The U.S. 2024 presidential race is leaving a lot of voters unenthused. Popular but unfavorable candidates like President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have caused voters to feel perplexed and anxious for the potential outcome. Forlornly, registered voters have sought alternatives for the two major party candidates.
In recent history, all U.S. presidents have either represented the Republican or Democratic parties, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any room for the “underdogs.” This is where the candidate Cornel West comes into play.
Brief background
Born in Tulsa, Okla., on June 2, 1953, West’s mother was a school teacher and principal, while his father was a general contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense. Growing up in Sacramento, Calif., West idolized civil rights figure Malcolm X and black theologist James Cone. Inspired by their outspoken beliefs, he marched in civil rights demonstrations to demand black history courses at his high school.
Being the precocious teenager he was, West enrolled at Harvard University. In 1973, he graduated with a Bachelor’s in Near Eastern languages and civilizations. Afterwards, he enrolled at Princeton University where he received his Master’s and PhD in Philosophy, making him the first African American to receive a PhD in Philosophy at Princeton University.
As an author of over 20 published works, a professor and public figure, West discusses how dividing our society fosters despair that undermines the United States’ democratic process. When asked about how to decrease tension and increase fairness in America, West replied with “…I would say you have to fight in the life of the mind as well as fight in the streets, as well as fight in the courts, as well as fight in Congress and the White House.”
“There are various forms of weaponry, intellectual weaponry, spiritual weaponry, political weaponry, economic weaponry. Because we are on the battlefield, and there are bullets flying, some symbolic, some literal.”
Political affiliation
Previously serving as honorary chairman for the Democratic Socialists of America, West became an avid supporter of the Green Party around 2000. In June 2023, he initially ran for president under the Green Party, but switched to an independent or unaffiliated candidate. West’s campaign released a statement about his decision to ditch the Greens, stating “As Dr. West’s campaign for president grows, he believes the best way to challenge the entrenched system is by focusing 100% on the people, not on the intricacies of internal party dynamics.”
Simply, an independent run serves as almost a liaison for voters who are perplexed with their candidate options. Independents can give Americans their voices back, as opposed to choosing between insufficient candidates. The left and the right won’t go away, yet their persistence of being the only “teams” in the race has become antiquated. Mostly due to leaving too many people disappointed, while their political ethics fail, or even become corrupt.
Policies and active change
Like any candidate, Dr. West has a substantial amount of policies he’d like to put into place while in office. Economically, West wants to abolish poverty and homelessness, raise the minimum wage to $27 an hour (with special accommodations for certain geographical areas where $27 isn’t enough to support a family) and ban credit scores for housing, employment and finance.
In terms of health justice, his policies are to organize abortion rights on a constitutional level, remove transgender limitations from healthcare policies, nationalize the healthcare industry and establish a COVID-19 commission as justice for populations immensely impacted by the pandemic.
Educationally, all student debt will be forgiven, minimum wage for teachers will start at $80,000 a year (reducing the need for charter schools), free tuition for all state and community colleges and end the “quality” of education between wealthy and low-income public schools.
West’s stance on gun rights is to end the gun violence epidemic, establish similar requirements for driver’s licenses to gun ownership and limit the number of sales at gun shows. To understand more of his policies, please click here.
Analysis
As the presidential race heats up these next few months, make sure to look at all of your options. Consider a candidate who values racial, economic, immigration, social, environmental and worker justice. Someone who isn’t afraid of breaking through the relics of the political past.
At this juncture of our country’s history, we need a person who will transcend what is typically expected of them as president. Dr. Cornel West has the education, experience and passion to become our next great president.
Featured image: Photo by Janine Robinson on Unsplash
Edited by: James Sutton
