I have never been interested in politics. I have always viewed politicians the way my parents' generation and the generation before them have: corrupt, scheming, vile creatures. I was never even vaguely interested in who would be the next President of the United States (POTUS) until my senior year of high school. I had a fantastic AP Government teacher, Mr. Holtzen (and it's too bad I can't get extra credit for mentioning him in a web article). I'm not sure that any other students' interest level in politics changed in Mr. Holtzen's class, but mine certainly did.
When I turned 18, I made it my "birthday resolution" to register to vote AND to become an informed voter (because the only thing worse than not voting is voting BLIND.)
Last year, millennials (those ages 18-34 in 2015) surpassed the Baby Boomer generation in number of living population according to this article. This means that college-age students like myself, and some of our older counterparts, are now the largest population of voting-age citizens in the United States. That alone is enough encouragement for me to get out there and vote.
But which candidate for POTUS should we vote for? First things first. Whether you are a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green Party, Socialist, Communist, Independent, a party that you created yourself, or you have no clue where you stand, we should all be able to agree on one thing: Donald Trump is a racist, misogynistic, arrogant, egotistical, narcissistic joke. There is no getting around that, and so we've already crossed a name off the list of candidates. It seems like common sense.
I have a lot of faith in my generation to make informed, intelligent decisions, and I don't trust Trump with the nation as far as I could throw him. But I do want to offer my opinion on the next best candidate for POTUS for my generation as we enter and contribute to the workforce. As you can no doubt infer from the title, I am almost 100 percent behind Bernie Sanders.
I say ALMOST because there is not one candidate who can suit the every single need of the country, of my generation, of my family, or even of me. Every candidate has their flaws, and Bernie Sanders is no exception. I would love to tell you that Sanders' one flaw is his adorable New York accent, but I cannot. I have heard from many that Sanders is simply the Donald Trump of the Democrats; he is set in his views, stubborn, and extreme, even for a liberal. Though that is true, at least he isn't racist.
In case the whole "cute old man who just wants to help" aesthetic just isn't doing it for you, here are some concrete reasons why I believe Bernie Sanders deserves to be our next President and why anyone my age should feel the same way.
- Sanders is all for LGTBQ equality. All the way back in 1983, when he served as mayor of Burlington, Vermont, Sanders banned housing discrimination against LGTBQ people and supported the city's first Pride Parade. If placed in office, he wants to sign any and all legislation prohibiting discrimination against LGBTQ people and work to reduce bullying-related suicides in LGTBQ students and young adults at school.
- Sanders demands a fair and humane immigration policy. On his website under the "issues" section, Sanders paints a picture that we are ALL immigrants, and describes that the "story of immigration is the story of America." It is how he got here, being the son of an immigrant. He plans to ensure that the border remain secure and protects local communities, but also wants to dismantle inhumane deportation programs and ensure that immigrants can purchase healthcare under the Affordable Care Act. He wants this because most of us came from immigrants. Even Donald Trump.
- Sanders believes in global warming. He would also, as President, be able to take steps to slow or stop it. I could've written this reason down as "Sanders believes scientists who do their jobs," but I digress. His plans to tackle global warming include investing in alternative energy and accelerating our distancing from fossil fuels as a primary fuel source.
- Sanders believes higher education should be tuition AND debt free. If the other reasons don't get college students excited about Sanders, this one has to. Sanders has a plan to model an education system after much of Europe, as some countries have successfully made their colleges tuition-free. Sanders also wants to cut student loan interest rates and allow need-based financial aid to students to make college debt-free. How does he plan to cover this $75 billion price tag? Tax the Wall Street speculators who nearly collapsed the economy in 2008 a fraction of a percent. Simple.
Bernie Sanders has MANY more compelling stances on issues like income and wealth inequality, women's rights, racial justice, Medicare, caring for veterans, and war as a last resort that can be found on his website. Sanders is currently the longest-serving independent senator in US Congressional history. He has been fighting for equality and justice in the House and the Senate since 1990, long before many of these issues about race, gender, and sexuality really came to light.
He is experienced, intelligent, and has a determination that I can't imagine having at 74 years old. My hope is that even one millennial who comes across the article is inspired to become a more informed voter, even if their views on issues do not align with Bernie Sanders. I also hope that Sanders supporters are now even bigger fans of "that one old guy from Vermont."
