Bernie’s Indiana campaign debut was met with great support

‘This is our first campaign event in Indiana — this will not be our last campaign event in Indiana’

Bernie Sanders has traveled across the country capturing the hearts and minds of thousands of young people with his message of a political revolution. What had started as a grassroots movement has turned into a campaign challenging the organized political dynasty that is the Clinton campaign.

Unlike most politicians, Sander’s campaign is based on a “Not Me, Us” ideology that emphasizes the power people have in the political process when they come together. His core message is that a government needs to work for all of its people, not a select few millionaires and billionaires. This message has seemed to really resonate with young people and Purdue is no exception.

Wednesday morning, Sanders spoke in front of an enthusiastic crowd of Purdue students and other members of the greater West Lafayette community. Chants of, “Bernie, Bernie, Bernie!” echoed throughout the jam-packed gym as Sanders took the stage.

Sanders began the event by strongly declaring, “This is our first campaign event in Indiana. This will not be our last campaign event in Indiana.” He assured the crowd: “We are in this campaign to win and become the Democratic nominee.”

Throughout his speech, Sanders emphasized his disgust with the “corporate greed” that has created a rigged economy in which the rich get richer at the expense of the middle class. He also highlighted the immorality of elections where Super PACs spend millions of dollars to buy elections. He warned the crowd that without change, the US would continue to move in the direction of an oligarchy, in which the wealthier classes control the political system instead of the people.

One particular moment that stood out during the course of the rally was when Sanders harked upon the flawed ideology in our country regarding higher education. Sanders explained that due to the high costs of public universities, a higher education has simply become inaccessible for many Americans and that those who are able to attend are graduating with loads of debt.

Sanders also demonstrated his ability to think outside the box, suggesting that a Wall Street speculation tax could fund his plan to make college tuition free at public universities. He explained this would give hope to many young people across America stating, “If a young person does his or her school work well, takes school seriously, that child will in fact be able to get a college education regardless of the income of that family.” This was a statement that resonated with the immense crowd of college students.

Sanders’s message was clear — this is a campaign of the people, by the people, and for the people. Sanders concluded the rally by explaining if history has taught us anything, it is that true change only happens when the people demand it. Sanders finished by asking Indiana to join the many other states that have said, “We need a political revolution.”

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