Sanders Hopes To Show Presidential Form

Senator Bernie Sanders (I), a 2016 Democratic Presidential candidate, opens the floor up for comment during his Oskaloosa event at William Penn University.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – William Penn University DigiComm (digital communications) Program offered up an opportunity to each candidate seeking the office of President. Senator Bernie Sanders (I) from Vermont was the first candidate to take the students up on their offer.

According to nationwide polling numbers, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are the Democrats top picks for the nomination.

The format for the event was different than most campaign stops where the candidate gives their stump speech and, more often than not, reaches out to the audience for questions.

Sanders had little in the way of a stump speech, instead chose to revert to questions and comments from audience members. Sanders also took time to ask questions of the audience, starting off his event by asking those in attendance to consider the state of American democracy.

“All of you know that democracy is a fairly new concept in world history. Only a few hundred years old.” Said Sanders. “That is a pretty radical concept.”

Sanders has taken aim at young voters during this election cycle, appealing to them with a conversation about programs he believes will impact their lives and ultimately change the United States, while taking aim at large corporations.

Sanders believes that rulings like Citizens United have given corporations an unfair advantage in American politics and elections.

The Senator also believes that Republican governors in the United States are making it more difficult for old, young and poor people to vote, “under the guise of fighting fraud.”

“Everyone knows what’s going on, suppressing the vote.” Sanders says this is done in an effort to make it more difficult for those minorities to vote against them (Republicans).

“I speak primarily to the young people. You are the future of this country and the decisions being made today will impact you more than other people,” said Sanders. “How are you going to get involved in the process?”

Sanders also asked the crowd, how do “we determine what the most important issues are in our country?”

“Is the story that appears on television tonight,” Sanders says to a chuckling crowd, who were annoyed with a CNN stand-up segment during the Senators speech, “necessarily the most important?”

Sanders challenged the crowd to look at the state of democracy in America. “Do ordinary people, working people, people in the middle-class, are they the people who are determining what goes on in our nation’s capitol?”

Sanders asked the crowd if they believe that the decisions for the country are being made by the wealthy and powerful.

Sanders then turned the program over for questions and commentary from the audience. Shelby, a community college student who reportedly has $20,000 in college loans, spoke first. Sanders asked her, “That means that loan is around your shoulder and your nervous about it?”

This lead into one of Sanders biggest talking points during his campaign. Sanders believes that college should be free at state and public institutions. Sanders made this remark once again, while standing behind the podium of the private liberal-arts college that hosted the senator.

Sanders said that the United States is the richest country in the history of the world. “People like Shelby don’t see it,” said Sanders to the audience. “In the richest country in the history of the world, should Shelby have to take out a loan of $20,000?”

Sanders asked Shelby what her interest rate is on her student loans. Shelby responded with 8 percent. “Shelby’s crime in life is that she wants to get a good education and get a descent job,” said Sanders.

“It costs money. Somebody’s paying for this for sure,” said Sanders of the proposal of free college education. Sanders didn’t offer a solution as to how the bill would be paid, but instead challenged the audience if it was a good idea.

For Sanders, the basis for a free college education comes from a historical perspective. Over the past 50 years, Sanders says that a college degree has become the equivalent to what a high school degree used to provide to a young person seeking a middle-class job. He adds that college education should be an extension of the K-12 education program.

“I personally am fighting for free tuition at public colleges and universities,” said Sanders.

One of the final individuals to address Sanders asked the Senator how he, as president, would help the country move forward. Sanders said that he would address what he called “Casino Capitalism”, which is “crushing the working families”. “That’s where we are right now. Greed is rampant, and that greed is destroying out country.”

Sanders returns to Iowa on October 23rd, where he will be attending a fundraiser concert in Davenport, Iowa.