When we think of Bernie Sanders, we think of a lot of things: the longest-serving Independent to ever serve in Congress, a self-described democratic socialist and messy hair. Sanders is notorious for representing what some would call the "far-left" of American politics and we now see him running for the Democratic Nomination against his popular rival Hillary Clinton.
He is known for holding many politically unconventional positions on things like healthcare (one of the few politicians to openly support a universal healthcare system), education, criminal justice, LGBTQ rights and climate change.
You could disagree with virtually any position that Sanders holds to, but I am convinced that you should vote for him anyway. Yes, I argue that even if your better judgment on policy seems to cloud any reason for voting for him, you should vote for him anyway. You don't need to be a Democrat, a liberal or a democratic socialist.
Because there is one thing he supports that I don't see any other presidential candidate supporting: campaign finance reform.
We have a serious problem with money in our government. We don't even need statistics to prove that lobbyists, corporations and special interest groups are virtually running our country. The Citizens United decision that came out of the Supreme Court essentially gave unbounded power to private industries to influence politicians through money (i.e. "corporations are people").
It is no wonder why we can't get anything done. When someone introduces legislation in Congress that seeks to deal with climate change, it is almost impossible to find political opposition that is supported by (and largely funded by) the fossil fuel industry. When someone introduces legislation in Congress that seeks to establish a universal healthcare system, there then appears political opposition supported by (and funded by) private insurance companies and pharmaceutical corporations.
Sanders is the only person running for president who openly dares to confront the pressing issue of our time: the enormous and obscene amount of money that influences our politics. All of the other candidates on both sides of the aisle have corporate giants lining their pockets. Sanders has effectively financed his national campaign without a Super Pac and with the donations of millions of dollars from individuals just like you and me.
We all recognize the elephant in the room. We all dream of a government that leans less to special interests and more to the interest of the people it was created to represent. Something has to be done, and Sanders is currently the only one that dares to take on such a daunting task.
