I debated Bernie Sanders when I was in high school

After the most recent New Hampshire primary, one thing is clear: America is feeling the Bern. No matter how you feel about him, it’s hard to deny Bernie Sanders is one of the hottest political figures in the country.

He’s the first socialist on a national political stage in decades. He’s the first Jew – or even non-Christian – to ever win a presidential primary. And even though he is still the underdog to Hillary Clinton, it’s clear Bernie is picking up momentum fast.

But I’m ahead of this recent Bernie craze – I met Sanders when I debated him as a sophomore in high school.

16-year-old me

When I was 16 years old, I was invited to the National Student Leadership Conference in Washington D.C. We had the opportunity to watch other politicians, like the (then) Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and (then) Congressional Black Caucus leader Emmanuel Cleaver, speak on their policies and tell a few stories.

Bernie Sanders was speaking too, but he stood out from the others. Despite the fact we were just a group of high schoolers, Sanders engaged with us. He treated his podium not as a platform, but like a debate stage.

I remember Senator Sanders speaking about the evils of Wall Street, free college education and how Obamacare wasn’t doing enough. But even at 16, this didn’t fly with me.

As anyone who knew me back in the day might tell you, I used to be as right-wing as they come. I’ve always loved to debate, and being at a nerdy political camp had me in a quarrelsome mood.

Although I’ve become much more moderate the last few years, my previous political stance created the perfect storm for a chubby 16-year-old kid vs. one of America’s most seasoned politicians.

During his speech, Sanders went on and on about how America needs to follow the Scandinavian socialist model of a massive safety net propped up by high taxes. This didn’t sit right with me (and it honestly still doesn’t).

So, I raised my hand and asked Bernie: “How can you apply the principles of a country of only around 10 million people to a country of 300 million?”

Sanders, being the smart man he is, ardently replied that if we go by percent of GDP spent on social services, the US is one of the most socialist countries in the world. And in many ways, the numbers prove he’s right.

He argued we are already a socialist country, so we should to continue pushing on until we reach a level of stability that is acceptable. One thing that impressed me was how he tied this into veteran’s rights.

This was years before the VA healthcare scandal, so Bernie knew our veterans weren’t getting enough support. As nice as this is, it sure isn’t cheap.

So I raised my hand again and asked: “How are you planning on paying for this?” This was a question Bernie had heard many times before, so he already had the answer.

“We need to tax the richest of the rich. This recovery has only benefitted the upper class.”

Our country has seen a rapid rise in inequality. This is something Sanders has been talking about for decades now, so it really seems like now is his moment in the sun.

Debating Bernie Sanders was an experience I’ll never forget. But I never would have imagined he’d be a legitimate presidential candidate in 2016.

I really appreciated the way he challenged my views and actually answered my questions. And while I would never vote for Bernie, it’s true he’s one of the few genuine politicians.

He’s been sticking to his guns for years, so it’s hard to not see the appeal of his candidacy. Can Bernie defeat Hillary? Only time will tell.

But if it came down to me, you know I’d be feeling the Bern.