by Angie Schflett
With the primary elections on the horizon, families need to determine who the best candidate for them is. With Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Ben Carson, and others making waves, our future president is likely already in the limelight. With that in mind, we need to take a look at the big picture and some of the main issues families face. Today, we’ll look at Bernie Sanders. This includes everything from his take on health care, to gun control, to his stance on abortion.
In general, the voting history of Bernie Sanders has been with families in mind. His stance on families and children we know the following to be true:
- He has stated we are the only major country in the world that doesn’t currently offer paid family leave. (10/15)
- We must provide an affordable choice for childcare and for those who are in the early pre-K education group. (9/15)
- Bernie Sanders believes the Violence Against Women Act should apply to everyone. (9/15)
- Voted to increase funding for victims of domestic violence. (1/13)
- Banned lead in children’s toys. (11/05)
- He was originally against a nationwide Amber alert (4/03), however, the reason he voted against it is that he felt it had unconstitutional riders attached to it. In particular Bernie Sanders felt the sentencing provisions took away from the powers of the judicial branch.
- Once was an active member of the Missing and Exploited Children Caucus. (1/01)
From this standpoint, Bernie Sanders looks like an individual who has become compassionate and has a pro family attitude in mind. His work for families in the latter years of his career suggests he is pro family.
Next, we need to look at his stance on education. This is a place where things get a little trickier.
- Voted to replace the current NCLB standardized tests with options that are more holistic. (9/15)
- Offered vouchers that allowed public education funds to be placed in private schools. (9/15)
- Charter schools are acceptable as long as they are held to the same standards as public schools. (9/15)
- Low income preschoolers should be welcomed into the Head Start Program. (9/15)
- $18B provided to encourage free tuition at state colleges. (4/15)
- Wants to refinance and forgive old student loans. (4/15)
- Wants higher education to become affordable. (3/15)
- Voted to not count combat pay against free school lunch earnings. (3/09)
- Allowed to make educational assistance for employees a tax deductible solution. (1/1993)
With this, we see that Bernie Sanders has remained a positive force for the education system. His forward thinking approach has proven he values the education of our children.
Drugs are another important area to consider, as it affects the lives of millions. Here is Bernie Sanders approach on drugs.
- Believes the war on drugs has failed. Values treatment for addicts over punishment. (9/15)
- Is pushing for the decriminalization of marijuana. (9/15)
This is important to note. As parents, we try to protect our families from dangerous drugs and marijuana has the potential to lead our children to harder drugs in time.
His voting record on abortion is another thing to take into account.
- Has remained pro-choice to this day and believes there should be funding for family planning. (9/15)
- Advocate for all areas, including the funding of contraceptives. (9/15)
- Voted No for unborn children being eligible for SCHIP. (3/08)
- Voted No to prevent minors from crossing state lines to have an abortion. (3/08)
- Voted No to ban partial birth abortions. (4/2000)
- It should always be a woman’s right to choose. (6/1997)
For many families, welfare and poverty are a real concern. Here is Bernie Sanders stance on these items.
- He is an advocate for us to have social benefits in all public assistance programs. (9/15)
- He believes that having 3.5 million homeless people is unacceptable. (9/15)
- Showed his support for school breakfasts being available to the children of families with low incomes. (3/09)
- Voted Yes to $70 million being available for Section 8 housing. (6/06)
- Economic insecurity plays a considerable role in the life of a person. (6/1997)
- Fought to prevent food stamps from being cut from needy families. (6/1997)
- Pushed to have Head Start, WIC and similar programs fully funded. (4/1993)
As you can see, Bernie Sanders has been someone who has had families in mind as he has put his votes to the heart of the matter. As we approach the upcoming primary elections, it is important to find a candidate who shares many of the same views as you to help ensure that your family and what it stands for are protected. After all, every vote does count in the end and you want your voice to be heard.
Finally, Mr. Sanders stands out as a leader and a uniter. That is someone we need to continue to make our country great, to protect our families, and to give our children a great future.
Here is his speech about the Paris Attacks. Our hearts go out to all the people of France and all the families affected. His strongest words I felt in the speech is that “As Americans we will not be terrorized or live in fear…. and we will not succumb to racism”. Beautiful words to teach our country what our country is about.
In summary, as his supporters would say #FeelTheBern !!
Biography
Angie Shiflett is a professional writer that focuses on writing on an assortment of topics. Currently, her passion is homeschooling. She has been homeschooling her children through The Connections Academy for two years now. Both her and her husband are able to remain at home with their children in order to educate them. They place a high emphasis on family, and dedication to the importance of a proper education.
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Greetings! I’m Kevin, the founder and chief editor of More4Kids International, a comprehensive resource for parents worldwide. My mission is to equip parents with the tools and insights they need to raise exceptional children.
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Some very good info here! I hope America is ready to #FeelTheBurn next year!!