If you supported Bernie Sanders, Jill Stein should be your new candidate

I haven’t been alive for many elections. From what I’ve seen and heard the last few months, I would argue that this election may be one of the most unique races the United States has seen in a very long time. Bernie Sanders emerged early and dangled the carrot of a political revolution, energizing the American electorate in a surprisingly large way. By vocalizing what is in people’s dreams rather than nightmares, Bernie led a campaign of reform and hope that resonated with millions.

Bernie taught us to help ourselves by recognizing the political predators who simply want to coast into the White House with empty rhetoric, multi-million dollar donations, and fear-mongering. Once you have seen and heard honesty in politics it becomes easier to recognize. Perhaps this is why former Bernie supporters, and most millennials, are not rallying behind Hillary Clinton just yet. In fact, the New Yorker wrote about a recent poll, conducted in conjunction with CBS, which reported that 67 percent of respondents found Hillary to be dishonest and untrustworthy. This poll also reported Donald Trump to be found neither honest or trustworthy by 62 percent of respondents.

The surge of Trump is collapsing both political establishments into supporting Hillary. The two candidates are waging a fierce battle, but what they are truly fighting for has become unclear. People mostly support Trump because they despise Hillary, and others are supporting Hillary because they loathe Trump. This bizarre dichotomy reminds me of the famous words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, who once said that in choosing a leader, “our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” Our next President should inspire us to be an individual force for change, because people are tired of waiting for wealth to trickle down and for politicians to stop giving us lip service and start delivering on promises.

The Green Party is starting to gain traction because they’re asking people: what has the politics of fear and the status quo done for you? If this election is about anything, it’s been a contest to determine which path America will take to address the dire issues we face as we look to the future. Jill Stein is ready to lead the charge in a campaign of change. She may have small poll numbers, but without major news coverage she has really illustrated how powerful her agenda focused campaign is. Jill believes “democracy needs a moral compass”. She recognizes a historically large group of voters identify as independents because they are tired of hollow promises and leaders restrained by special interests.

Jill calls out the seemingly rigged political and economic system. She acknowledges the danger of forcing younger generations into deep holes of debt. Jill isn’t afraid to call out the counter-productive nature of our warfare in the Middle East, and how it has actually made the world more dangerous. She points out that Hillary spearheaded the conflict in Libya, is calling for more action in Syria, plays a continuing role in the deregulation of Wall Street and has also favored and participated in drafting trade deals like NAFTA and the TPP which have proven to outsource American jobs rather than create them. Despite what you may have heard, Jill is not naive. Her Green New Deal is a path toward a more sustainable infrastructure that will simultaneously create new jobs and bolster the growth of a domestic industry just waiting to be actualized.

Like the prescription of a leader that Emerson has given us, Jill has a vision of inspiring and freeing our country to be a nation of leaders and critical thinkers. Consider the misinformation you’ve probably heard about third party candidates splitting elections. More people choose not to vote than people who vote for a third party. Jill believes people aren’t voting because they haven’t had a candidate to champion the causes that affect their lives. Jill wants to be your voice and your champion. She believes we must cleanse the system so it can function as it was designed.

If we find the mainstream candidates to be untrustworthy, then why not use the next two months to explore other options? What’s the harm in having more voices and opinions at the table? Why not open up the debates and have a discussion with “more voices and choices,” as Jill has described?

Green Party nominee Jill Stein has been slowly climbing in the polls. People will spread all kinds of misinformation about her and the hypothetical impact she may or may not have. The truth is that people find her refreshing when they actually read about her or hear her speak. Although Bernie officially endorsed Clinton, he also taught his supporters to think independently. Jill represents many of the same values and more. She is a physician choosing to be a politician in order to heal the ailments of our nation. Jill is running for President because she wants to help us move forward safely and responsibly, not because she yearns to be powerful.