A History of Underdogs
America is rarely viewed as a country of underdogs because of our respected position in the world. We are world leaders industrially, academically, and in terms of military might and we value power so much that – it is true – we often elect leaders who’s only resume is a great family legacy. This theme may resonate strongly with many of you as this election draws to an end, as the Clinton and Trump families are each American institutions in their own right.
Both of the primary parties are spearheaded by incredible amounts of wealth and members of each party own every major media outlet in the United States. Because of ownership’s direct ties to the Democratic and Republican political parties, stations like Fox News and MSNBC are forced to run bipartisan pieces that are rarely unbiased.
This regular dose of misinformation has polluted our knowledge, and our memories, of America’s great political history.
When Truman was elected president for his second term, he fought an election against two competing parties. He was counted down and out, and newspapers had even printed news of his loss. President Truman also has another distinction that may remind you of a better time in American politics; his net worth was never more than a million dollars (even accounting for inflation). His decisions weren’t always great, but it should be said that he inherited a tough position.
That was barely more than fifty years ago. Fifty years ago and we had elections where more than two parties had a fighting chance. Fifty years ago and we had a president who didn’t value his personal finances as much as he valued the finances of his nation. Fifty years ago our system worked because people listened to debates about relevant questions and chose their candidates based on platforms, not propaganda.
A lot has changed in fifty years.
Despite how much has changed, it is never too late to fix what we’ve broken. We must choose not to participate in this terrible two-party charade. Americans have to unite and – together – stop casting votes for Democrats and Republicans. When you go to the polls tomorrow, remember fifty years ago when people voted from their hearts and the presidential candidates treated you with respect. Cast your vote for Arthur Drew and I promise to bring back the days of a system that works.