The Divided States Of America: Democratic Dilemma

As an immigrant who cannot even vote, I am almost unreasonably fascinated by the political state of this nation whose vast divides in terms of race, gender, age and values become all the more obvious come election time. The two-party system, I believe, exacerbates this sociopolitical partition. Super Tuesday, in a glaring demonstration, bared the divides and interestingly highlighted the current paradox that is surfacing in the one party known for its pacific, liberal, all encompassing, all accepting views, which should ideally cement the schisms that come from issues dividing the otherwise (U)united States. The Democratic candidate this year will make history no matter who goes on to represent the party in the November elections and not only because one is an African American candidate and the other a woman but also because for the very first time the liberals will contradict what they stand for by revealing their subtle biases. Super Tuesday's voting trends shed light on some of these biases.

The Democrats have always been known for appealing to people who prefer diplomacy to war and modern liberalism to conservative rigidity. History places the Democratic party at the forefront of the civil rights' movement. From Roosevelt's New Deal programs, JFK's support for the civil rights' movement to Bill Clinton's popular presidential theme of improving racial relations, the Democrats have always been in favor of racial equality. And now, Democrats face the moral predicament of having to pick between the races. Sure, race might just be one of the factors but considering the results of Super Tuesday, it definitely is a significant determinant. How ironic then that the one party known for championing racial diversity now presents to its loyal voters a dilemma that may finally force even the so-called liberals to face the underlying or subconscious biases that they weren't aware they had until faced with the uncomfortable choice between black and white.

Age has for some reason always played a smaller role in influencing the electability of a candidate but a much greater role in defining their popularity. Since this is not a popularity contest, the age factor is only limited to media scrutiny and does not affect political consideration until much later in the campaign. I wonder however, if this year, a nation's desperate hunger for change, may finally force the largely self-absorbed and yet opinionated and remarkably well-informed youth of this nation to get out and vote. This presents yet another quandary for the Democratic voters who until now associated the Democratic idealogy itself with a younger, fresher outlook. Now, in Senator Obama, they find a suave, self-assured, young, charismatic candidate who looks like them, talks like them, shares their experiences, and better still speaks of the change they all have been waiting for. But on the other hand there is the reassuring confidence of a mature candidate who may be older but brings with her the street-wisdom of political experience. And, although perceived by those intimidated by Senator Clinton's long political history as cold and calculating, she isn't low on wit and charm either. In fact, I am a little weary of people pointing out that she is shrewd. The word "politics" is a synonym for shrewd. So duh! Besides would anybody be so heartless as to put naivety and idealism amidst a game this messy? On one hand popularity polls indicate that the youngies are going for the dynamic Sen.Obama and on the other one doesn't know if America's youth will actually get off their computers and drive themselves to the ballots without incentive.

But this pickle isn't of age alone. The choice will be a tough one for the youth that has always viewed the Democratic party as the one political platform nurturing feminism and gender equality within a largely male dominated political framework. I bet they never anticipated having to choose between modernism and feminism. What do they do now? Do they choose the enterprise of an honest leader who promises radical change or the experience of a seasoned female leader who made a place for herself in spite of the personal upheavals and scrutiny she suffered as First Lady? Do they go for the young, visionary or for the feminist icon? Super Tuesday's voting trends indicated that the media's sly anti-Hillary, pro-Obama tactics may have angered the women who interpreted this rallying as yet another frustrating anti-feminist conspiracy by the media. Reports indicate that the women were out voting and even Oprah couldn't get them to go against the sisterhood sentiment that the media hype had unexpectedly inspired. So a party once united on matters of youthful libertarian values and feminine equality are now faced with the choice between a young optimist and a strong, female leader. Tough.

It will be interesting to speculate how these voting trends will influence the final elections in November. Newspapers and online reports call these events and issues divisive. I disagree on some levels with this simplistic inference. I think that while there may arise minor divisions within the party itself, in November, these same issues will finally bring about an assimilation of personal beliefs and political choices when it comes to the voters. The intra-party divisions may actually bring about somewhat of a unification among the general public who for lack of choice have begun to define themselves by Democratic and Republican labels instead of by their own beliefs and rationale. The mix that the American people have to choose from this year is an interesting one that does not fit the traditional compartments in terms of political stance. If Senator McCain who has defied Republican orthodoxy in the past, makes it to the November finale, he will be viewed by the conservative Republican voters with some reservation, while the moderate or conservative Democrats if desperate may even eye a unorthodox Republican candidate, something they've probably not done before.

Hence, although the current scenario spells division, in the bigger picture it may unify a nation pulled apart by the restrictive two party system that rarely allows flexibility. Or one hopes that people divided by politics will finally bury their differences to focus on the one issue that takes precedence over and overshadows the scattered concerns of race, religious beliefs, values, age and gender. The fickle economy!