Word has it that Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is about to announce his run for the 2020 presidential election. Former Vice President Joe Biden has yet to decide on whether or not he's going to run. Last I heard, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hadn't even completely ruled out a potential 2020 run. I voted for Sanders in the 2016 Ohio Democratic primary. I voted for the Obama/Biden ticket in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections. I voted for Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. These are all politicians I respect, admire, and proudly voted for when I had the opportunity. For as much as I respect and admire them, however, I think it's time for the Democratic Party to flip the page, start a new chapter, and bring something new, fresh, unexpected, diverse, and progressive heading into 2020 and beyond.
Donald Trump, at 70, became the oldest person to start his presidency in U.S. history. He's 72 now and emblematic of the aging Republican Party. Bernie Sanders is 77. Joe Biden is 76. Hillary Clinton is 71. They've all accomplished exceptional feats and led great careers in fighting for and helping to implement progressive causes, but it's time to start a new chapter.
If Sanders officially announces his run, he will become the 9th Democratic candidate running for the 2020 election. We're 22 months away from that election. For the entirety of the 2016 primary season, the Democratic Party saw just 6 major candidates announce they were running for the highest office in the land. In addition to Sanders, the following individuals have announced their plans to run for the presidency (age will be noted in parentheses): Pete Buttigieg (37), Julian Castro (44), John Delaney (55), Tulsi Gabbard (37), Kirsten Gillibrand (52), Kamala Harris (54), Richard Ojeda (48), and Elizabeth Warren (69).
Look at that list. Elizabeth Warren, who's the oldest in the list, is 8 years younger than Sanders, 7 years younger than Biden, and 2 years younger than Clinton. While I can all but guarantee that list isn't complete (not by a long shot), it's a fairly good starting point to show where the party should and will eventually be headed. The candidates are diverse in terms of gender, race, age, and background. This is emblematic of the Democratic Party of today (and tomorrow). In 2016, the Republican Party had a more diverse array of candidates than the Democratic Party, which aided right-wing trolls in creating memes suggesting the two parties' diversity in candidates accurately represented their parties' members overall, which of course is so wrong, it borders on being comical.
While we should appreciate, respect, admire, and learn from leaders of the past, it's time we use those accomplishments and that wisdom to set the stage for our leaders of today and tomorrow. It's time for those two periods to coincide, allowing for the Democratic Party of tomorrow to become the Democratic Party of today.
Donald Trump, at 70, became the oldest person to start his presidency in U.S. history. He's 72 now and emblematic of the aging Republican Party. Bernie Sanders is 77. Joe Biden is 76. Hillary Clinton is 71. They've all accomplished exceptional feats and led great careers in fighting for and helping to implement progressive causes, but it's time to start a new chapter.
If Sanders officially announces his run, he will become the 9th Democratic candidate running for the 2020 election. We're 22 months away from that election. For the entirety of the 2016 primary season, the Democratic Party saw just 6 major candidates announce they were running for the highest office in the land. In addition to Sanders, the following individuals have announced their plans to run for the presidency (age will be noted in parentheses): Pete Buttigieg (37), Julian Castro (44), John Delaney (55), Tulsi Gabbard (37), Kirsten Gillibrand (52), Kamala Harris (54), Richard Ojeda (48), and Elizabeth Warren (69).
Look at that list. Elizabeth Warren, who's the oldest in the list, is 8 years younger than Sanders, 7 years younger than Biden, and 2 years younger than Clinton. While I can all but guarantee that list isn't complete (not by a long shot), it's a fairly good starting point to show where the party should and will eventually be headed. The candidates are diverse in terms of gender, race, age, and background. This is emblematic of the Democratic Party of today (and tomorrow). In 2016, the Republican Party had a more diverse array of candidates than the Democratic Party, which aided right-wing trolls in creating memes suggesting the two parties' diversity in candidates accurately represented their parties' members overall, which of course is so wrong, it borders on being comical.
While we should appreciate, respect, admire, and learn from leaders of the past, it's time we use those accomplishments and that wisdom to set the stage for our leaders of today and tomorrow. It's time for those two periods to coincide, allowing for the Democratic Party of tomorrow to become the Democratic Party of today.
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