You may consider voting for Hillary Clinton based on her gender. Please understand that unlike Bernie Sanders, whose lifetime of service has been on behalf of all people, Hillary Clinton’s interest has been in benefiting the corporations and the elites. Her campaign has received at least $21.4 million in contributions from the financial services industry, among other sectors. No corporations make contributions of this magnitude without expecting something in return.

Please understand that while Bernie Sanders has taken courageous stands on contentious issues far sooner than they became commonly accepted positions, Hillary Clinton has made her choices based on political expediency. We already know about their differing votes on the Iraq War. Hillary did not come out in support of gay marriage until 2011. Bernie was in favor in the 1970s.

Please understand that Bernie may in fact be more electable than Hillary, whom a majority of Americans polled found to be dishonest. She comes from a political dynasty that many voters may not be eager to continue. It’s also unlikely that talk of Clinton Foundation donations and “those damn emails” would disappear during a general election. In contrast, by drawing crowds of 20,000 to rallies and attracting enthusiastic volunteers to the cause, the Bernie Sanders campaign has palpable energy that would translate to strong voter turnout, the type that would extinguish any Republican Party negativism.

In Bernie Sanders we have a realistic opportunity to elect a true FDR Democrat not only as the Democratic nominee but as President of the United States. We have a choice: To have the courage and faith to back the candidate we have been waiting for, or to settle for the same old politics because we think that’s the best we can get. Please understand: This is our lifetime moment.

Eric Patterson

Boulder