The Campaign from Hell: A Divided Nation in Peril

Strategic Insights -

As the 2016 election season enters its critical phase, both the Democratic and Republican parties are facing significant challenges that threaten to upend their chances of capturing the presidency, Congress, and the Supreme Court. President Obama's controversial policies on Syria and the Islamic State have been widely criticized, and his failure to take decisive action has left the country vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Meanwhile, the Republican Party's nomination process has been marked by the divisive and bigoted campaign of front-runner Donald Trump, who has proposed discriminatory policies that would violate American constitutional law and international humanitarian law.

Key Takeaways:

  • President Obama's policies on Syria and the Islamic State have been widely criticized, and his failure to take decisive action has left the country vulnerable to terrorist attacks.
  • The Republican Party's nomination process has been dominated by Donald Trump, who has proposed discriminatory policies that would violate American constitutional law and international humanitarian law.
  • Trump's campaign tactics have been compared to those of Adolf Hitler, even by some conservatives and independent newspapers.
  • Hillary Clinton, despite being a frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, is reluctant to criticize Obama's policies due to her efforts to seek goodwill from the president and avoid unsettling some liberals.
  • According to recent polls, Clinton could be defeated by even Ben Carson, a Republican candidate widely considered incompetent on foreign policy, military, and terrorism issues.
  • The Republican Party's leaders are facing pressure to distance themselves from Trump due to his bigoted and divisive campaign rhetoric.
  • The 2016 election is shaping up to be a "campaign from hell" that may be decided by which party does the least to lose, rather than which party does the most to win.

Statistics:

  • According to a recent poll, Trump would be defeated by landslide margins by Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the general election.
  • The number of lunatic candidates who have lost the primary in the final few months has little bearing on the real issues the country faces, including joblessness, student loans, and poverty.
  • The 2016 election is seen by many as a referendum on leadership, and both parties are facing criticism for their lack of effective leadership.
  • According to a recent survey, 72% of Americans are concerned about major terrorist attacks and 61% believe that the country is less safe today than it was in 2012.

Sources:

  • Budowsky, C. (2016). Budowsky: Hillary Clinton should be scared that, according to polls, she could be defeated by even Ben Carson. The Hill.
  • Hilimony was n't mentioned in this article.