BEING UNCONVENTIONAL! Cont Discussion of the GOP in the 2016 Presidential Elections by Jonathan Gray 11/5/15

 

Hello!!!

Here's an update of the GOP concerning the 2016 elections:

• Currently, there are 15 candidates running in the GOP for the presidential ticket.  http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/elections/2016-presidential-candidates.html?_r=0
• From a condensed overview of polls held by the Huffington Post, Donald Trump is leading most of the polls, with Ben Carson coming a close second. http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/2016-national-gop-primary
• Current front runner for the democrats, Hilary Clinton, is tied with GOP candidate, Ben Carson, at 47% tied  according to an NBC/Wall Street Journal survey based largely on interviews with voters conducted before last week's CNBC GOP presidential debate.
• The next GOP debate is Nov 10 sponsored by Fox Business and the WSJ. 

One aspect of the presidential race that has surprised me, and perhaps many others, are the current leading GOP candidates, Donald Trump and Ben Carson. In the beginning of 2015, many people felt both candidates weren't serious enough to be considered front runners, largely due to their non-political experience and 'celebrity' status. However, the two most unlikely candidates are now leading the polls!

The main discussion question: Will this trend of popularity concerning 'in-experienced' or 'unconventional' candidates w/in the GOP result in an evolution of the way conventional US politics is handled? 

When taking a retrospective look at previous presidential candidates and politicians, many have had a considerable amount of domestic/national experience, ranging from being apart of the military/governmental organizations to establishing a political career early on.

When looking at Trump and Carson, although both are 'successful' individuals with a vast amount of 'influence, both aren't established politicians and haven't attained any serious standing directly within the US government.

Yet, one thing I think attracts voters to these two men, compared to the other GOP candidates, is their 'unconventionality'! People are ready for a 'change' in which the way people are traditionally represented and who represents them! As seen through Trump, they aren't constrained to specific rhtoric or customs; they do what they feel. This can even be seen with Carson through his comments about a muslim president to disregarding negative statements made by other candidates.

But do you think the increase in popularity concerning celebrities and non-politicians during governmental elections poses a risk to the legitimacy and effectiveness of our government. Remeber, the positions these individuals are running for are one of the most important postions that affects everyone!

Any comments/suggestions/input is greatly appreciated!
 JMG

GOP Discussion by Jonathan Gray

Hey!!!

My name is Jonathan, and I'm a current UGA undergrad studying International Relations.

In one of my classes, we need to generate at least three entries of online content commenting on political affairs at local, national, and global levels.

Since the US presidential elections are coming up, I feel this would be a great topic to focus on.
One big facet that makes this upcoming election unique is the vast number of candidates, specifically in the GOP.

Granted, a large number of candidates isn't necessarily negative, largely because it provides options and variability. However, there seems to be a lack of concentration among the GOP concerning policy, leadership, consensus, and experience. As of Oct 31, 2015, there are a total of 15 GOP front runners compared to the Democrats 4 front runners.

I guess my main question is whether the large number of possible candidates in the GOP will help or deter their success in 2016. Granted, it is early in the race to make steadfast decisions, but there are facets of this race that makes this election really unique.

Please provide any feedback!!! Any comments, positive or negative, are greatly appreciated.
Thanks!!!! :D