Feel the Bern

Courtesy+of+the+Daily+Kos

Courtesy of the Daily Kos

Kristiane Alphson '17, Staff Writer

Bernie Sanders: 75, grey-haired, and absurdly adorable with cats. Who knew that he would spark a voter interest in this 2016 election unprecedented among young voters? In the 2014 election, 19.9 percent of 18-29 year old people cast ballots; it was the lowest youth turnout rate ever recorded in a federal election and a sign of a decline in young voter participation. Young people in America have become increasingly apathetic to elections and voting, disabling 21% of the voting population’s ideals from being represented within the elections.

Sanders created a major shift from this blockade of disinterest. With the extreme use of social media publicizing his campaign, young voters became hooked on Sanders’ humble nature and ability to reach the underrepresented, the underdog. Although Sanders is no longer a candidate in this upcoming election, he has made a genuine change in the outlook in the younger voting population. The Democratic Party as a whole has been altered by Sanders in terms of a general party shift further to the left, and a precedent for a generation of liberal voters. He has raised expectations for the party’s liberal base, with ideals such as free college. These expectations have impacted current Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, and her campaign. With pressure from Sanders and his supporters, Clinton has shifted various political stances, including her position on health care as she now supports buying into Medicare at a certain age. This outward support of Bernie’s political beliefs have attracted many Sanders fans to support Clinton in this upcoming election in the hopes that the issues Sanders brought to light will be addressed by Clinton.

Bernie Sanders’ passion to help the declining middle class and the underrepresented has inspired many young, liberal, and struggling voters to become interested in a political world that has previously felt untouchable and geared towards the upper class. The legacy of the “Feel the Bern” movement will mark a major impact within the upcoming 2016 election, and a future generation of politically interested and aware young voters.