SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – We are 91 days away from the 2024 presidential election and with each passing day, the political tensions seem to be increasing between the Harris and Trump campaigns.
While we’re hearing a lot from the candidates, what are the voters thinking and feeling?
We sought out three voters. We had never met any of them face-to-face before. We had no idea where they stood on the issues. We asked each of them about the political climate in the United States and what is on their mind as we get closer to Election Day.
What is the current state of politics in America?
“Divided. We are divided,” said Bradley Smith.
“Disappointing and scary,” said Chuck Parsons.
“Some things are still working, thankfully, and some things are…need some attention,” said Bruce Blankley.
On Monday, within a couple of hours time, I sat down with all three of these registered voters.
It’s the first time I had ever spent any time with them.
I found them by putting out a call on my Facebook page….and they were the first three who responded.
Bradley Smith lives in Sioux Falls and tells me American politics has become something it shouldn’t have.
“We have a long way to go. We need to learn to co-exist and accept each other for our differences,” said Bradley Smith.
Chuck Parsons says instead of evolving, the American political process has devolved….focusing on topics that seem to involve everything except governing.
“Their race, who they’re married to, maybe things that have gone on in the past it just…gets a little sickening to me,” said Chuck Parsons.
Bruce Blankley tells me he’s tired of name-calling and insults masquerading as thoughtful debate.
“There’s positive things in both parties but not necessarily positive things coming out of the candidates.”
We spent roughly 15 minutes with each of these voters and they essentially told me the exact same thing, had the exact same concerns, which may not be all that surprising except for the fact that Bradley Smith is a registered Republican, Chuck Parsons is a registered Democrat and Bruce Blankley is a registered Independent. Bruce finds himself as an Independent after being both a Democrat and a Republican.
“I lost some faith in the politics of the Democratic Party,” said Bruce Blankley.
Blankley lost that faith decades ago after his father…late in life…lost his union-protected job. That union had close ties to the Democratic Party.
Blankley became Republican after moving to South Dakota…where he then lost faith after seeing Republicans at work at the legislature in Pierre.
“They just didn’t seem like they were going to do things for making change and progressing South Dakota and doing things that would benefit a lot of people,” said Bruce Blankley.
Chuck Parsons has been a lifelong Democrat.
“When I turned 18 George McGovern was running for president and I was proud of the fact that he was from South Dakota and represented us,” said Chuck Parsons.
Bradley Smith tells me he is a Republican because he believes it’s the clearest choice when it comes to solving the real-world problems America is facing right now.
“In this current day and age, I think it’s the best chance for us to get to that. To get to the solutions and the common ground,” said Bradley Smith.
And it’s that idea of common ground that is especially interesting.
Polls say America is now the most politically divided it has ever been.
So why is that happening? All three of our voters have identified what they believe is the problem: that political candidates are focusing on personal insults against their opponents because it’s easier and faster to try and make voters feel a certain way…than it is to identify problems and then think of the solution.
Again these three voters….of different backgrounds, different ages, different parties….all three used the exact same word in describing what political leaders and want-to-be leaders…really need to be focusing on….
“You’re not just going to fix that without going across the aisle to work on compromise and solutions,” said Bruce Blankley.
“Compromise. That can apply to everyday people in relationships. You have to compromise and find common ground somehow.” said Bradley Smith.
And Chuck Parsons….on what George McGovern would think of the state of American politics.
“I’d hope he’d shake his head and go people, we just need to rise up above this and become more about governing and compromise when we have to without feeling as though we lost,” said Chuck Parsons.
Three South Dakota voters. Three different political persuasions. All thinking and wanting the same thing.
And of note during our conversations, none of them felt the need to insult or degrade those who think differently than they do.
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Publish date : 2024-08-06 17:16:00
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