Some might say that liking Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders simultaneously is impossible - like loving both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. The thing is, though, I liked both of those movies, and I like both of these candidates. So, here goes: why this future voter (and maybe even future politician - we'll see) respects both the Democratic candidates amidst all the divisive social media rhetoric that seeks to position them as polar opposites. I'll tell you what positive qualities stick out to me in both candidates (although any implication that the other candidate lacks said qualities is unintended) and what led me to notice these things. I will NOT be discussing my choice as to which candidate I support within this particular post, because this examination is meant to dish out equal praise to both candidates. Fans of Joe, please try to understand why Sanders deserves your respect. Bernie Bros, please try to understand why Biden deserves your respect.
Bernie Sanders
Bernie has, with minimal exception, stuck to his values for decades. With all that political pressure going around, that is pretty damn impressive. Another thing that is striking is Bernie's fire. The dude is 78, yet more emphatic and intense than many who are decades younger. He appeals to those who are decades younger on huge levels, which is no easy feat for an old white guy. His ideas, whether or not you agree with them, are bold in a good way because they've drawn national attention to important issues. Paying for college and healthcare sucks, and coming from someone who's watched my parents slog through student loan debt and haggle with pharmacists about the insurance company's refusal to cover the whole month of doses for my brother's anxiety medication, it is a really big deal that Bernie is working so hard to make things better. He owns the title of democratic socialist even though the term has damaged his chances of appealing to Cold War-traumatized older voters, but it's hard not to admire him for never going back on things, whether or not you agree with those things. He's shone throughout the debates, too, still going strong and sticking to his message when most people his age would be in bed and even candidates thirty years younger are starting to run out of steam by the end of the night. He has sworn to pull back the reins on big corporations with too much power. He would make a good president for these times by leading a revolution, getting those young people out to vote and fighting for that big change. These are the primary reasons that I respect Bernie Sanders.
Joe Biden
Joe Biden is one of the most genuinely caring people ever to fill the role of "politician." (Now, as I stated before, I am not trying to imply here that Bernie is not empathetic. Rather, I'm pointing out the traits in each candidate that stick out to me MOST.) But the truth is, when this thing we call the 2020 Democratic presidential race started out, I didn't recognize this. And months later, after the primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire AND Nevada, I still failed to see the appeal of Joe Biden. But then came this golden town hall in South Carolina where Biden showed his true colors. I don't know how many people watched it - I don't think it ever got posted on YouTube - but he was feeling and personal and understanding. He is not necessarily the status quo or an average Joe, especially now that he's endorsing free college and improvements on our (frankly atrocious) student loan forgiveness system. Flip-flopper, some might say, but flexibility and loyalty both have their pros and cons. And while Bernie Sanders' experience shouldn't be denied, Biden has been in politics for about a century. Hell, not only was he in the Senate before my birth, he was in the Senate before my mom's birth! Being vice president to Barack Obama is not exactly a bad feather to have in your cap when running for a Democratic nomination, either. He would make a good president for these times by leading a revolution of empathy (which we've been so short of in politics lately, mostly thanks to Trump's presidential endorsement of bullying on a daily basis), bringing stability back and setting the stage for that big change. These are the primary reasons that I respect Joe Biden.
At this point, I will NOT tell you which of these men I support. I would like to at least maintain the appearance of an impartial political commentator throughout these turbulent times. (Well, I'm not impartial when it comes to Trump, but that's because listening to him speak makes me want to vomit and I'm determined to get the jerk the hell out of not only the Oval Office, but public office and, if possible, the public eye.) I'll pull a page out of the books of some of the political figures I admire most - such as Cory Booker and Barack Obama - and point out that we have more in common than we think, so we should stop arguing so much and keep our eyes on the prize. Still, though, you can't really like The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi equally...
Bernie Sanders
Bernie has, with minimal exception, stuck to his values for decades. With all that political pressure going around, that is pretty damn impressive. Another thing that is striking is Bernie's fire. The dude is 78, yet more emphatic and intense than many who are decades younger. He appeals to those who are decades younger on huge levels, which is no easy feat for an old white guy. His ideas, whether or not you agree with them, are bold in a good way because they've drawn national attention to important issues. Paying for college and healthcare sucks, and coming from someone who's watched my parents slog through student loan debt and haggle with pharmacists about the insurance company's refusal to cover the whole month of doses for my brother's anxiety medication, it is a really big deal that Bernie is working so hard to make things better. He owns the title of democratic socialist even though the term has damaged his chances of appealing to Cold War-traumatized older voters, but it's hard not to admire him for never going back on things, whether or not you agree with those things. He's shone throughout the debates, too, still going strong and sticking to his message when most people his age would be in bed and even candidates thirty years younger are starting to run out of steam by the end of the night. He has sworn to pull back the reins on big corporations with too much power. He would make a good president for these times by leading a revolution, getting those young people out to vote and fighting for that big change. These are the primary reasons that I respect Bernie Sanders.
Joe Biden
Joe Biden is one of the most genuinely caring people ever to fill the role of "politician." (Now, as I stated before, I am not trying to imply here that Bernie is not empathetic. Rather, I'm pointing out the traits in each candidate that stick out to me MOST.) But the truth is, when this thing we call the 2020 Democratic presidential race started out, I didn't recognize this. And months later, after the primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire AND Nevada, I still failed to see the appeal of Joe Biden. But then came this golden town hall in South Carolina where Biden showed his true colors. I don't know how many people watched it - I don't think it ever got posted on YouTube - but he was feeling and personal and understanding. He is not necessarily the status quo or an average Joe, especially now that he's endorsing free college and improvements on our (frankly atrocious) student loan forgiveness system. Flip-flopper, some might say, but flexibility and loyalty both have their pros and cons. And while Bernie Sanders' experience shouldn't be denied, Biden has been in politics for about a century. Hell, not only was he in the Senate before my birth, he was in the Senate before my mom's birth! Being vice president to Barack Obama is not exactly a bad feather to have in your cap when running for a Democratic nomination, either. He would make a good president for these times by leading a revolution of empathy (which we've been so short of in politics lately, mostly thanks to Trump's presidential endorsement of bullying on a daily basis), bringing stability back and setting the stage for that big change. These are the primary reasons that I respect Joe Biden.
At this point, I will NOT tell you which of these men I support. I would like to at least maintain the appearance of an impartial political commentator throughout these turbulent times. (Well, I'm not impartial when it comes to Trump, but that's because listening to him speak makes me want to vomit and I'm determined to get the jerk the hell out of not only the Oval Office, but public office and, if possible, the public eye.) I'll pull a page out of the books of some of the political figures I admire most - such as Cory Booker and Barack Obama - and point out that we have more in common than we think, so we should stop arguing so much and keep our eyes on the prize. Still, though, you can't really like The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi equally...
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