The Third Revolution of America?

We are on the verge of a revolution.  Today, 86% of Americans disapprove of Congress and 52% of Americans disapprove of President Obama.  This is no surprise. We have discussed in the previous two revolutionary attempts in United States history (Revolutionary War and the Civil War),  that Americans, in general, question authority and do not want to be told what to do.  What is more interesting and important is that 3 out of every 4 American citizens feel that the country is on the wrong track. 

Why interesting?  Well, one out of every five colonists was outspokenly loyal to the King. That means 80% of the colonists were not happy with their governing body.  During the 1860 election, on the eve of the second revolutionary attempt, 60% of Americans did not want Abraham Lincoln to be their president.  In fact, he only earned 38% of the popular vote.  Division and radical politics led to his election.  Currently, we do not have a presidential candidate that is polling at over 50% of the general popular vote.  We are at a stage in the United States where we have never been more divided. 

In the vitriolic atmosphere­­­ surrounding American citizens, we are watching terrorist attacks around the world at an uncomfortable consistency, seeing radical movements causing domestic conflict, and seeing the populace of the United States moving to the extreme right or the extreme left.  The United States domestically and abroad are in conflict.

    The 2016 election for the United States President is not so different from the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln.  As the issues of states’ rights and slavery came to a head, the Democratic Party separated into two factions, leading to Lincoln’s election as the first Republican President in United States history.  We are seeing a similar divide in the GOP.  Donald Trump has thrown a wrench into the Republican Party.  The party is now finding it difficult to throw its full support behind a candidate such as Trump.  Will this enable an easy victory for the Democrats? Or, will history give us a false example and Donald Trump will unify the clearly divided GOP and win the election?

As we have seen in the history of the United States, the revolutionary spirit goes hand-in-hand with radical politics.  The radical politics are clearly seen today… the ring leaders?  Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. 

Bernie Sanders­­:

    Sanders described himself as a democratic socialist.  The word socialist did two things when Sanders threw his hat into the ring for the presidential election.  First, it terrified the conservative right into a more conservative economic position.  Second, it sparked political interest into a previously un-enthusiastic voter base, the youth.  Sanders gave the favorite for the Democratic Nomination, Hillary Clinton, a more than nerve-racking primary season.

    Ultimately, Sanders was unsuccessful in his bid for the office of the President of the United States, yet he accomplished a few monumental goals that created transparency into the election process of the United States.  The Super Delegate process in Democratic Primaries was put into the forefront as an unfair and un-democratic election process because of Sanders.  Sanders also projected himself as an outsider from the traditional politician.  However, the most interesting and driving-to-revolution aspect of the Sanders run was that he successfully pulled the typical Democrat farther to the left.  He has encouraged and led changes into the Democratic platform and pulled the Democratic Nominee, Hillary Clinton, farther to the left.

*Critics now argue that Sanders has shed his identity of a political outsider by endorsing Hillary Clinton.

Bernie Sanders On the Issues

Donald Trump:

    Trump is a true political outsider.  Trump, unexpectedly, came to be the leader of the pack that included many traditional Republicans.  Trump rose to the top through his disregard for political correctness and a connection with the conservative voters that did not exist with known GOP entities such as Jeb Bush.  Already an American icon for his reality T.V. and business savvy, Trump sparked the ‘silent majority’ and created a movement that the GOP lacked in the attempts of John McCain and Mitt Romney.  Trump’s media buzz, often negative, came from both liberal-leaning as well as conservative-leaning news outlets, CNN and Fox News respectively. This oddly boosted his approval from conservative voters.  Trump’s questioning of and challenging of the authority of the moderators in debates led to spikes in his popularity.  This led other Republicans to follow suit.

    Trump’s rise to the top of the Republican Party pulled the GOP to the far right.  His opinions on free trade, immigration, military importance, and social issues made moderate Republicans shutter, some not even showing up to the Republican Convention. 

*Critics identify Trump's switch from previous viewpoints as questionable with his Republican identity.

Donald Trump On the Issues

Hillary Clinton:

    Although not seen as a radical, her political viewpoints have moved farther to the left due to the political success of Bernie Sanders.  Clinton previously failed in a 2008 Presidential run, losing to President Obama in the Democratic Primary.  Since, she has served as Secretary of State and has made media buzz through her e-mail scandal, which the FBI recommended no charges, and Benghazi. 

     Clinton is the traditional nominee for the Democratic Party.  This leaves Clinton as the only experienced politician in the Presidential Election, excluding Green and Libertarian Party Candidates.

Hillary Clinton On the Issues

For analysis of the Political Revolution: 

New York Times: Full Primary Election Results

    Both Sanders and Trump started movements for both sides of the political isle in America.  Is this the beginning of a third revolutionary attempt in the United States?

    If we look at similarities between the United States right now with the U.S. before the Civil War and the British North American Colonies prior to the American Revolution, there is evidence that we may be in the midst of another revolutionary period in the United States.

America 2016	America 1860s	America 1760s-70s
These three movements revolve around the goal of unity in a climate where unity did not exist.  We are more divided in the U.S. now than ever.  The North and the South were split in half, while the North wanted to preserve unity.  The Colonists wanted to unite against the King and Parliament.
Radical Movements: Occupy Black Lives Matters	Radical Movements: John Brown’s Raid	Radical Movements: The Paxton Boys Boston Tea Party Sons of Liberty
Challenging Authority: 86% Disapproval Rating for Congress	Challenging Authority: Secession from the Union	Challenging Authority: Protesting of Parliamentary Acts Protesting the crown King George III
Public and Law Clashes: Police Brutality	Public and Law Clashes: John Brown’s Raid Fugitive Slaves	Public and Law Clashes: Boston Massacre
Radical Politics: Republicans vs. Democrats	Radical Politics: Republicans vs. Democrats	Radical Politics: Loyalists vs. Revolutionaries
Internal, Domestic Conflicts: Illegal Immigration Racial Issues	Internal, Domestic Conflicts: Slave vs. Free	Internal, Domestic Conflicts: Sons of Liberty Customs Agents Loyalists vs. Revolutionaries
Key Political Issue: Role of Government in everyday life *Social Issues *Tax Initiatives *Immigration/Civil Rights	Key Political Issue: Role of Government in everyday life *State vs. Federal Rights *Secession *Civil Rights	Key Political Issue: Role of Government in everyday life *Tax Initiatives *State vs. Federal Rights
Individual Freedoms: *LGBT Rights *Women’s Rights *Protection of the Bill of Rights	Individual Freedoms: *Slavery *Free vs. Slave States	Individual Rights: *Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness *Right of Self-Government
End Result: TBD	End Result: *Over 600,000 American Deaths *A preserved Union *The Beginning of Civil Rights *Creation of the Ku Klux Klan *President Assassinated *Abolishing of Slavery	End Result: *Over 7,000 American Deaths *American Independence *Failed attempt of government (Articles of Confederation) *Promotion of individual freedoms

 “A non-violent revolution is not a program of seizure of power.  It is a program of transformation of relationships, ending in a peaceful transfer of power.” –Mahatma Gandhi

    Okay, we get it, it seems far-fetched that an armed revolution is going to take place in the United States in 2016, but a social and political revolution is not out of question.  I would argue the political revolution is already taking place.  When the youth voters came out in incredible numbers for a primary, when Bernie Sanders takes Heavy-hitting political giant Hillary Clinton fifteen rounds, and when Donald Trump, the political outsider, wins the Republican nomination, I believe the people have sparked the political revolution.  Our politicians will begin to change, our way of electing officials will change, and our primary system will change.  The people have started a political revolution by challenging authority.  Just like the patriots of 1776, the American people of 2016 have spoken out against authority and have voiced their opinions regardless of what mass media tells them.

    It is social and political revolutions that will change the United States.  Yet, we are more divided than ever before, so how can we come to terms with our differences.  The population of the United

States has even lost the ability to find reliable news from biased and politically motivated media.  The misinformation and refusal to divulge information from the media is creating an uneducated populace.  The people of the United States are becoming wise to this, which is dangerous.  It is dangerous to the traditional politics of the United States.  It is dangerous to career politicians.  It is dangerous to the politicians that serve big businesses and donors more than they represent the citizens they were elected to represent.  The citizens of the United States can change the United States, yet only in unity. 

    Political revolution is evident with Sanders and Trump's rise in political power.  The social revolution is more complicated, due to the divide of the American citizenry.  There is a stubborn, radical pull of American citizens to the far left or the far right in politics and in their social opinions.  Imagine the impact a united, educated citizenry could make in the way the United States is operated.  The social revolution can be sparked by students.  Students should question what is being taught, why it is being taught, and why there is a lapse in our education compared to other competitive countries. The young voters that came out in high numbers in the primary must be educated in their voting and concerned with how their future will be preserved by candidates.

    As we have seen in the Revolutionary War Era, the Civil War Era, and what we see today, radical politics have led to radical action among the citizens.  Today, we are in the midst of a political revolution.  What will be the outcome?  What is preventing a full-fledged social revolution? 

    What is clear is that we are on the verge of a revolutionary period.  Will it be a success, like the Revolutionary Era of the 18^th Century?  Will we come out of this revolution with a new definition of independence, freedom, liberty, happiness?  Or, will it be a failed revolution like the 1860's, and we continue down the path already paved for us?  Will this election decide the success or failure of the future of our country?

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” 

– Martin Luther King Jr.

    This election is arguably one of the most important elections of our lifetime.  What is fact, is that this is a crucial election for the short and long-term future of the United States as it spans into the Judicial Branch of the United States.  This election will have an impact on many aspects of our daily lives. 

 Including:

• Selecting upwards of four Supreme Court Justices, in effect swaying the majority to the Republican or Democratic side.
• Deciding to continue or prohibit the executive orders of President Obama from his second term.
• Obamacare: GOP winner may try to undo Obamacare or allow states the opportunity to opt out.
• Figuring out how to eliminate the divide between the population (racial, cultural, social, economical, etc.).
• Analyzing the 2nd Amendment and gun rights in the United States.
• The Iranian Nuclear Deal
• Refugee and Immigration Policies
• Foreign relations with countries including war, trade, terrorism, etc.
• And many more...

 2016 Presidential Candidates' Positions

Now, go forth! Research, analyze, discuss, debate, share, and argue!  The Revolution is upon us.  Be an active participant and do not sit on the sidelines as the United States is in a critical stage of its existence.  Is this the most important election of your lifetime? You decide!

Jeff Cox calls this election between “universally despised candidates” the least important of our lifetime.

Jeff Cox's Article from CNBC

Josh Holland argues that this election may be the most important election of our lives.

Josh Holland's Article from The Nation

“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.” 

– Albert Einstein

Some questions for thought:

Who does the United States need as President of the United States?

Who will you be voting for and why?

What are the key issues in this election?

Does the mass media promote this continued divide in the population?

Do politicians thrive off the conflicts between races, cultures, and wealth classes?

As always, I encourage you to add to the discussion, critique points, argue, and debate!  Comment and share and let’s hash out history!