‘It looks like Penn State is ready for a political revolution’
Penn State was feeling the Bern yesterday
On Tuesday 6,655 people of all ages and backgrounds gathered inside Rec Hall to listen and welcome senator Bernie Sanders to the valley. Huge signs that read “Bernie 2016” and another with his signature slogan, “A future to believe in” decorated the inside of the venue. While thousands of spectators eagerly awaited for the presidential candidate to take the stage Bernie chants filled the room while many supporters synchronized the movement of their signs in the air to pep up the crowd.
Bernie took the stage opening with, “It looks like Penn State is ready for a political revolution!” the crowd went wild hanging onto his every word and maintaining the same high energy level from the beginning of the rally to the end.
He began knocking his opponent, Hillary Clinton, reassuring his supporters that they have nothing to worry about considering they have won seven out of the eight caucuses. He then moved on to discussing a big platform of his campaign, the way he finances it.
“We have a corrupt campaign finance system which is undermining American democracy,” he explained, and highlighted the fact that his campaign was virtually the only campaign without a super pack. Sander’s message was positioned around rectifying the current unequal wealth distribution in America and mainly speaking to the common person.
He spoke directly to specific groups including: Hispanics, Native Americans, African Americans and women discussing change for those groups if he were to be elected. These changes included fixing the wage gap between men and women, and addressing the violence and bias of numerous police officers. He called for free healthcare, free tuition, paid medical leave and a reform of police departments all over the country.
Sanders spoke directly to Penn State students, explaining how Penn State has the second highest tuition for a public school, and struck a chord with the students about student debt. He shared personal stories he heard from his supporters about how student debt negatively affected their lives. The presidential candidate spoke on how students recognize the fact that they need exceptional schooling in order to succeeded in life and better our country, yet are punished for it with piles of debt that are impossible to climb out of. This topic seemed to be especially popular with the crowd.
“Our strength is in our diversity and if we stand together and if we demand a government that represents all of us and not just the 1% there is nothing that we can not accomplish,” Bernie claimed. “Go forward and tell the world you are going to lead this country into a political revolution”.
He closed with calling on the Pennsylvania citizens to turn out in great numbers to vote and reminded us that every vote matters and that we have the power to create the future.