The evolution of American politics is unparalleled, with both parties rapidly declining before the country’s eyes. Washington D.C. is nothing like how it is portrayed in The “West Wing”, with a president so perfect that it’s had an idealistic effect on Americans beliefs about how America should operate, nor is it “Newsroom”, with a news anchor so quick to criticize both sides of the aisle in righteousness. America is better represented by partisan gridlock and the unwavering nationalism that plagues our country. Our leadership is completely to blame.
On April 30, 1789, George Washington took his oath of office as the first President of the United States. He’d establish a precedent for future presidents, paving the way for renowned politicians such as Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan to rise. All men had unmatched leadership, their strong and stoic personalities keeping the country together, regardless of the state of our economy or climate. Our presidents used to prosper in the face of adversity, facing depressions and war head-on. Even without a national crisis, they’d prove themselves.
Our modern government is unable to restore Republicanism, instead focusing on lobbyists and corporations. One outlier is former President Obama, his handling of the Recession of 2008 left a legacy on the economy with long periods of growth in employment and wages. According to the CAP news site, Obama’s second-term economic growth was higher than the growth of several previous presidents, specifically both President George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford in their combined term, Nixon in his first term, and Eisenhower in his second term. Obama’s leadership was also one we had not seen in a generation, the magnitude of his influence felt as early as Election Day 2008.
Politicians don’t need to be as beloved as Robert Kennedy, but an assuring presence in the White House is necessary. Modern day leadership is so skewed that bipartisanship has become almost non-existent, respect and dignity among voters has turned to animosity and informality.
In Arizona, elections are becoming increasingly difficult to run. According to Axios news site, Officials have become plagued with threats of a recall following the influx of accusations of voter fraud and election tampering in 2020, which resurged in 2022 after the midterms.
Our priorities as a country have become so skewed and extraneous, that we are close to the point beyond savior. There is hope that lies in our new generation of politicians, one that is for the revival of true democracy and patriotism. President Biden is in the perfect position for a successful re-election in two years and the opportunity to show our country the leadership it is lacking. The restoration of republicanism by President Biden is the key to our prosperity.
