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There’s no disputing the importance of the 2020 Presidential election. The past two decades of American politics polarized the parties, breeding an oppositional hatred that culminated in the 2016 election. For the first time in a while, American politics was openly fueled by personal attacks and blatant mudslinging. Donald Trump’s victory was followed by riots in the streets and temporary closings of certain universities so people could cope with their emotions. Social media is full of toxicity from both sides of the isle as more and more people become unable to humanize their political opponents. As the perfect storm continues to brew, one can only imagine what the 2020 election has in store for the country.
While the 2016 election was heated, the past three years have only served to fan the flames of resentment. Not only have two conservative Supreme Court Justices been appointed to the Supreme Court, but Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of the four liberal justices on the court, is growing dangerously old. If she retires or passes away in the next presidential term, then the next president will decide the new justice’s alignment. The winner of the 2020 election could be the difference between a 5-4 conservative majority court and a 6-3 majority.
The next president will inherit a country determined to divide itself further than it already has. Precedent is a thing of the past. Compromise is gone. Politics is a game of scoring points. Regardless of who wins, the next president will have to navigate a polarized landscape and hopefully begin a process to turn politics into something respectable and not the reality TV show that was the 2016 election. The next president will have to start the process of mending this broken nation.
