Who Said It?

As the political arena heats up this week with the next set of debates on Wednesday, more people show their support or their opposition of the differing candidates.

But are they really listening to the policies and ideas the candidates are sharing, or does the support and/or opposition boil down to the candidate alone? I am going to list a handful of statements said by one presidential hopeful, and I’d like to readers to ask themselves, “Is this what I’d like to see in the future president?” and/or, “Do I agree with this?”

“Healthcare is a human right, not a privilege.” (Quote here.)

“As a nation, we have a moral obligation to provide the best quality care to those who put their lives on the line to defend us. Just as planes and tanks and guns are a cost of war, so is taking care of the men and women who we sent off to fight the wars. It includes caring for the spouses and children who have to rebuild their lives after the loss of a loved one. It includes caring for the hundreds of thousands of veterans with multiple amputations or loss of eyesight, post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. It includes veterans who are having difficulty keeping jobs in order to pay their bills, and it includes the terrible tragedy of veterans committing suicide.” (Quote here.)

“Our job is to build a nation in which we all stand together as one people.” (Quote here.)

“Fundamental change in America’s agricultural and rural policies is no longer just an option; it’s an absolute necessity. Farmers, foresters and ranchers steward rural landscapes, which benefit all Americans. They provide us with essential resources such as food, fiber, building materials, renewable energy, clean water and habitat for biodiversity … With the right support and policies, we can have rural communities that are thriving economically and ecologically.” (Quote here.)

“Let’s create a society of hope and compassion. Not one of hate and vengeance.” (Quote here.)

“No president alone can do what has to be done. And what has to be done is that millions of people have got to stand up and demand that we have a government that represents all of us, not the one percent.” (Quote here.)

“It’s time the government had the backs of family farmers instead of doing favors for corporate agriculture monopolies. When we are in the White House, we will revitalize rural America by fighting for working people and farmers, not big agri-business.” (Quote here.)

“What a president of the United States has got to be about is not only bringing people together but understand that your family has got to be concerned about her family. We’ve got to be concerned about each other … We need a country that belongs and a government that works for everybody … What a democracy means is that the future of this country rests in your hands and your hands and the hands of hundreds of millions of people. We cannot sit this one out. The future of the country is at stake. The future of the planet is at stake. We’ve got to stand up and we got to fight back.” (Quote here.)

If any of the above quotes resonate with you, then you might consider looking over what Senator Bernie Sanders stands for. Don’t brush off the policies and ideas he’s been advocating for decades — even when majority was against him — just because it was said by him. Another thing to consider when watching the debates is that Sen. Sanders is the only candidate that has fought for racial justice, unions, fixing wealth inequality, the working class, climate awareness, the LGBTQIA+ community, criminal justice reform and more. He has also condemned billionaires and the one percent his entire political career.

Consistency is important in politics and Sen. Sanders has done more than enough to prove that he is the candidate we can trust and rely on.