21st-Century Vox

Hillary Clinton would be the best president to ever govern the United States of America. How’s that for an opening line? I’ve never really considered myself the most politically motivated person on the planet. Sure, I like to stay educated enough to be able to stay up with high-level political conversations, and I always vote, but usually I don’t really care who wins because the candidates all seem so similar to me that it’s like voting for which Backstreet Boy you like better – some may be cuter than others but they all kinda suck.

This year, however, I'm genuinely excited about the possibilities of who could become president. While I still truly believe that John McCain will probably ultimately win the prize because he looks like all of the other white men who have run the country, and the Republicans are more cohesive than the Democrats, I never actually thought there would be a person of color or a woman who stood a chance at taking control of the country in my lifetime. That’s how antiquated our government is. So with the primary elections right around the corner, I thought I would throw my two cents into the ring and watch as the comments fly.

Dennis Kucinich may be strange to look at (and what’s with that tall mail-order bride of his?), but as far as strict political agendas and party platforms go, he's probably the best candidate for a Democratic presidential nominee. His opposition to the death penalty, advocacy for more centralized healthcare reform, energy and environmental conservation, and his support of gay marriage make him an ideal candidate for any true liberal. He also favors gun control and hopes for an immediate withdraw of troops from Iraq. Also, after years of a pro-life party platform, over the past decade Kucinich has become decidedly pro-choice through his voting history and supports stem cell research for various illnesses. That being said, he has about a snowball’s chance in hell of winning the nomination, and since this is an important election year, we should focus our attention on the frontrunners and make a decision for a candidate who actually could be elected.

Unfortunately, Oprah Winfrey decided who the next president of the United States, or at least the Democratic nomination, was going to be once she joined the Barack Obama bandwagon. With women making up 53% of the population, and therefore a huge percentage of the voting public, Hillary Clinton has no chance at receiving the party nomination. Women tend not to trust or get along with other women and have been waiting for an alternative to Clinton in order to cast their vote. Many will even say that “it’s not that we don’t want a woman leader, it’s just that we don’t want Hillary,” but the truth is that no woman who has the power to get where Hillary is will ever be able to earn the respect of her gender. Whether it's Hillary Clinton, Barbra Boxer, Nancy Pelosi, or the late Ann Richards, women are skeptical of other women in power and, therefore, are not likely to elect them.

Oprah’s endorsement of Obama was like a golden ticket to the White House because she is a woman that other women trust, even though he's far less qualified and less apt to handle the position than Clinton. I know, I know, people hate her and think she’s a bitch and all that, but she has the heart of a champion and a brilliant mind that will be used for brilliant things. Hillary wants the job so bad she can taste it. She has primed and prepared for the position for a few decades and would no doubt be the best President of the United States ever. Clinton doesn't back down from controversy and is a tough dignitary and a welcome voice for change. She supports better educational programs, better healthcare, alternative fuel resources, gay rights, equality, gun control, and should be the presidential nomination. She is criticized for flip-flopping on issues, but has only done so when the public concern has demanded it. We need a leader who will be able to change their mind and not be so staunch on issues that they are immovable, because public attitudes are constantly changing, growing and shifting. We need a leader who will do what is best at the time and for the future and will be flexible to change with society.

For the first time in a long time, there is a party representative who's a competitor and truly cares about the job that she would be undertaking. That fighting spirit lets you know this is a person who will not make a mistake because so much is riding on her success. Every developed country in the world, and even some countries which have denounced women altogether, has had a female leader who has performed at varying degrees of success in their position, and it's time the United States realized it's not just a white man’s world.

Obama has views similar to Clinton's and is an acceptable alternative, but he is not as passionate about the wellfare of the country as Clinton, and is still new to the political landscape. He hasn’t earned the respect from other countries, as Clinton has, and his political tactics are often divisive and underhanded. He has great supporters and advisors around him that will help him maintain a great presidency, but as far as true leaders go, he just doesn’t mark the significant change that Clinton would offer. Barack Obama is almost certain to be the next president of the United States and having someone of color is a refreshing change for a rigid institution, but his politics are not as strong as Clinton’s. Once in office, she would shake up the system and provide the type of leadership this country needs and deserves.

I root for the underdog, and I believe in people who are willing to compete to the death in order to win. That’s the kind of person I would vote for if given the opportunity. Don’t get me wrong, Clinton has serious flaws, but as human beings, don’t we all? Prove me wrong, please, and show me that a woman could be president. I dare you. As Chris Rock so eloquently put it on Saturday Night Live: “ Why not have a black man or a white woman as president. I mean, we already had a retarded one.” BLOG HARD!

It’s always a business doing pleasure with you.

– Dylan Vox

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