With the 2016 race already in full swing, the only Americans truly pleased with the candidates are the writers of SNL. It seems like the last time there was a really good, stand up, and effective presidential candidate was decades ago.

According to an Ipsos/Reuters poll, the current top two GOP contenders are Donald Trump (clocking in with about 31 percent of polled support) and Ben Carson (with 18 percent support). These opinion polls are not the most reliable things in the world, but they paint a fairly accurate picture of American consensus.

Although it is arguable that these two candidates have good policy, or great leadership, it is also arguable that they are both blubbering and incompetent. So, let us start with Trump, the current republican front runner.

Donald Trump has not spent a day in elected office. He has bankrupted himself on several occasions, and on top of that he is vocally very, very ignorant. Trump, in the past months alone, has not only revealed himself to be a racist and a misogynist (think back to his comments regarding Mexican immigrants and Rosie O’Donnell), but he also has revealed that he knows next to nothing about the policy he preaches.

Additionally, the public seems to see Trump’s cynicism as honesty and his wealth as an assurance that he can not be swayed by money (a fatal mistake).This is the “top” republican choice.

Right behind Trump is Ben Carson, a man who once said, “A lot of people who go into prison go into prison straight – and when they come out they’re gay” in a radio interview (although he promptly apologized, the quote is still troubling). As if this wasn’t bad enough, in the past Carson has compared the Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) to slavery.

Carson, just like Trump, has not spent a day in politics until this election. He has proven himself a very successful surgeon, but it appears that this medical ability does not translate into common sense and good leadership.

According to American voters this is the best the GOP has to offer. Unfortunately, the Democratic primary is not much better (in fact, many argue that it’s worse). As a start, Joe Biden, who is not even running, polls in at third place with 17 percent of the support.

Vice President Biden has many years of experience and would be a fine candidate except for the fact that he isn’t in the race. What does it say about the Democratic party that their third place candidate is not a candidate at all?

Biden is only surpassed in support by Hilary Clinton (50 percent) and Bernie Sanders (24 percent). Clinton has plenty of political experience. She also has plenty of baggage (and plenty of republicans in congress who are after her head). From Benghazi to her secret private emails (which she promptly deleted) and to all the shady (to say the least) dealings and donations involving her foreign policy and the Clinton Foundation, many criticize Hillary for dishonesty.

Sanders has also rallied plenty of support. Many praise him as an advocate of the minority, and he is by far the most liberal of the Democratic candidates. But as much of an advocate for the left as Sanders appears to be, on one of the most important Democratic issues (gun control) he is about as conservative as it gets for the left.

So between two parties and the top four candidates there is not one “good” option. The selection is between those who don’t know what they’re doing and those who do, but who are doing pretty unethical things.

Where are the good candidates? Where are the politicians who run not out of self indulgence or greed, but out of good will? If the USA (and its president) are supposed to lead the free world, why are our candidates all embarrassing?

The selection next year is looking to be between a rock (who may not believe in scientific fact or equal rights) and a hard place (who may be morally corrupt). As Americans we should be able to take pride not only in our president, but also in her/his competitors. Casting a vote based upon who is the least bad of the candidates is troubling to say the least.

Whether you plan on voting Democrat or Republican, we all should be a little outraged about this elections selection.