Vermont Senator Bernard “Bernie” Sanders has become quite the force to be reckoned with in this years presidential election. That being said, if you aren’t already feeling the Bern, here are a few reasons why you should be.
1. Bernie visited Utah not once but twice. Not only did he like our state so much that he came back for a second rally, he pulled bigger crowds than both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump combined.
2. He advocates strongly for women’s rights, stronger even than female democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Still to this day she pays her male employees more than female employees.
3. He has been advocating for the same issues for decades. By now we’ve probably all seen the photo of Bernie being arrested for protesting segregation in the 1960’s. Do I really need to explain why this is perfectly acceptable? Let’s be clear—Bernie is NOT a criminal. He’s a man of honor, who stands up for those who do not have a voice.
4. Bernie wants to make education affordable. He believes that by educating everyone, our society as a whole will be smarter, more prepared, and more aware of the issues at hand. He also reminds Americans that tuition does not cost what is used to, while it may have been affordable for our parents’ generation, that is no longer the case and it must be dealt with.
5. Bernie Sanders has inspired millions of millennials to vote, with this year’s election reporting the highest rates of young voter turnouts ever. If you don’t believe that, you obviously haven’t been paying attention.
6. He wants justice for Wall Street’s heinous actions leading to the 2008 crisis.
7. Bernie cares deeply about the indigenous people of our nation, and has even proposed returning tribal lands to the Native Americans— Lands that the United States greedily took away during the developmental years of the Midwest.
8. Bernie Sanders is the only honest and trustworthy candidate in this election. Many people have a view that Donald Trump is a lying scumbag who does not in fact want to make America great again. Hillary has a reputation for flip-flopping on her platforms numerous times in the past decade, making us wonder whom she truly is working for. People think Ted Cruz is just as shady as the rest, lying about holding federal aid from passing for Flint Michigan.
9. Bernie is the only candidate who has forcefully promised to change the racial injustices inherent in our nation. Recall Hillary’s speech in 1996, where she claims that all black men are “super-predators” and “should be brought to heel.” After being publically confronted by a young black woman, Ashley Williams, Clinton has since said that she regrets her 1996 statements. But does that really mean it’s all of a sudden OK?
10. Bernie Sanders is the only candidate who believes in affordable and equitable healthcare for ALL Americans, not just the rich ones. In regards to the Affordable Care Act, Hillary would keep some of the existing act, and Bernie would keep all of it.
11. Bernie demands a minimum wage that people can actually live on! He often makes the point that, “People who are working 40+ hours a week should NOT be living in poverty.” End of story.
12. He is proud to be different; yes, he’s Jewish, yes, he’s a socialist, yes, he’s tackling huge issues in our country that aren’t always popular. Bernie doesn’t care about doing what is popular or what will get him the most funding; Bernie cares about doing what is right.
13. Bernie does not tolerate violence, discrimination, racism, or any other form of belittling. Bernie is the only candidate who has promised to address racial profiling by law enforcement and to enforce justice in these cases.
14. Bernie is the most vocal candidate to promise to make conditions better for veterans of war. Since the beginning of our young nation, veterans have been neglected by the government, despite sacrificing their lives to protect our freedom.
15. Bernie Sanders is the only candidate taking climate change seriously. Both Ted Cruz and Donald Trump doubt that climate change even exists—Cruz has even gone so far to claim that scientists are making it up, “They’re cooking the books. They’re actually adjusting the numbers.” Regardless of what you believe it is just ignorant to ignore the science.
These are just a few of the issues that I think are relevant to this year’s presidential race. As a woman, I would love to support Hillary Clinton’s campaign, but I just don’t trust her or think she will actually do the things she says she will. On the other hand, I know what to expect from Bernie Sanders. He is an honest hard-working American whose platform aims to build up hard-working Americans, who deserve to have their voices heard and their rights granted. I support Senator Bernie Sanders because he gives ALL of us a future to believe in.
Editor Note: The opinions and values expressed in this article of those of the author alone and do not represent Her Campus Utah or Her Campus on an international level.