The 2016 presidential contest has been blemished by demagoguery on both sides. Any rational and informed observer would cringe at Bernie Sanders’ vision of wall street conspiracy or Donald Trump’s overblown xenophobia. These are the polarizing policies of fear mongers, not diplomatic statesmen. Our next president must not be a demagogue.
A president should be a strong, proven leader. Not an inexperienced businessman or an eccentric independent. A president must know how to cut deals and make change–we do not need a divisive figure. We need a candidate with common sense who can guide America to a policy platform that works for everyone. We have that candidate, and his name is John Kasich.
Governor Kasich is the son of a postman from the Pittsburgh area and the grandson of Croatian and Czech immigrants. After growing up lower middle class, the Governor got his start in politics in the Ohio state senate. As the youngest Ohio state senator ever, Kasich’s first act was to decline a raise, staying true to his working class beginnings.
His meteoric rise continued, with nine successful terms in the House of Representatives—winning with over 64% each time—and an impressive business career. Along the way, he managed to write three New York Times best sellers. Finally, in 2010, John Kasich defeated incumbent Ted Strickland, securing his seat as Governor of Ohio. From humble roots, the Governor has risen to high office, showing a remarkable work ethic and drive to succeed.
In all these offices, John Kasich has shown an unparalleled capacity to get things done. During his tenure on the House Committee on the Budget, he spearheaded the 1997 balanced budget deal. He was the real brains behind the historic Clinton-era surpluses, his hard work brought us soaring from a deficit of negative $163 billion to a surplus of $236 billion. And he has done the same in Ohio: he eliminated an $8 billion budget deficit without raising taxes by a dime. In fact he lowered them, reducing Ohioans’ overall tax burden by 5 billion. Kasich’s sheer capacity to make change sets him apart from the field.
The Governor’s fiscal responsibility is mirrored in his conscientious policy history. In the 1986 Goldwater-Nichols act, Kasich lead the charge to make the Department of Defense more efficient. Later in his congressional career, he showed a capacity for bipartisan compromise, supporting President Clinton’s Federal Assault Weapons Ban. His pattern of smart reform continued in Ohio; in 2012 he signed into law a bill that softened penalties on non-violent felons, allowing them to lead a productive life, free of recidivism. Ohio’s recidivism rates are now some of the lowest in the nation. Governor Kasich’s legislative record shows a caring man, who is willing to respect viewpoints from all sides. Exactly what we need in a President.
And Governor Kasich would continue his tradition of intelligent, non-partisan reform as president. He advocates for a balanced environmental policy that would protect jobs, acknowledging the reality of climate change while recognizing the essentiality of a healthy economy. He believes in a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants; he knows that immigration is the backbone of our economy, and must be cultivated while retaining our stalwart borders. These are the policies of a statesman: compassionate, balanced and practical.
John Kasich has a strong moral compass: he believes in unconditional love for all people. In other words, he accepts the gay marriage decision as law. On taxes, he would close loopholes while cutting income and corporate taxes, making America a great place to do business and bringing jobs back home. And while Governor Kasich opposes the Affordable Care Act, he accepted its funds, showing a lack of partisan contrarianism. This is the hallmark of Governor Kasich’s plans: he’s a self proclaimed “believer in bipartisanship.” John Kasich would give us a legislative agenda that would work for everybody, recognizing the views of our diverse nation.
Many Richard Montgomery students and staff support Governor Kasich. Sophomore Adam Howlett is enthusiastic about the candidate, declaring, “his moderate views are practical and imply a level of understanding not seen in the more extreme candidates on either side.” This is accurate; Kasich is a true consensus candidate. Government teacher William Vicari agrees, saying that he has “centrist positions that [are] more appealing than those of the right wing fringe candidates.” His economically sensible policy promises a balanced approach to governance that doesn’t attack businesses or immigrants, unlike the extreme contenders.
However, a lot of students haven’t heard of John Kasich, despite his impressive credentials. Three of the students that were asked for comment reported that they didn’t know him, or that they thought he was insignificant. Mr. Vicari supports this, writing that he does “not have a very strong opinion on Kasich.” This will be a major hurdle for the Kasich campaign. While Governor Kasich represents a solid middle-ground candidate, he has a serious name recognition problem. Hopefully, more people will become aware of John Kasich’s smart policy, experience, and leadership. For truly, he is the most rational choice for president.
