With the clock ticking, it is time for the presidential candidates for the upcoming 2016 election to start preparing, as well as the citizens of the United States of America, for Election Day. It's time for Republicans and Democrats to better inform us citizens about their opinions and plans if they win the election. If you are serious about running for office, you have already attended many events where you have spoken to people about issues you find unacceptable and discussed solutions you will try to implement as president. Many of the speeches presented today by candidates cover topics such as the federal minimum wage, immigration, college and university tuition, and health care. Each candidate has their own opinion on each of the topics mentioned, and when they delve deeper into these topics, it makes it easier for us to understand who would be a good fit. Everyone has their own opinion on each candidate, for example some may prefer Donald Trump's opinions over, say, Hillary Clinton's. While it is okay for us to individually have our own views and opinions, it actually comes down to Election Day next year when we will get together and vote. When the votes match, the most popular candidate wins and we have our next president. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayBernie Sanders is a Democratic candidate for the upcoming election and has recently gained a lot of popularity. Sanders was born in Brooklyn, New York, in September 1941. He was mayor of Burlington, Vermont, and served eight terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. He has served in the United States Senate since December 2007 and, in addition, served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs from 2013 to 2015. Within the first twenty-four hours of announcing his candidacy as a Democrat for the upcoming election presidential elections, had raised over $1.5 million. Just recently, his campaign has gained more ground, and he has even been ahead of Clinton in recent polls. On August 9, 2015, Sanders gave a speech at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. With more than 28,000 supporters showing up to hear Sanders' insight and cheer him on, Sanders set the record for the largest political event of the 2016 presidential contest. Sanders opens his speech by exclaiming "Woah, that's a turnout amazing” (Mercia), then states “Portland, you did it better than anyone.” (Oregon Live). After thanking his campaign team for their "gracious introductions," Sanders begins his speech with one of his favorite topics: income and wealth inequality. Sanders' campaign was all about putting the billionaire class in their place and reclaiming the United States of America as an affordable place to live for all, not just the top 1%. Sanders gives us the hard truth: “…the gap between the richest and everyone else is worse today than at any time since 1928.” (Sanders) Using his strong, powerful voice, he continues with the theme, exclaiming that “There is something profoundly wrong when the richest tenth of one percent owns nearly as much wealth as the poorest ninety percent.” (Sanders) It affects us. difficult when he explains that “…the average American works longer hours for lower wages…” “…when over fifty percent of new income generated today goes to the top 1%.” (Sanders) It's nice to see a candidate express his concern about this huge issue that is destroying America today, when other candidates don't see it as a problem; some evensuggest that the federal minimum wage of $7.25 is “too high.” Although Sanders seems to have been rambling on about the same topic for quite some time, the points he makes are still very relevant and need to be heard. He states that “the greed of the billionaire class in corporate America is… destroying this country.” (Sanders) He makes it clear that “enough is enough, it will end.” (Sanders) When it comes to the federal minimum wage, he hits us with the facts: “…it's not unusual to see people, not just working one job, working two jobs, working three jobs, trying to cobble together some income and healthcare. This is not what the American economy should be.”(Sanders) When you search around to find other candidates' views on the issue of the minimum wage being a “starvation wage”(Sanders), you find that none of the other major candidates (Clinton, Trump and Carson) feel the need to raise the minimum wage, especially not to the amount Sanders is campaigning for, i.e. $15 an hour. None of the other candidates share his views on big business and money in politics, which is another big issue that Sanders is good at discussing. About seventeen minutes into his speech, Sanders raises an issue that is very popular among all the candidates involved in this upcoming election: abortion and Planned Parenthood. While Clinton, a Democratic candidate who currently poses the biggest threat to Sanders' campaign, is effectively pro-choice, the other major candidates are not. When talking about the opinions of the other candidates in the race, Sanders says "...what they mean is that women shouldn't have control of their own bodies, and I don't agree with that." (Sanders) While speaking on the same topic last month at a conference in a different location, Bernie said that “The current effort to discredit Planned Parenthood is part of a long-term smear campaign by people who want to deny women in this country the right to control your own body” (Miller). Continuing to talk about the opinions of other candidates, he brings up another very popular topic in American society today: gay marriage. He states that other candidates have views that "...our gay brothers and sisters should not be able to marry or enjoy the full benefits of citizenship" (Sanders) and then, after saying this statement, comments "I don't I agree" (Sanders). Family values ​​are another topic Sanders discusses, expanding medical and family leave, as well as his goal of giving every American two weeks of paid leave. “In my opinion, when it comes to family values, we must end the international embarrassment that arises from the fact that the United States of America is the only major country in the world that does not provide workers with paid medical and family leave…and that's why I will fight for twelve weeks of paid family and medical leave." (Sanders) Sanders underlines the importance of the bond between a newborn and his mother, and how difficult it is for that important phase of life to occur in which mothers are denied a paid family Leave They are left without income for the period of leave, leading to a lack of funds for newborns' needs and a lack of that important connection when mothers are forced to return to work after a week. because they simply cannot afford to lose their jobs. In recent years it has become evident that there is a lack of jobs; more importantly, a lack of jobs for those who seriously need a stable income. “And when we talk about jobs, we don't just mean the need to createjobs, but also the need not to lose jobs." (Sanders) Sander's plan is that “…we need a major federal jobs program; A program that rebuilds our crumbling roads, bridges, water systems and wastewater treatment plants.” (Sanders) While staying on topic, he warns American multinationals that it is “time… to invest in the United States of America and not in countries around the world.” (Sanders). He goes from the topic of lack of work to big banks and companies very smoothly, and also inserts a topic unrelated to the current discussion, but with his way of expressing himself, he adapts his unrelated opinion in such a way as not to postpone the current discussion stated. “…I find it interesting…that we see kids getting criminal records for using marijuana, but the CEOs of these large institutions get away with nothing.” (Sanders) He goes on to say that we must “…dismantle these financial institutions…” (Sanders) as well as “If a bank is too big to fail, it is too big to exist; destroy it. (Sanders). Anyone who keeps up with the presidential election and candidate debates knows that Bernie Sanders is very vocal about the price of higher education, as are the “millions of Americans today suffering under the weight of outrageous students.” debt." (Sanders) Sanders tells us about legislation he has introduced and explains "...First, it says that every public college and university in America will be tuition-free..." (Sanders) and that second place, the legislation will address those Americans who are in debt due to student loans The way he planned it is “… First, we will allow people with student debt to refinance at lower interest rates. .." (Sanders) and that "... Second, we're going to get the government out of the way of student loan businessmen." (Sanders). Sanders really makes you think when he discusses the price of higher education in the modern day, especially when he goes on to explain that “…in America today [we have] hundreds of thousands of bright young people; people who study hard, people who are qualified to go to university, but can't go for a reason: their family has no money… It's not just unfair to those young people who want to have the opportunity to become doctors, engineers and teachers, but it's also stupid if we worry about the future of our economy." (Sanders).“Let me conclude by asking you to think big, not small. I want you to think about what this great country can be… we can be a nation that joins other nations around the world in providing health care to all people as a right… a nation where working parents go to work… their children and their children have access to quality, affordable child care… every American, regardless of income, can receive a college education… where everyone, regardless of race, religion, disability or sexual orientation, realize the full promise of equality this is our birthright as Americans... when we stand together and don't let the little things divide us, when we stand together, when we say enough is enough, this country belongs to everyone us; when we do that, there is nothing we can't accomplish.” (Sanders). Personally, I have been a Bernie Sanders supporter ever since I heard about him, his views, and what he would like to accomplish as president. Listening to him talk opened my eyes; she has such a strong voice and passion for what she does, and is such an inspirational person in my eyes. This speech had a huge impact on me,.