Bernie’s legacy will be trying to get big money out of campaigns

Money is power. One implication of this statement is that those with more money have more power. Because the Bernie Sanders campaign relied on small contributions from individuals rather than large sums, they enabled average citizens to feel engaged in the democratic process.

Sure, an average contribution of $27 seems small, but together Bernie supporters gained power through their donations. When people back a candidate with even a dollar, they are pumping power into the representatives they believe in.

Though his supporters often cite problems with the primary system such as in New York as the reason for his losses, Sanders still has a legacy for the future of campaign organizing. If his supporters stay engaged, the campaign’s ability to build power from average voters will increase political participation in upcoming elections.

Sanders and his supporters consistently raised concerns about “big money” in politics. If people keep talking about the importance of empowering individuals politically instead of relying on the rich, we may see changes in how future candidates fundraise for their campaigns.

For example, Hillary Clinton’s campaign contributions from big money donors has drawn criticism. This probably wouldn’t have been a huge problem for Clinton in the past, but Bernie’s campaign has made drawing monetary support from average citizens an important issue in earning voters’ support.