Who won the debate?

Did you just ask that question?

Did you just ask who won the debate?

I don’t know, man.

I don’t know.

I’m more concerned about the American people winning and from what I heard last night, I don’t know who won – but I know who lost.

I have heard these same issues the last four election cycles and nothing has changed.

Yet we have more homelessness.

Minimum wage has not increased.

You have to work two jobs just to make rent.

Education is shit.

We continue to talk about gun laws but we don’t have enough police to protect the residents from crime.

We have more kids not choosing college than choosing yet we don’t fund another option.

I am lost tomorrow.

My wife begins her second tour of duty in the Middle East.

And while we fighting, Democrats against Republicans or Democrats against Democrats over nothing that gets solved, the soldier answers the call no matter who’s in office.

That soldier answers that call because she believes she fights for something worth fighting for yet she comes back home to the same unsolved issues.

Who won?

Yeah.

This election is going to be won by the individual who inspires her or his supporters to come out to vote and like that person or not, Trump supporters are inspired because he talks to their issues and not just talk but does something to address them.

But if you’re a progressive and you have been hearing the same issues the last few election cycles and nothing has changed eventually you become cynical about them ever changing and that depresses the vote.

What if you’re not an immigrant, you’re not LGTBQ, you want your right to bear arms to protect your family, you’ve not chosen college as a secondary education after high school?

What if you’re just an American who wants to afford a home, have a job that provides for your family and have the ability to see a doctor when you need one?

Who is speaking to them?

Who is speaking for them?

Who is serving them?

Who is serving the soldier?

Rahaman Muhammad is the deputy mayor of Newark.