Bernie Sanders: Feel the Bern By: Denisha Boatswain, Lauren Malcolm, Faith Robinson and Kayla Stuart.

About Bernie He was born in Brooklyn, New York and is currently 76 years old. Bernie Sanders is currently Senator of Vermont and has been since 2007. He served two terms as Mayor of Burlington, Vermont. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 1990 and caucused with the Democratic Party. Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affair Committee. He is the longest serving independent in the United States congressional history. He was also a ranking minority member of the Senate Budget Committee.

Immigration and Border Control Bernie’s view on immigration is that “We are a nation of Immigrants”. Due to the fact that Bernie is a son of an immigrant, he understands some of the challenges that immigrants could face. The story of an Immigrant is the story of America; of hard working families coming to the United States to create a brighter future for their children. Bernie believes that the United States should reform its immigration policy to create a path to legal status, and, in some cases, citizenship. Bernie supported the DREAM Act for this cause. Bernie wants to help with the exploitation of undocumented workers and their standard of living.

Gun Control and Criminal Justice Bernie Sanders believes that gun control is a State issue because attitudes and actions with regards to firearms differ greatly between rural and urban communities. He voted in favor of requiring background checks to prevent firearms from getting into hands of felons and the mentally ill. He believes in passing a ban on assault rifles and loopholes allowing private sellers to sell weapons to individuals without a background check. Bernie Sanders believes that the United States waste too many resources on over-incarceration and misguided crime policies. He believes that the money should go towards education, training, and jobs to those who might otherwise get lost in the criminal justice system. He believes police should be held accountable for abusive practices, and that body cameras are necessary to ensure accountability.

Education Bernie’s view on education is that it should be available and affordable to everyone. He supports early childhood education and no child left behind which would ensure that all children would get the chance to go to school. He is also a supporter of The College for All Act which would make all public colleges, and universities have free tuition to increase the amount of people who receive a college education. This reform would also help with those who do have student loans by lowering student loan interest rates, which would make it easier for those who have to pay them back. He also wants to make applying for financial aid a lot easier by eliminating the requirement of applying every year which would benefit low income students.

Economy Income and Wealth Inequality: Big gap between the richest of Americans and the poorest because of corruption. Goal: Wants companies to pay their fair taxes, Create Jobs for Americans especially the youth, Universal Healthcare and Childcare, Increase Minimum Wage, Affordable Housing. The Rebuild America Act: Creating Jobs Goal: The Act is suppose to put 13 million Americans to work on poor condition infrastructure; Airports, Bridges, Railroads, Inland Waterways, Dams, Power Grids. Protect and Strengthen Social Security: Help the Elderly and Disabled Lift the cap; make people who make over 200,000 a year pay the same percentage as middle class and working class Americans, increase revenue to expand benefits. Help employ the disabled;80% unemployed rate, wants to expand SSDI(Social Security Disability Insurance), fight for their equality.

Climate Change and Energy Bernie’s view on climate change is that it is very real and caused by human activity, and is already causing devastating harm here in the United States. He feels that the energy policy we currently have is rigged and that it is only to help big name oil companies and he is tired of it. He wants to express the benefits of clean energy. In the end he hopes to move our energy system away from fossil fuel, and toward energy efficiency and sustainable sources like wind, solar and geothermal which would result in a planet that is healthy and habitable.

Feel The Bern Yet?