The current political arena is marked by discontent and unrest. Democrats, along with many Republicans, are discontent with the prospect of President Donald Trump remaining in office for a second term. But is this dissatisfaction enough for a Democratic candidate to win the election?

The country is sharply divided into the two major political parties, splintered by disagreement and effects of mass media. For years, this polarization has been a major source of frustration, but it seems to have come to a head with the 2016 presidential election. The campaign trail was ugly, with insults flying in both directions between Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. For many voters, there seemed to be no good option. Trump came out on top, but now many Americans are reconsidering their decision to “Make America Great Again.”

With the upcoming 2020 elections, Democrats are scrambling to defend their platforms on climate change reform, taxation of the wealthy, gun control laws and other important national issues. In past elections, candidates have emphasized the importance of winning over swing voters, or voters who are on the fence politically and can be “swung” to either side of the spectrum.

Many Democrats are now claiming that politics are so polarized that there are no swing voters left— an idea that is absolutely absurd to me. These candidates are pitching themselves to the far left, taking on a more radical stance to seemingly compensate for Trump’s overly-conservative one. If they play to the right crowds, this election year offers Democratic candidates a unique opportunity to take hold of a larger demographic of voters.

A Democratic candidate taking the moderate approach has the potential to swing voters from the right over toward the left, appealing to disgruntled Republican and Democratic voters looking for a change. I have hopes that a more neutral candidate could unite both sides of the spectrum and pull the public more toward the middle.

Candidates Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar have both positioned themselves in relatively moderate stances, but it all depends on who you talk to. With so many candidates currently in the running, it’s overwhelming following their platforms and truly understanding one’s views. Only time will tell if Biden or Klobuchar are truly moderate, given that the election is over a year away.

All I know is that the election of a radical democratic candidate is only going to splinter party lines further. It will continue the spiraling trend of radicals from each side switching off each election, making no real progress in office and causing even more confusion with voters.

Each party holds its own views on how issues are dealt with, and the likelihood of both parties agreeing on these issues and their execution is slim. But the first step is bridging the gap and promoting compromise rather than hate and adversity.

As voters, we should be asking our future president to treat the public with respect, to be understanding of diverse perspectives and to work hard to accommodate the majority. We need to remind ourselves of our American values and the power of democracy. Exacting change is easier when we all can come together with less bias and, instead, with more integrity and compassion.

I think it’s easy to forget that the people on the other side of the party lines are just people, too. They may hold different beliefs, but they have the same goals: to make this country the best place it can be. To move forward, we must be willing to see other perspectives outside of our own.

Grace Hallen can be reached at hall2306@stthomas.edu.