So here we are. August 2015 and many people believed "The Donald" would have washed out by now. What should we be more concerned with at this point? Should we be more concerned "The Donald" is now a viable contender for the Republican nomination or the fact Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is not locked away in a federal prison yet?
Yes, Bernie Sanders has gained ground on Clinton in a recent poll by Foxnews.com, but, Ben Carson has also gained some (very little) ground on Donald Trump, according to the same poll. However, never before in our country's history has a candidate had as much support as Trump has garnered at this stage in the process.
Don't remind me there remains about fourteen months before the next election. We can look forward to some trashy commercials, some smearing on television, radio, and every other media outlet. I venture to say there will be some name calling. After all, if Trump remains a contender, you can bet he will do more name calling than an elementary school student. Maybe this is why so many people are under a "Trump Trance." Maybe Americans are tired of politics as usual. He certainly brings a different flavor to politics.
As someone who spends hours each week studying politics in some form or fashion, I can tell you, as you know, everything can change in a blink. This is a very fluid process. So, how do I know who will win this election?
According to a recent map provided by the Electoral College website 270towin.com, the Democratic party remained a dominant party in our country. There are still several swing states open for play, but the Republican party has some ground to make up.
Many conservative Americans are "big government" weary. It is highly unlikely a Democrat will win this election, making it the fourth out of the last five presidential elections a Democrat candidate has won; highly unlikely.
If Clinton finds herself in deep legal trouble, look for Vice President Joe Biden to throw his name into the ring. He has already received the support and endorsement of President Barack Obama.
Who wins a battle between a Trump/Cruz ticket and Biden/Sanders?
You can probably go ahead and get ready to paint the town red. In fact, get ready to paint the nation red, because that is the direction it is headed.
We could all sit around and guess, speculate, analyze, and debate until we turn blue in the face. That has its pros and cons. Here's the deal: It gets nothing accomplished. We have to decide to get involved. In my twenties, I wasn't as involved as I should have been. Now, in my thirties, I realize the importance of learning, researching, and being involved. Talk to your children about it. Promote it.
The last several elections, turnout, has remained poor. You know what you could do to have some impact on the change in the country? Get involved. Apathy will lead to complaining when things happen you do not want. If you do not work, volunteer, regardless of your political affiliation, and vote, you are not taking the appropriate steps to negotiate a change in our country.
Regardless of your age, do your research now, begin thinking and talking about the upcoming election, and make a decision to get involved this election. You will be glad you did!
And, for one and for all, can we actually come together as a country? Don't you think it's time? How much more divided do we have to get until we lose the "United" in our name?
Photo: Flickr/Gage Skidmore
Article originally posted on AdamDavis.co