Written by: Preston Waters
“Who the heck is this skinny guy with a funny last name, and what the heck is he doing up there on a debate stage?” Vivek Ramaswamy said after receiving his opening question during the second Republican presidential primary debate on Sept. 27.
Ramaswamy is the youngest person to ever run for president of the United States. Forbes described him as a “38-year-old entrepreneur that was born and raised in Cincinnati” who first made headlines when he created investment holding company Roivant Sciences. The company’s premise was described by Forbes as: “Pharma giants had plenty of abandoned drugs that could be worth a fortune if someone focused on them.”
Ramaswamy, like Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, has several extreme ideals that will either cause you to love him or hate him.
“God is real; there are two genders; fossil fuels are a requirement for human prosperity; reverse racism is racism; an open border is not a border; parents determine the education of their children; the nuclear family is the greatest form of governance known to man; capitalism lifts us up from poverty; there are three branches of government, not four; and the U.S. constitution is the greatest guarantor of freedom in human history,” said Ramaswamy as he finished out the debate with his closing statements.
Like Trump, Ramaswamy has shown through his debates and speeches that he is not afraid to speak his mind and share his ideas. For example, during the Sept. 27 debate, he explained his idea that all citizens under the age of 25 should be required to take a civil service test in order to vote, as well as his ideas to disband certain government agencies, such as the FBI and IRS.
However, I view Ramaswamy as more politically correct compared to Donald Trump. Ramaswamy shows this in the way he listens and speaks to the American people on his campaign trail. Although many people disagree with Ramaswamy, he does not appear to hold their differing opinions against them or try to persuade them. He would rather have a civil discussion of differing beliefs than stop someone from sharing their opinions.
I believe the way Ramaswamy handles disagreements is exactly the type of attitude we should have in government. Showing up for the American people with a willing, listening ear is a quality many of the nation’s politicians have lacked in the past.
That being said, I do not agree with Ramaswamy on all of his opinions and ideas. For example, his views on climate change and the idea that China should be held responsible for COVID-19 are two I do not agree with.
However, I believe he can make a positive change. The way he leads with listening is very admirable and something we can learn from. Nowadays, we see politicians disagreeing and arguing back and forth all of the time. It seems like if you cannot agree with someone, that means you cannot work with them either. Ramaswamy believes differently.
A prime example of politicians with differing views refusing to work together happened just two weeks ago, when Matt Gaetz, a congressman from Florida, started the vote in the House of Representatives to oust Kevin McCarthy, then Speaker of the House. Gaetz accused McCarthy “of cutting ‘a secret side deal’ with President Joe Biden to provide additional funding to Ukraine,” according to an article published in the Guardian earlier this month.
An article on Businessinsider.com stated that the side deal dealt with $6 billion in aid for Ukraine being withdrawn from a spending bill that was being voted on by congress. McCarthy denied the bargain, claiming to reporters that there was no secret plan.
Throughout his time in office, Gaetz publicly criticizes others for their views on side deals, immigration and big tech. During an invitation-only fundraiser, Gaetz called Biden’s impeachment a “political stunt,” according to The News Republic.
“They’re trying to engage in, like, a ‘forever war’ of impeachment,” Gaetz was quoted as saying.
As we pay attention to Ramaswamy’s future campaign speeches, advertisements and Q&A town halls, notice how he listens. He says on his website: “To put America first, we must first rediscover what America is.”
What are the fundamental values that we stand on as a country? And how can we use these values to bring us together rather than constantly tear each other apart? Ramaswamy seems to care about finding the answer.
He certainly has stances that I disagree with, but I do agree with the way he is running his campaign. Too often, politicians try to shove their ideals in your face no matter what your opinion is. I wish more would emulate Ramaswamy and present themselves as listening politicians.
Editor’s Note: The Accent invites those with differing views to submit a piece or pitch an idea to the opinion column by emailing our opinion editor at apdewey@southern.edu.