A Sanders Presidency Could Heal the Wounds of the Great Recession
A personal account
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About 13 years ago, I graduated from college with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography. This was in 2007, right before the financial crisis and the subsequent “Great Recession.” First, I served a year in AmeriCorps, then I began looking for a job in my field of study. But it seemed like everywhere I applied, they were either not hiring or they were actually downsizing. This went on for months. I couldn’t help but partially blame myself, although I later found out that more than 8 million Americans lost their jobs due to this brutal recession.
During this time, I worked restaurant and manual labor jobs, still applying to countless “better” jobs in my spare time. I was so desperate that I often just sent a résumé and cover letter to places that weren’t even hiring. You know, just in case.
My inability to find a job in my field was frustrating in its own right, but on top of that stress, I also had to worry about how I’d make my exorbitant monthly student loan payments. Despite a few freelance gigs over the years, I have never found a full-time job in my field of study, and, due to practically predatory interest rates, my total student loan debt is still about the same as it was when I graduated — around $100,000.
I recently settled down, got married, and adopted two pit bulls. I now work two jobs and spend much of my free time reading, writing, and going on walks with my little family. Although I’m happy with my life overall, it certainly didn’t go how I expected it to, and I still struggle to come up with the money for things like student loan payments and medical bills. My story is by no means unique. In fact, almost 80% of American workers live paycheck to paycheck, 44% of Americans can’t afford a $400 emergency, and 45 million Americans are burdened with a cumulative $1.5 trillion in student loan debt. In the richest country on Earth, this is unacceptable.
Bernie Sanders not only has bold, progressive policy proposals like Medicare for All and complete student debt forgiveness, but he also has the support of a massive, multi-racial, working-class movement. His presidential campaign is 100% grassroots funded — he doesn’t not receive contributions from corporations or billionaires. In fact, Bernie Sanders has received the most small-dollar donors of any campaign in American history, not to mention his tens of thousands of dedicated volunteers. This fundraising model and this political revolution both mirror Bernie’s decades of consistently progressive public service. Nowadays, Bernie consistently beats Trump in polls, and with larger margins than any other current presidential candidate.
I believe, as Bernie does, that if we can afford to bail out the white collar criminals who destroyed our economy with their greed, we can certainly afford to bail out those who are struggling to get by in this country. But, I must also say, this political movement is about more than just alleviating the suffering of millions of Americans. It is about revitalizing our democracy, creating a worker-led economy, and securing a dignified life for every American.
I’m voting for Bernie Sanders, and I hope you will too.
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