I think the Republican party has to respect the millions upon millions of people who still voted for Trump. A brokered convention may wind up being great to stop Trump, but that just angers the millions who voted for him and they’ll certainly stay home which would give the presidency to the Democrats. The best case to bring both sides together would be to have a candidate everyone can rally behind – and that is by choosing Ted Cruz.

Personally, I still have a liking for Marco because he does have good experience serving in multiple public service capacities throughout his life and I think having that youthful, inspiring and diverse person running for president is not only good for the party, but also for the country.

However, more and more, with Rubio fading and the lack of delegates in his column making the math more and more unlikely he could stop Trump, while I won’t be anti-Rubio as long as he’s in the race, I think if I had to make the decision today, I’d wind up voting for Cruz and I’d hope you would consider doing the same.