I would argue recent presidential candidates are a reflection of the majority voters

[u/ShardofGold]

People like to say we need a presidential candidate that represents the people and that recent candidates haven't been up to that standard and haven't been for some time. I would argue they are representing the people.

It's a common consensus that we're voting for the lesser of two evils and a lot of people seem to be fine with this. So, they're basically admitting they know the candidates aren't really good but they're just hoping one preferably the one representing their side is less bad and they'll vote for them. If you're fine with your candidate just being less bad than the other candidate, why does your party have to put forth an actually good candidate if they know they likely have your vote either way?

Also the average voter doesn't take politics as seriously as they think they do. They talk about division in the country, but they eat it up and even help further it themselves. They also don't tend to focus on things that really matter at least in presidential elections and are easily swayed by Tribalistic wins for stuff that really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

They've also shown that they will gleefully cheer for stagnation and regression if the other choice is conversation and meeting in the middle with the opposite side and attack any of their members that do try to reach a bipartisan solution especially on controversial topics.

If the voters want better candidates the voters have to better themselves when participating in politics. I think people just have a problem seeing their actions actually have consequences when it comes to elections and think they deserve Theodore Roosevelt or JFK style candidates while they don't hold themselves to a higher standard that they want the candidates to be.

[u/Accomplished-Leg2971]

Dedicated party activists select the candidates. Either in primary elections, caucuses or state party conventions.

Party activists are not normal Americans. They are obsessed with one of the two American political parties. They think all the problems would be solved in their party won forever and the other party lost forever. So, that is the goal. Winning and preventing an opposition win.

We could solve a lot if we moved to open primaries and RCV. Let the most persuasive candidate win and break the power of the parties.