Contemplating what an ideal politician might look like

By Mason Bibby​

It is time to stop beating around the bush. Whether Republican or Democrat, I believe there is a large degree of consensus around the premise that neither candidate, Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, is ideal for a majority of people.
In fact, this has been the case for a multiplicity of presidential candidates, leaving many to opt for the proverbial “lesser of two evils.” Too few have stopped to consider what a hypothetical “ideal candidate” would look like. Specifically, what would a campaign look like that synthesizes and juxtaposes all of the beliefs, values and visions that one holds dear. For myself, it is relatively easy to discern. However, that averment may be difficult for others, and so I have used myself as an example.
This was a more arduous task than one might expect, which surprised even me, as I took a great deal of care in ensuring that my beliefs aligned with things I may say or attempt. To do this, I took a quick political test (which I strongly recommend by the way) and found that I side with the GOP, or Republican Party, on about 81% of issues. I was not unsurprised; I tend to lean further to the right on a multiplicity of issues, such as economic policy, infrastructure improvement, and individual values. Conversely, I found that I sided with the Democratic Party on about 46% of issues–far less than the Republicans, and far less than half. Other parties, such as the American Constitutional and the NoLabels movement, also made appearances, mostly through answers that were similar throughout most or all parties. Therefore, I figured, my ideal candidate would most realistically either be on the right, center-right, or a more conservative iteration of the left. 
Next, I did a bit of self-searching to determine what kind of qualities, characteristics, and general demeanor I would want a presidential candidate to exhibit. Honesty, transparency, and integrity, are perhaps the most important benchmarks of an individual competing for the highest office in the land. Lastly, it all comes down to how my opinions will change as I grow. I am neither a true office holder nor a voter, and there are many, many, many things I still need to learn and experience. But for now, I can safely say that I would value the true characteristics of a candidate rather than his or her party.