Poised to become one of the most memorable periods in American political history, the 2016 Presidential Election shows a pivot in the nation’s beliefs and values. Candidates from the left and the right polarize the nation; the pendulum swings back and forth with eager eyes waiting to see where it falls. The next President of the United States will dictate the political climate for years to come.

After years of ineffectual leadership from the federal government, the American public is finally showing signs of their unrest. None of the issues that plague the nation have been solved.

Still we wrestle with class and racial division; still we fight over how to deal with immigration and terrorism in the homeland; still we worry about America’s role in the future of the world. All the promises to fix these issues, from the left and the right, have born no fruit.

The frustration in this lack of progress is made manifest in the leading candidates from their respective parties. In presidential elections, the people typically lean towards a more moderate or balanced candidate. A politician with experience typically stands as the frontrunner, but not this time.

The people have since grown sick of politicians making promises they have no intention of keeping, they look now to the outsiders for leadership. Being a Washington hotshot with political experience does not aid a candidate in their bid for presidency, but rather deters voters away from them. Instead of falling into balance, the political pendulum now swings violently to the left and the right.

As the New Hampshire primary has shown us, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump are the frontrunners for their respective parties. The two political outsiders now stand at the center of the stage, making this perhaps one of the most outrageous elections in American history. — Rees Roggenstein

On the left we have Bernie Sanders, a pronounced socialist. Sanders believes that capitalism is holistically flawed and that Norwegian style socialism is the economic model that will liberate America. Since the Cold War, no presidential candidate would dare run under the banner of socialism lest they be branded as a communist.

However, under the promise of free college education, Sanders has pulled most of the youth vote and is now leading in the national polls. No one could have run on such far left policies and be taken this seriously in the past, but now with the political climate in disarray, extreme ideas seem to be one of the few things that catch the eye of the voters.

On the right we have Donald Trump, the mogul. Trump’s anti-government rhetoric, xenophobic statements, and blatant disregard for political correctness have polarized the people more so than any of the present candidates. Whether the people like him or not; he refuses to be ignored.

Trump represents the antithesis to a politician. He is loud, emotional, unrefined, and surprisingly honest no matter how politically incorrect his statements are. Though Trump lacks the finesse and moderation that most presidents are required to posses in order to lead, he makes up for this deficiency in his brutal honesty.

As the New Hampshire primary has shown us, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump are the frontrunners for their respective parties. The two political outsiders now stand at the center of the stage, making this perhaps one of the most outrageous elections in American history.

Whether these two men actually make it to the general election, the political climate of America is clearly seen. The left are moving further to the left, and the right are moving further to the right. Instead unifying as a nation we are dividing, with each side moving more radically in the other direction. The pendulum swings more violently now then ever; hopefully the public will find a balance and elect more competent leaders in the days to come.

This author can be reached via Twitter: @RRoggenstein or via email: Rees Roggenstein.

For more opinions, read COLUMN: Primaries reflect changing political structure.