While I won't be diving in deep about his policies in this article, I just want to mention the main reasons why I believe in Bernie Sanders. I voted for him in the 2016 primaries and I back him 100% in the upcoming election. From what I've seen so far he has the momentum this time around.
1. He Has a Great Chance
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During the 2016 elections, Bernie Sanders was the underdog, no question. He went from being a relatively unknown senator from Vermont to being one of the most widely recognized names in the WORLD. By the end of his campaign, he was immensely popular among the younger generations and was gaining traction with older crowds as they finally began listening to him. Now that a few years have gone by more and more people know his name, know his policies and know what he stands for and against. Not to mention that in the last few years with Trump has made a lot more people willing to listen and change.
2. He Speaks to Today's Voters
In 2016 a lot of the people who supported Bernie were younger voters who didn't know what they were doing, this time around however we're all a little older and already have the last election under our belt. Not only that, but Bernie's biggest champions have had the last four years to campaign on his behalf just by discussing policies he set into motion. Today's voters are some of the most outspoken voters to ever be involved in politics and Bernie's policies have stuck with us since the first time we heard them 4 years ago.
3. He Inspires Hope
In 2016 when I was turning 18 I was not very involved in politics but I knew that it would be my first ever election that I could participate in and so I started listening. When other candidates would speak I would usually be annoyed or I would find them ponderous. But when Bernie Sanders spoke...I listened. I attended three rallies of his during his 6-month campaign trail and every. Single. One. would leave me in tears with hope for the future. I felt the Bern for sure. His ambition showed his sincerity, his passion showed he cared and his words spoke to all of us.
4. His Platform...
There has been a lot of talk in the media about Bernie's "socialist" policies. This scares some people on the conservative side, but liberals have been warming up to his "socialist" platform, particularly the last couple years. New representatives in Washington D.C. have been speaking up in support of Sanders "Medicare for All" plan, and have voiced support over his other policies such as gun reform, $15 minimum wage (some states have already begun to implement this) and AOCs Green New Deal. Because of the recent shift towards the left in voters, Sanders platform that he ran on and faced opposition for in 2016 is now seen as his biggest asset. He was proposing these ideas before they were as popular as they are today.
5. Credibility
Bernie Sanders has been doing this a long time...and he has never wavered. He has stood by his beliefs and policies since day one, even when mocked and looked down upon by colleges. Almost every candidate running in 2020 is running on a platform that is remarkably similar to the one Bernie presented in 2016. His campaign is not funded by corporations, showing he cannot be bought, his beliefs are firm and will not be altered just for a donation. We can trust Bernie.
Regardless of what happens in this election, I will be an active participant. Whatever your political party, we should all take an active part in determining the future of this country of ours. Get out there and volunteer for whoever you believe in most, talk to people you're close with and try informing them (respectively) about their policies and beliefs. Don't bring politics up at work but if you have the opportunity to have a real conversation with a coworker about who and what you believe in and why then take advantage of that time and truly share how you feel. Donate. Bernie Sanders raised over 5 million dollars in the first 24 hours after he made his announcement, all from individuals who believe in him and his cause. But most importantly...VOTE!
