APRIL 21-27, 2016
THE CENTRE COUNTY GAZETTE
PAGE 3
Supporters turn out in droves for Sanders By JEN FABIANO correspondent@centrecountygazette.com
UNIVERSITY PARK — A capacity crowd filled Rec Hall for a rally held by Sen. Bernie Senders on April 19. Most attendees were strong Sanders supporters, some just curious minds, and some who had waited for hours on a line that stretched down Burrowes Street. Through cheers, chants of “Bernie,” and even booing when other candidates were mentioned, Sanders explained that he wanted to “reinvigorate American democracy” by encouraging voters, especially young voters, to participate in the 2016 election. Donnie Harris, a junior at Penn State Harrisburg and committed volunteer for the Sanders campaign, agreed that young people need to be less apathetic and shared Sanders’ “hope that young people start paying attention to politics.” At the Penn State Harrisburg campus, Harris has been attempting to set up an event in which students can register to vote, and he has not had an easy time doing so. Harris said that Penn State needs to “remove the roadblocks and encourage voter participation” in order to stimulate an interest in politics in younger voters. Harris hopes that the rally encouraged students “at this school get a little more motivated to get to the primaries next Sanders, from page 1 in Pennsylvania take place Tuesday, April 26. Sanders dismissed the idea that young people are disengaged with political ideas and the issues faced in the country. “Young people fully understand,” said Sanders. “They are the future of our country and they want to help determine the future of this country.” He also focused on student debt and high tuition costs. He mentioned that Penn State University is tied with the University of Pittsburgh as the most expensive public school in the country. He discussed the need for higher education at this time, and the pressure students feel to continue their education, despite the high cost. “Why are we punishing millions of young people for doing exactly what we asked them to do?” he asked. Sanders suggested free college tuition as well as lower interest rates for students with student loan debt. Sanders mentioned the need for transparency in Wall Street and to break up big banks, especially those that were saved following the economic crisis of 2008-2009. Sanders said that the fraudulent actions of Wall Street hurt millions of Americans without consequence, while someone caught with the possession of marijuana gains a criminal record for the remainder of his or her life.
week.” It seems that Sanders was successful in fulfilling some of Harris’ hopes. “You can definitely hear in the way he talks that he really does mean what he’s saying and it’s not just words on a piece of paper; it’s really something genuine. … I wasn’t planning to vote, but I am definitely planning to vote now,” said Cammie Teeters, a 2015 graduate of Penn State Altoona. Sanders even succeeded at swaying opinions in his favor. Cidalia Cornelio, a resident of Bellefonte, had a seat right outside of Rec Hall, where she was waiting for her daughter who was inside. Though Cornelio was outside the facility, she “still was able to hear a lot of things that were important for me to hear what his standpoint was and it definitely has changed my mind on a few things. “I was originally thinking of voting for Hillary because I voted for Obama, and Clinton, and then I just kind of saw over the years how we haven’t really improved in a lot of things like education, the economy, the military and health care,” said Cornelio. Many attendees admire Sanders’ concern for groups across the board. Sanders surprised many with his mention of Native Americans. “No other candidates really talks about Native American issues,” said Kasey Daish“Together we’re gonna bring justice back to a broken criminal justice system,” said Sanders. As the crowd cheered, Sanders, in a navy blue suit, light blue shirt and navy blue tie, stood still, hands gripping the podium, looking out over the crowd. Sanders warned spectators that, without change, the end of the American dream was upon us because this generation’s standard of living will be lower than that of its parents. “This campaign is about thinking outside the box, challenging the status quo,” said Sanders. This led Sanders to one of his most famous campaign platforms: raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. “It’s not a radical idea to suggest that if you work 40 hours a week in this country, you should not live in poverty,” he said. Sanders also mentioned the need for equal wages between genders before sharing his plan to pay for the raise in minimum wage, free tuition and free health care, another of his main platforms. “We’re gonna invest in jobs and education, not jail,” said Sanders. Sanders then suggested the reform of local police forces by demilitarization, ensuring that officers are held accountable for actions and ensuring that police forces reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. Sanders mentioned multiple minority groups, including African-Americans, La-
GEENA GOOZDICH/For the Gazette
PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL Bernie Sanders smiles as he is introduced to the Rec Hall crowd on April 19. er, a junior at Penn State. “I think its such an important point. They’re basically just appropriated, tossed under the bus and people forget about them all the time.” “I like that he includes LGBT groups, Native Americans, African-Americans, Latinos, women … he’s a really diverse candidate,” said Shiann Martin, a senior nurs-
ing major at Penn State Altoona. “He talks about all walks of life.” Of course, there were Sanders supporters whose alliance has never wavered. “I’ve been waiting for this revolution all my life,” said Barbara VanHorn, a canvasser from Harrisburg. “I’m 85 years old, and it’s about time.”
tinos and Native Americans. He criticized the high rates of arrest for young AfricanAmerican males, promised to pass comprehensive immigration reform with a path towards citizenship and declared a need for change in the government’s treatment of Native Americans. Sanders also suggested the creation of 13 million new jobs to improve inner cities rather than continuing to spend money on the War in Iraq. “We have got to invest in inner cities in this country and rebuild our infrastructure,” he said. “If we can rebuild the infrastructure in Iraq and Afghanistan, we
damn well can rebuild the infrastructure in America.” Sanders finished his speech by criticizing establishment politics and encouraging spectators to stand up and question the way things are. “Enough is enough,” he said in unison with the crowd. He challenged the spectators to help achieve the highest voter turnout in Pennsylvania’s history and left them with a message of encouragement. “Our strength is in our diversity,” he said. “When we stand together, there is nothing we can’t accomplish.”
Laser Hair Removal • Botox • Hydra Facial • Fillers • Skin Rejuvenation • Chemical Peels • Massage • Spray Tanning
Kish Bank Welcomes
Art Dangel Kish Bank is excited to welcome Art Dangel as our new Director of Trust Services and Private Banking. A strong addition to Kish’s Wealth Management team, Art brings experience and expertise in the management and design of sophisticated fiduciary and investment management services. Please stop by the State College Financial Center and join us in welcoming Art to Kish. You can expect more—from Art and Kish.
Permanent Eyebrows, Eyeliner, Lip color
Massage Therapy: Arthur Dangel
Sr. VP, Director of Trust Services and Private Banking 814-861-4660 ext. 8277 cell: 814-574-1876 art.dangel@kishbank.com
Lakegirl Massage Therapy by Keri Wallace LMT Smeal Heals Massage Therapy with Crystal Smeal LMT
212 Kenlee Dr., Bellefonte 2610 Green Tech Drive, State College
www.KishBank.com
814-931-6628 next to Dr. Carnicella Dentistry
Grand Opening
Open House
April 29, 2016, 3pm to 7pm April 30, 2016, 12noon-6pm Door Prizes, Refreshments and Spa Packages Specials, Discount programs for this event. Vendors on site for professional presentations.