When solving an issue, one should always avoid thinking in black and white. There usually is no right or wrong, there are many shades of slightly better and slightly worse and many paths lead to a solution unless you limit yourself to black and white. But what is if there is no option? What if you’re entrapped in a political system that favors two definitive choices, that drift further apart with each passing day? Welcome to US Politics, where the odds are stacked against you no matter where you stand. Unless you’re a straight white male that is.

When thinking about the US President, Congress, or any political institution, it’s easy to label them as the vital leading organs of the state. However, one must not forget, that those not only run US Politics but have the duty to represent their voters. Sadly when this statement couldn’t be further from the truth.

Of course, come election day, there are independent parties in the race. But let’s be honest, thanks to media coverage and insignificant funds, those don’t even have to bother. It’s a faceoff of left and right, of an overwhelming majority of white male Democrats against overwhelmingly white male Republicans. The result in this term: An overwhelmingly orange Bonobo.

US Politics: Here Goes nothing

Donald Trump is the output of a political system that trips itself up in its bipartisan affairs and overall corrupt capitalistic approach to policymaking. He is the result of a system catering two sides that drift further apart, making common ground less likely. In fact, bipartisan respect is at an all-time low, a development that has been a long time coming. Add to that the incredible influence many major companies hold just by transferring money to the right politicians and you get the essence of US Politics.

I still fondly remember the days, where we thought it’d be a good thing that the US got more diverse, where there was this Melting Pot atmosphere of differences blended into unity. But let’s be honest that never happened and it’s ever so unlikely to happen in the foreseeable future. We have to face it, only 3 in 5 Americans is white and only 1 in 2 is male. Yet in 2013, Congress had about 80% male and 80% white representatives. That’s not diversity. You know what else isn’t diversity? Two extremely stiff political parties stuck in their ways for decades.

A Monochromatic Representation of the Rainbow

A country as diverse as the United States has one of the least diverse political systems and yet loves to pose as the Democratic Demigod fighting Socialism and bringing their teachings into the world. And see what it got them. A TV binge-watching fast food junkie that can’t even read a whole document without getting distracted by his Twitter feed. The problem here is, what would’ve been the alternative. Hillary? Well, at least she would’ve been backed by a party actually invested in their citizen’s interest, allowing a greater degree of diversity in the process. But let’s be honest – Hillary, in the end, would’ve been a slightly more professional disaster.

Here lies the crux of US politics. If you have the choice between Sodom and Gomorra, you may end up doomed whatever choice you make. In a political landscape where people cling to two political movements and passionately hate each other – there is a problem. There is no room to maneuver, no alternative to your party’s candidate. So you blindly vote whatever you party puts in front of you. A businessman from Reality-TV, a potential child molester, you don’t really care, do you? You have to choose, largely without having a choice. And if you chose Trump, you can now watch him destroy everything his predecessors worked for.

Killing It

There is a dim light at the end of the tunnel though – Trump’s approval ratings keep on falling and, with him, Republican ratings as well. It’s not at an all-time low for the Republican party, though it shows that when you have to vote in black and white, your colors may not turn out to be very representative of the diverse country they are trying to govern. If you’re really unlucky, they may not even remotely represent you. That’s a lesson many Republicans are currently learning the hard way.