Hmm... why I am voting for Sanders...

First (but NOT foremost) it is because he most closely represents my views on the greatest number of issues out of any candidates. That is how he initially gained my attention.

But as I said, that's not the primary reason. I could (and would) vote against my own ideology and I would (and have) opt not to vote for anyone at all if I don't feel there are any qualified candidates.

So comparing Sanders' views to Clinton's views to my own views: They're all very similar, at least on paper. Trustworthiness aside, there are two key reasons I pick Sanders over Clinton:

1. The president needs to be a leader. I am very much of the opinion that the job of a representative is to REPRESENT their constituents' views, NOT their personal views. I also strongly believe that the job of a leader is to LEAD.

If we use the marriage equality issue as a qualifier of these traits, any candidate who goes against the will of the people on this issue is disqualified. Sanders and Clinton both side with the majority, that is good. They both therefore qualify to represent. However, anyone can bandwagon and anyone can be swayed. I honestly feel like I personally could look at poll data and represent my constituents based solely off that information as well as anyone else could. So, to be more than just a mouthpiece, one must be a leader in addition to being a representative.

Using the same issue of marriage equality... Sanders was ahead of the curve. He was LEADING the cause. Considering that Clinton's views shifted along with the rest of the nation's, she cannot be considered a leader to me, but rather a follower.

I don't follow people who diametrically oppose my own views, because why would I? Why would anyone?

But I also don't follow people who share my own views after I've already made up my mind about them. Because why would I? Why would anyone? I don't pay a teacher to teach me what I already know; why would I pay a leader to lead me to where I've already arrived?

Bernie Sanders was ahead of the times on this issue, which proves he has the vision and wisdom a leader ought possess. That doesn't mean he would have been able to represent us 20 years ago... we weren't ready for him to. The times have caught up with him, and now he can represent us with the views he's been a leader of.

(Of course, there are other issues that Sanders has proven to be a leader on; civil rights, Iraq War, minimum wage, free college education, etc...)

1. Because I don't know if I SHOULD care anymore, and I don't know whether or not I should believe in Democracy. This has little to do with either candidate as an individual, but more rather what they represent on the political stage. I have never felt that my vote counted for anything before, and I still don't. My cousin and I shared a sardonic chuckle over the reality when Clinton and Bush become their respective party nominees, it will be The Powers That Be figuratively spitting on democracy and throwing the finger up at the people. I don't want to live in a nation ruled by dynasties. I don't want to be a part of a system where royalty runs the show. What does it mean, exactly, if we have multiple members of the same families who keep getting elected, in a nation of over 300 million? Does it actually make any difference if we "elect" members from the same families vs. if we outright say "you have the birthright"? Next in line to the throne? I don't see how. In the case of Hillary and Jeb, people literally ARE saying that. They were being coronated before either even announced their candidacy. They have inherited rule. I don't believe in inherited rule.

I was taught to believe in the system. I perceive the system as broken. In Sanders, we have a person who empirically best represents the most people. If democracy truly lives, he will be the next president. That's the whole point of democracy.

But that can only happen if The People rally for him. So I will vote for him, and do everything I can to show others why they should vote for him too. Because even though I don't believe I'll succeed, it's less about winning and more about trying. Complacency has no role in American democracy. I want to find our if voting/campaigning has no place either. By supporting Bernie Sanders, I'll get my answer... one way or another.