American reactions to the 2016 Presidential Election have included both celebrations and protests. Three vocal JA seniors voice their reactions in this interview with The Pioneer Press.

Jacob Lombardi

Do you think this was a critical election?

“Yes”

What presidential candidate did you support?

“Trump”

What key issues persuaded you to support their campaign?

“Economy, foreign policy, gun control, pro life, anti-amnesty”

Do you think Donald Trump will be a good leader for our county? Why or why not?

“Yes, he is a very good leader, he is ambitious, he will make the economy flourish, he will make a better effort to put the economy back to the free market economy it was intended to be by the framers

(through less taxation and fewer handouts) and he will make his efforts to bring our country back to one again, to lessen the divide between the American people.”

Do you think electing Donald Trump as president will change politics in America? For better or for worse?

“He will change politics for the better. Throughout the past 8 years, the American economy has come closer to the ideals of a socialistic society through the redistribution of money through programs such as welfare. America was intended to run by a free market economy allowing people to compete against each other and the people who work hard for their worth will end up being ahead financially. People believe that just because you are not born wealthy, you do not have the opportunity to become successful. Our free market economy allows anyone to become successful if they work hard enough.”

Where do you consider yourself on the political spectrum?

“Staunch Conservative”

Do you plan to participate in future elections?

“Yes”

How important do you think politics are to the U.S.?

“Highly Important”

What issues made you not support the other presidential candidate?

“Many, many reasons. Mostly on the fact that she promised her supporters more handouts through, again, programs such as welfare bringing America closer to a socialistic society. I believe that abortion should 100% not be legal in America because I believe legally they should be considered Alive at conception.  People who enter this country illegally are in fact criminals. They should be deported and not automatically be granted amnesty, like crooked Hillary was proposing. Which brings me to the next point of Hillary changing her beliefs to Appeal to the majority to win elections. She has done it many times over her political career and it needed to stop. They call democrats “progressive” but nothing would’ve changed if she held office.”

Why do you think our country is so divided in politics?

“I blame the divide on biased media that focuses on certain issues that are extremely controversial beginning with Ferguson. Statistics show that the amount of shooting based on race has not raised in the past 15 years, the media has just now focused on it.”

Aziza Ayoub

Do you think this was a critical election?

“Yes”

What presidential candidate did you support?

“I supported my main guy Bernie but unfortunately had to settle for Clinton after she ‘beat’ him because she’s still better than Trump.”

What key issues persuaded you to support their campaign?

“Social injustice, immigration, Syria, & Palestine just to name a few”

Do you think Donald Trump will be a good leader for our county? Why or why not?

“Depends. If he truly believes what he’s been saying since he announced his campaign, absolutely not. Because he’s said chauvinistic, racist, & defeating things about women & pretty much all minorities. But before he decided to run he was sort of a liberal and pretty tolerant. That would be ok.”

Do you think electing Donald Trump as president will change politics in America? For better or for worse?

“It might just because he’s not an establishment Politician, but who knows what to expect from him?”

Where do you consider yourself on the political spectrum?

“I am much more liberal but I have a few conservative views on certain things.”

Do you plan to participate in future elections?

“Yep, this was my first time voting & I plan to do so as long as I can.”

How important do you think politics are to the U.S.?

“Super important!!!”

What issues made you not support the other presidential candidate?

“All the things I mentioned earlier, I disagree with Trump on.”

Why do you think our country is so divided in politics?

“Because some people are not willing to compromise”

Shane Lisinski

Do you think this was a critical election?

“This was a critical election, especially for the republican party.”

What presidential candidate did you support?

“I reluctantly supported Hillary Clinton.”

What key issues persuaded you to support their campaign?

“I supported her immigration, economic, and social standpoints. Most important to me was immigration.”

Do you think Donald Trump will be a good leader for our county? Why or why not?

“I do not believe he will be a good leader for our nation due to the unconstitutionality of his viewpoints. Also his tactics to “inspire” people are severely crippling to the forward moving to our nation, while his ideas are driving people to hatred and racism. While he may have success while in office, he will not be a good leader for our nation.”

Do you think electing Donald Trump as president will change politics in America? For better or for worse?

“I think that the election of Donald Trump will stand as a minor hiccup in the electoral history of our country. He will not set a mold to be followed in future years, he simply embodies a current level of civil unrest within the electorate.”

Where do you consider yourself on the political spectrum?

“I believe I fall into the moderate or independent category.”

Do you plan to participate in future elections?

“I will participate in future elections.”

How important do you think politics are to the U.S.?

“Politics are not important to our nation, in fact I believe they detract from the process of law in our nation. We are at a stage now where the politics of an election take over the issue and this fallacy is detrimental to the success of our nation.”

What issues made you not support the other presidential candidate?

“I chose not to support Donald Trump due to his near blatant disregard for the law and constitution of our nation. We live in a society where law and the legal process should and for the most part does take priority over all other things, and Donald Trump proposes policies that fly in the face of our constitution. One example among many stands as the banning of all Muslims.”

Why do you think our country is so divided in politics?

“I feel polarization within government in our current political system has caused a very divided electorate and population within our nation.”