Just a few hundred well-connected elites were allowed to view Thursday’s Democratic debate in person, but the real show was outside of the Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts on the UW-Milwaukee campus.
There, peaceful and spirited activists rallied outside in the frigid temperatures for the candidates on the stage—former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders—as well as their favorite causes, including Black Lives Matter, the Fight for a $15 minimum wage and ending climate change.
Across the street from the debate, ralliers chanted, “What do we want? 15. When do we want it? Now!” and carried a huge ballot box as a prop. “Come get my vote” was another cry from the crowd as they demanded the candidates truly earn their votes and don’t just pay lip service to income inequality during the election season.
The Fight for $15 campaign has gained significant victories across the country, and Sanders has endorsed a $15 federal minimum wage. Clinton backs a $12 minimum wage.
Wisconsin voters will cast ballots in the presidential primaries on Tuesday, April 5, so the debate was a kick-off of sorts for the campaigns for the April primary.
She’s with Hillary
Meanwhile, Lakefront Brewery hosted a Democratic Party-sponsored viewing party, which was packed wall to wall with Clinton and Sanders supporters and those who are undeclared. The Shepherd asked some of the committed attendees why they support their candidate.
Meghan Christiansen is a volunteer leader for Milwaukee for Hillary, an all-grassroots organization that’s kicking into high gear for the primary election and beyond. Clinton has her support because she is the most qualified candidate on both sides of the aisle, Christiansen said.
“Her level of experience, her résumé in and of itself, speaks volumes,” Christiansen said. “I really like the fact that Hillary has been working for people, women, children, any sort of civil rights battle long before she was a politician. To me that speaks for her character. I think that she is also the best person to continue Obama’s legacy. They often make this claim that Obamacare was first Hillarycare. She was fighting that fight very early on when she was first lady.”
Also important to Christiansen is Clinton’s work as a Democrat who has supported other Dems and helped to build the party.
“When you think about coming into this role as president, first and foremost you need your party on your side,” Christiansen said.
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And Clinton’s pragmatism is a plus, Christianeon said. While Sanders is proposing free college tuition, Clinton’s strategy to lower interest on student debt is more achievable, at least in the short term.
“She’s someone who has ideas that are practical so that when she comes into office on Day 1 she’s going to be able to a call upon her Democratic colleagues and then offer policies that have a chance of going somewhere,” Christiansen said.
Clinton’s foreign policy experience is a major factor in swaying her vote.
“From a defense perspective, I feel safest with her as a commander in chief,” Christiansen said.
Feeling the Bern
Ai Csuka is a UW-Milwaukee student and a passionate supporter of Bernie Sanders. And she wants to clear up one misconception about young people’s enthusiasm for him.
“I want people to know that young people don’t vote for him because they will get free college tuition,” Csuka said. “That is not the reason. We actually do our research. I don’t think it’s possible in the near future, but it’s nice to know that a politician is thinking about us in that way.”
Csuka said she likes that Sanders is relying on small donors, not a super PAC and a few wealthy elites.
“He is the first politician that really made me excited about America,” Csuka said. “He made me feel like I had a voice and that he actually listened to me. Another point is that his average contribution is $27. I donated $20 and he made me feel like he appreciated my contribution.”
She said his strong performance in Iowa and New Hampshire wasn’t totally unexpected.
“I am surprised and not surprised that he’s doing so well because I think a lot of young people are aware of the propaganda that goes on in the mainstream media,” Csuka said. “I think it’s a good thing that he came this far. It shows that it doesn’t matter how the mainstream media portrays you, because we know better.”
And she said that Sanders’ idealism and optimism is necessary in a good leader.
“I think the point that he makes is that he can’t do it by himself but if he unites everyone and tells them to achieve these goals, it’s possible,” she said. “If you keep saying you can’t do it then it’s not possible.”
Loves Hillary’s Career and Accomplishments
Susan Wozny said she’s a long-time Clinton supporter because she’s seen Clinton’s career evolve over the years and appreciates her accomplishments.
“I just feel like she’s been behind the scenes making it happen and cultivating her political career in a way that is incredibly amazing,” Wozny said.
She said she doesn’t think younger voters truly understand all that Clinton has accomplished and contributed to our politics.
“I certainly think she’s struggling with attracting younger voters, mostly because those younger voters haven’t been exposed to her career in the same way that someone who is slightly older has,” Wozny said. “And they don’t know that she has been part of the political vernacular for so long.”
Another plus for Wozny is Clinton’s place in women’s history.
“My great grandmother worked heavily, heavily, on women’s suffrage,” Wozny said. “I think today she would absolutely be voting for Hillary. That’s one of the reasons why I would vote for her.”
Loves Bernie’s Economic Proposals
Retired business manager and consultant Richard Justus said he supports Sanders because of the consistent positions he’s taken on the issues.
Key for Justus is Sanders’ take on economic policies. Recently, 170 economists and financial experts endorsed Sanders’ plan to take on Wall Street abuses and break up the big banks. The first signer is Robert Reich, Bill Clinton’s secretary of labor.
“I know [Sanders] was just endorsed by a number of economists, but the program that levies taxes for the speculation on Wall Street to pay for education I think is wonderful,” Justus said. “I think it’s very doable. I’m also really in favor of a single-payer program for health care.”
He said Sanders’ identification as a Democratic socialist is just fine with him.
“He’s worked with all sides,” Justus said. “He’s a thinker. He is a Democrat. If you go back to Roosevelt, socialism has always been a part of our political system.”
He said Sanders’ portrayal as an impractical idealist is evidence that he’s a threat to the powers that be.
“I think the greater fear is that the business interests that have bought Hillary are trying to keep people from finding out the truth about [Sanders’ proposals],” Justus said. “But social media gives us the opportunity to pass around some videos and also some testimony directly from the economists’ mouths that prove that [the business interests are] wrong.”
Also important to Justus is Sanders’ affirmation of the more liberal wing of the Democratic Party.
“Bernie gives us an opportunity to hear the real issues and I’m really excited about the fact that we can stand together and hear our voices heard through someone like Bernie,” Justus said. “Whereas before we were pretty much marginalized by those people who have the money."
