If this is your notion of a "core" political issue, you're making Carrol's point. The presidential election will have little or no impact on the basic political problems of our society (social stratification,
institutional discrimination, bureaucratic inertia). Assuming that some "great man" (or woman) is going to get elected and "change things" is hyperindividualist ideology through and through.
Miles
^^^^^^ CB: There is some truth in what you say. To make changes through the US political system requires electing Congress , state offices, governors and legislators, local mayors and councils. The Presidency is
more powerful than most offices, and has wider influence, for things like stopping the war which we discuss much. Actually the one person who is President does have unusually dominant power with respect to war or peace. And someone like Roosevelt or Lincoln were individuals who made a difference. Marx said on this , against the so-called Big man theory of history that big individuals cannot make history but they can speed up or retard the process.