Sunday afternoon brought news that was likely expected by most of the nation: Hillary Clinton is running for president, again. At this point in time, she is most likely the Democratic nominee.
Her announcement came in the form of a video depicting Americans getting ready to plant a garden for spring, a heterosexual couple preparing to have a child, a homosexual couple announcing their marriage, the list goes on. The video concludes with this line from Clinton herself: “I’m getting ready to do something too: I’m running for president.”
For 2016, her campaign is centered on making her seem more approachable as she claims, “everyday Americans need a champion and I want to be that champion.” It is time for the structure of things to be in favor of those who work hard everyday, not just those on top.
This announcement of candidacy places her as the only contender on the left while her opponents on the right currently include Texas senator Ted Cruz, Kentucky senator Rand Paul and as of late Monday night, Florida senator Marco Rubio.
Both Rubio and Cruz intend to bring their experience as children of immigrant parents to the forefront of their campaigns.
As Rubio stated in his Monday night bid announcement, “I live in an exceptional country, where even the son of a bartender and a maid can have the same dreams and the same future as those who come from power and privilege."
Cruz’s campaign website echoes similar sentiments, “Ted has been a tireless fighter for liberty his entire life because his family knows what it is like to lose it.
While Paul, the son of two-time Republican presidential candidate and Libertarian presidential nominee Ron Paul, has not faced the experience of growing up the child of a working class family, he still proclaims a fight for liberty.
As Paul’s campaign website indicates, “I am running for president to return our country to the principles of liberty and limited government.”
There is much overlap in the GOP candidates, which is not surprising as they are all campaigning for the votes of similar individuals. This just makes it all the more important to pay attention to the news.
Nearly all students at DePauw University will have a vote in the 2016 election. We at The DePauw encourage you to pay attention as candidates both red and blue begin to push out their platforms, inform citizens of their view on hot button issues and vie for your support.
Your vote is an important one, so make it educated.