In the pilot post of College Democrats of North Dakota’s Perspectives Blog Series, NDSU senior Jon Lipp shares why he supports Bernie Sanders for the Democratic presidential nomination. Lipp’s post is the first of three by students each supporting a different Democratic candidate.
To many of his supporters, Bernie Sanders is a ray of hope gleaming across the American political landscape. In an era of increasing disillusionment with politicians and the massive campaign contributions that shape their policies, Sanders has emerged as a man we feel we can trust to represent the average American citizen. This trust stems from his demonstrated longtime commitment to his constituencies as both a mayor and a senator. Throughout his career, Sanders has maintained his positions on issues regardless of the overall popularity of his stance. You’d be hard pressed to find a legislator who has been more committed to obtaining equality for citizens of any race, gender, or sexual orientation. Coupled with his strong outcry against income inequality, it is no wonder that those who have traditionally felt disempowered within the United States’ political structure have flocked to Sanders for a brighter future.
He is the embodiment of our aspiration for a system of governance that responds to the common citizen more than the corporate lobbyist. And on top of all of this, Sanders has a proven track record of reaching across all aisles and pushing for collaborative action. In the current political climate, this is nothing short of incredible. It is our sincere hope that even if Sanders does not cinch the Democratic nomination, his sterling example of political representation serves as a wake-up call to the American people to demand more from their lawmakers.
Jon Lipp
Class of 2016
North Dakota State University
College Democrats of North Dakota’s Perspective Blog Series seeks to highlight the diversity of thought in today’s students and provide medium for sharing with their peers. CDND’s projects are key to the future of Democrats in North Dakota; our programs expand the voter base on-campus, recruit today’s activists and organizers, and build the bench of tomorrow’s candidates. You can help CDND’s mission by contributing securely online.
Photo by Gage Skidmore; used without change under a CC BY-SA 2.0 License.
