Liana Hovhannisyan: Main Political Internal Themes of the US Pre-Election Campaign

• 08.26.2015, 17:56
• Liana Hovhannisyan
•  America,  "Insight" Analytical Center ,  World,  Interview

Are migrants burden or strength for the US further development? Is it better for the US population to have  a candidate who is  dependent on the rich few or he himself is a representative of those rich few? To find answers to these and other questions read the EXCLUSIVE interview of "Armedia" IAA with expert of "Insight" Analytical Center for Applied Research and Policy Liana Hovhannisyan.

- The campaign for the first stage of the US election has entered into an active stage. What are the reasons of such a demonstrated activity by already announced presidential candidates and who are frontrunners?

- The US Republicans and Democratic candidates are already engaged in an active campaign for the first stage of election which is called "Primaries and Caucasus" when a strongest candidate from each party is elected to run in the national election.

At present there are 18 Republican and 5 Democratic candidates who announced their candidacy. 2016 presidential elections are already marked by the greatest number of Republican candidates, as long as the number of Republican presidential candidates has exceeded the 1948 Republican primary record (15 candidates). One possible explanation for this is the assumption that a party after two consecutive terms nearly always loses the election. Thus Republican candidates consider 2016 elections to be a real chance for them not to be missed.

However in spite of the difference in the number of Democratic and Republican candidates as for now there are two font-runners from each side: Democrats, former US Secretary Hilary Clinton and  longest-serving independent in U.S. congressional history Barnie Sanders, Republicans – the second son of former President George H. W. Bush, Jeb Bush and American real estate developer, Donald Trump.

- What are the major internal political topics discussed by the candidates in the election campaigns?

- The major internal topics of discussion for all four candidates are the issue immigration (the so-called birthright citizenship and "anchor babies" - the idea that some women enter the U.S. illegally simply so they can have babies who are U.S. citizens, which might make it easier for those women and their families to then become citizens too) and the problem of wealth inequality.

The issue of inequality is one of the main topics for presidential candidates. All of the candidates make argument for equality of all people. In spite of this candidates are in an active race who will manage to raise the largest sum of  money (at present Bush is leading with more than $114 million, thanks to the nine-digit total that Right to Rise, the super PAC supporting him). Paradoxically this super PACs make them dependant on those rich few who are the main cause of inequality in the country.

The case of Donald Trump seem to be even interesting because he publicly announce his independence from big donors, in June proclaiming "I’m using my own money".  In his case one should ask a question, is it better for a candidate to be dependent on the rich few or he himself be representative of those rich few, as in case of real estate developer, Donuld Trump. From this perspective the position of the Barnie Sander on the issue seems to be most beneficial as he was the one to denounce the so-called Super PACSs arguing that "American political system gives outsize influence to millionaires and billionaires".

-   What are the candidates’ stances on migration?

- As for another main topic migration then here the views of the candidates on the issue seem to be diverse and contradictory even when we compare the stances of the candidates from the same party. For example, while Jeb Bush calls the migration of the illegal people to the as "an act of love" (to make better live for their families, and this is natural enough if we consider the fact that his wife is also a migrant ) and is against the mass deportation of the illegal migrants from the US, his opponent Republican candidate Donald Trump’s immigration reform is for constructing a wall across the southern border to be paid for by Mexico and the "mass deportation of migrants to their homes.

The stance of Democrats on the migration issue has long time been milder than those of Republicans. According to the recent Pew Research Center, conducted in May of this year 63% Republicans say that immigrants are a burden on the country, while only 27%  thinks that they strengthen the country. In contrast,  majorities of Democrats and independents say immigrants strengthen the country (62% of Democrats, 57% of independents).

Democrat candidate Clinton, for example not once asked the Republican candidates who are for mass deportation of illegal migrants to come from another universe and face the reality. Clinton is for granting citizenship to people living here illegal if they meet certain conditions including paying a fine to the government, paying back taxes, and learning English.

The view of Bernie Sanders, another leading Democratic candidates, is similar to that of Clinton. Sanders argues that American is a nation of immigrants and they are the strength of America. However, as opposed to Clinton, Sanders still remains unknown to    Latino and minority voters. Recent polls conducted by CNN showed that Sander enjoys only five percent support of nonwhite Democrat voters. Clinton, on the other hand, was supported by 65 percent in the survey.

Conclusively it should be stated that the issue of migration will continue to remain major topic of discussion for candidates. The fact that seven of ten Americans think that illegal migrants should be provided with documents, gives ground to assume that if not at present stage in the next stages Republicans will be forced to somehow change their viewpoint on the issue to succeed in the elections.  Thus we will still witness changes on the issue in the positions of the candidates.