Editorial:
Voters in the 2016 election are have been energized by both Sen.
Bernie Sanders and businessman Donald Trump. Many issues and ideas
being pushed by both candidates make a lot of sense.
On the left, voters
are attracted by Senator Sanders' attacks against the growing
inequality of wages and wealth in our country. It's a no-brainer.
It's obvious that the emergence of the wealthy class composed of 1%
of the population owning more than the other 90+% of the population
does not square with the 'American Dream' and the people's vision for
our country.
On the right, Donald
Trump's position against unchecked immigration of refugees at this
time from self-destructing regions of the Islamic world makes
reasonable sense, e.g. Syria, Iraq. Especially in light of the never
ending stream of terrorist attacks around the world by Islamic
extremists.
Some of the other
interesting issues and ideas raise by these candidates that resonate
with voters include:
-
Providing
some form of free college education for our citizens to help create
a more educated and competitive workforce.
-
Further
improving border controls to further reduce the flow of illegal
immigrants into the country.
-
Providing
some form of healthcare to all Americans that is acceptable to both
parties by incrementally modifying existing laws.
-
Maintaining a
strong military, while exercising restraint in using it whenever any
crisis breaks out around the world.
-
Continue to
move the country towards energy independence by further encouraging
job producing alternative clean energy industries, e.g. wind, solar,
nuclear.
-
Ensure all
entities pay their fair share of taxes, including large US
corporations that take unfair advantage of every loophole available
to avoid paying taxes.
-
Implement
laws to help stop the 'off-shoring' or outsourcing US companies and
jobs to other countries.
There are a lot of
other good ideas coming out from both Bernie Sanders and Donald
Trump's campaigns. Whoever finally wins the election needs to pick
the best ideas from these two competing campaigns that have energized
the American people, then get to work ensuring our country remains a
strong, shining example to the rest of the world.
It's not about
citizens strictly aligning behind the Democratic or Republican Party
– its about doing what's right for America. What we shouldn't do is
keep going down the divisive road we are currently on. We can do
better.
