Since Senator Sanders announced his candidacy for President last spring, many millennials have changed ship from the Clinton campaign. Despite a new-found love in the democratic-socialist, a majority of voter population did not know Sanders' name until the democratic debates in late fall. If someone didn't know who Bernie Sanders was, I would ask them to walk through a college campus, and ask any student. Love him or hate him, college students know Sanders and his platform.
Why is there such an immense following for a 74-year-old Vermont Senator? In an interview with Larry Wilmore, Sanders himself described his own theories as to why the millennials of America are "feeling the bern". Sanders explained saying:
"A lot of young people are asking themselves how it happens that in America today with all this new technology and productivity, how does it happen that everything being equal, if we don't turn it around they're going to have a lower standing of living than their parents?" Yahoo News reports.
The news source NPR (National Public Radio) has a similar suggestion as to why young people connect with Senator Sanders. According to NPR, young people tend to follow the tune of the socialist idea of economic equality. Sanders is heavily connected to the ideology of economic equality due to publicly condemning Wall Street, and actively fighting for an increase in minimum wage.
The same NPR article goes on to point out that not all millennials support socialism with such passion, saying:
"Some said they like the idea in theory but maybe not in practice. Others pointed out that they expect their opinions on socialism to evolve over time, as they gain more life experience and start their careers. But many students said they still viewed socialism positively."
Despite older generations of America openly distrusting socialism, many young people have embraced the political theory, and Sanders, with open arms. While studying this phenomenon, The Guardian asked millennials in Brooklyn why they support the Senator and Democratic Socialism. One woman was quoted saying:
“Bernie Sanders uses socialism in the way it makes sense, which is just good, common, moral, ethical policy, and I appreciate the guy’s honesty and his steadfastness to his beliefs. His consistency.”
The consistency this young woman is referring to has been an important factor with Sanders' image. Many young people, especially those fighting for LGBTQ+ rights, are turning away from the traditional democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, who has not been consistent with her views on many progressive issues, including marriage rights.
Senator Sanders is trailing not far behind Clinton in many polls, and there is a movement of young people encouraging others to use their voting rights to voice their love for Sanders in the upcoming primaries, which begin in just a few short weeks. Bernie Sanders will take part in the upcoming Democratic Debate in South Carolina on January 17th.
