A few weeks ago an article surfaced about all of the reasons why Millennials may not want to support Bernie Sanders. So, I decided to take this time and write about all of the amazing reasons I do support him. Let me preface this with I whole-heartedly believe everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but my opinion is that Bernie Sanders is the right Democratic candidate to support and vote for in the primaries and presidential election.

Earlier this year when the debates began and people started talking about the upcoming presidential election, I was torn. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders both seemed like qualified, intelligent, well-versed candidates and I could not really choose who I would support. For a while, I was on the fence. I agreed with Hillary on certain issues, but time after time I found myself impressed with what Bernie was saying and his responses in the debates. My roommate, a HUGE Bernie fan, was always showing me videos and attending his rallies, but I was not quite convinced. After all, we are talking about choosing the human being who would lead our country for the next four, or even potentially eight, years. I began to look into Bernie more, after all Bernie was everywhere in Burlington, street signs, water bottles, t-shirts. What was so great about him anyway? Well let me tell you...

1. He believes in making college tuition free and debt free.

Is this a radical idea? Not really, Germany did it last year! In the next few years, Chile will do the same. Finland, Norway and Sweden all offer free college to their citizens. So why can't we? Sanders plans to achieve this goal include making tuition free at public colleges and universities, stopping the federal government from making a profit on student loans, substantially cutting student loan interest rates (they would go back to the way they were in 2006, from 4.29% to 2.37%), allowing Americans to refinance loans at today's low interest rates, and allowing students to use need-based financial aid and work study programs to make college debt free. With a highly competitive global economy, we need the best, well-educated workforce in the world. By making education accessible and debt-free, we ultimately are investing in a highly successful future for our country. As a current college junior who will be in major debt after school, how could I not support this?

2. He has a passion for racial justice.

Sanders stands his ground and speaks his mind about tough issues like race and physical violence. He brings up names like Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice and so many others, to show he is serious and ready for change. African Americans are twice as likely to be arrested, and four times as likely to experience force in encounters with police. The year is 2016 people!!!!!! Sanders is ready to demilitarize police forces, improve police culture, and allocate federal resources to crack down on illegal activities of hate groups (just to name a few things). He recognizes that voting discrimination DOES still exist, despite the Voting Rights Act being passed over 50 years ago. He wants to ban prisons for profit, turn back from the failed "War on Drugs", take marijuana off the federal government's list of outlawed drugs, and boost educational and restorative justice programs. He recognizes that the year is 2016, and that it is time for some serious changes.

3. He has experience with many different levels of government.

In 1981, Bernie was elected as the mayor of Burlington,Vermont (ayy), the largest city in Vermont by just 10 votes. Bernie's leadership in Burlington helped turn it into one of most lively, exciting and beautiful small cities in America. He helped make major strides in areas such as affordable housing, progressive taxation, environmental protection, child care, women’s rights, youth programs and the arts. After being elected 3 times, in 1990, he was elected to represent Vermont's largest congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1991, Bernie co-founded the Congressional Progressive Caucus. He then served as a congressman for 16 years before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006. In 2012, he was re-elected with 71% of the popular vote. What other politician has years of experience in different parts of government, ranging from local to Congress? Bernie understands how grassroots government is, and he is determined to keep that with him along the way.

4. He stays true to his beliefs and does not change over time.

(See above Re: Mayor of Burlington)

In addition, photos have recently surfaced of a young Bernie Sanders being taken off in handcuffs by police. Want to know why he was in handcuffs? Bernie was arrested for protesting the segregating practices of Englewood, Chicago school's superintendent. That sounds pretty badass to me and is the perfect example of how he is true to his beliefs, particularly that equality is a necessity for all. We are supposed to be the land of the free, after all.

5. He fights for women's rights!

Bernie is clear about how we still have a long way to go in the sphere of women's rights. He makes clear his views on Planned Parenthood (unlike many other candidates who shy away from the topic), and says that "Planned Parenthood provides vital healthcare services for millions of women, who rely on its clinics every year for affordable, quality health care services including cancer prevention, STI and HIV testing and general primary health care services. The current attempt to malign Planned Parenthood is part of a long-term smear campaign by people who want to deny women in this country the right to control their own bodies." Hell yes we have the right to control our own bodies. He talks about how he will fight for equal pay for women, expand and protect the reproductive rights of women, make quality pre-k and childcare available to ALL Americans, increase amounts of paid family leave, vacation, and sick days and much more. Hey, Gloria Steinem, I'm voting for Bernie because he supports me as a young woman in America, not because the boys are voting for him. He supports me, so I support him.

6. He believes climate change is the biggest threat to the world.

Climate Change is real, and not only the biggest threat to the world, but by far the biggest threat to our generation. We are the generation that needs to deal with this and take care of our Earth. This is an issue that we as millennials should feel passionate about, and it is important to support a candidate who feels the same way. He is truly the only candidate prepared to tackle this issue.

"Climate change is real, caused by human activity and already devastating our nation and planet. The United States must lead the world in combating climate change and transforming our energy system away from fossil fuels and toward energy efficiency and sustainability."

7. He is supported by the people.

Sanders' is running a campaign solely based on individual donations. In February alone he raised 42 million dollars. Let me say that again... 42 MILLION DOLLARS! IN ONE MONTH! His average donation size fluctuates between $22 and $35 dollars, demonstrating he is supported by everyday, average people. And he has over 1.5 million individual contributions. And look at those dance moves! Who doesn't want a president who knows how to groove?

8. He is a dreamer.

All of the great presidents were dreamers. Lincoln faced unprecedented issues and did things that many considered unconstitutional. Yet he held the country together during one of the most difficult times in our history. FDR worked as a leader in WWII, forming and strengthening alliances with Great Britain and Russia. And his New Deal programs were certainly ideas of a dreamer. Theodore Roosevelt had a dream to preserve the beauty of our country through making National Parks. Today, those landscapes are some of the most loved in our country. He went after monopolies and was known as a "trust-buster," and even won a Nobel Peace Prize. Yes, Bernie may be a dreamer with big ideas, but like all of these other men, Bernie has a plan to make these dreams become realities.

9. His stance on income and wealth equality.

America has more wealth and income inequality than any other developed country in the world, AND the gap between the very rich and very poor is wider than at any time since the 1920's. How is that okay? It's not. 58% of all new income since the Wall Street crash has gone to the top 1%. We have tons of millionaires and billionaires yet we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of nearly any developed country on earth. One family owns more wealth than the bottom 130 million Americans. This seems like a hefty job, what will Bernie do about it? He will demand that wealthy, large corporations pay their fair share in taxes. He will create a progressive estate tax on Americans on the top 0.3 percent of Americans who inherit over $3.5 million. By 2020, he will increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour, to $15 an hour so that no one who works 40 hours a week will still be living in poverty. He has plans to make this all happen, he is not just talk.

10. He is just like us.

He likes SNL, so clearly he is the right choice. Bernie was born in Brooklyn, so as a New Yorker, I feel an automatic connection with him. He has an accent, another piece of normality. Why else though? He isn't a fancy guy, he seems normal. He challenges the status quo, which is both refreshing and exciting. He represents our interests. He is a conduit for change. He talks with his hands, and reminds us all a little bit of our grandfathers. And he's just so mushy. He even recorded a song in 1987 with 30 Vermont musicians and singers called "We Shall Overcome". Give it a listen, you will for sure get the chills.

Bernie Sanders is a symbol of hope. He gives me optimism that America can have a better future, and that we are soon to head in that direction. If I haven't done enough to convince you, check out his website, full of his stances on every different issue, or just do some research yourself. Bernie Sanders is the candidate for me, and I am most certainly #FeelingtheBern. Check out his site, or this awesome "Unofficial Bernie Sanders Anthem."

https://berniesanders.com/?nosplash=true/