The senator from Vermont deserves to be nominated for his ability to beat the incumbent and accomplish a progressive agenda.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y, exit the stage after a rally at the Coralville Marriott Hotel and Conference Center on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. Sen. Sanders and Rep. Osasio-Cortez spoke on climate change and women’s rights.

Politics requires compromise. To achieve what needs to be done, both sides must give ground in order for progress to be made. That is what everyone is taught from an early age. Unfortunately, only some seem to have taken that message to heart.

For too long the Democrats have been the ones giving the ground. As social benefits were cut and overseas wars were propagated, Republicans dragged the U.S. further to the right than any other Western nation. Now, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is leading the charge to take back the ground that has been given.

Out of all the potential candidates in the field, Sanders has proven himself to be the one who can not only beat President Trump, but go beyond winning one election. His campaign is not one of hope for change, but a demand for it. It will not be an administration of marginal changes and lip service to the people, but one that establishes a legacy of definitive alterations to the face of our nation.

Sanders’ coalition is vast and diverse. He has collected more donations from women than any other candidate in the field, greater Latinx support according to a Morning Consult poll and broad support among Black Americans. A Washington Post and Ipsos poll put Sanders as having the largest share of support from black Democrats aged 18-35. And this is not some sort of touting of diversity — it is a recognition that Sanders has what has historically been necessary to win the presidency.

He is not paying lip service to minority rights either. For his entire career, Sanders has been a staunch advocate for human rights as far back as 1963, when he was arrested at a civil-rights protest. In 1996, he voted against the Defense of Marriage Act, a piece of horrifically anti-gay legislation. He has earned the trust of those who support him through a history of progressive action.

“ Just as Sanders has argued for progress in the past, he does so now. Establishing a stronger workplace, Medicare for All, universal public college, and every other progressive issue Sanders champions prove his principles.”

This movement is not just built on the backs of minorities and Democrats. Sanders has reach across the aisle, attracting the endorsement of nonleft individuals such as popular podcast host Joe Rogan. The disastrous Trump administration has left a wake of disaffected followers who can be brought to the left, and Sanders is the man to do so. He will not compromise his values and sacrifice his beliefs to do so. In Rogan’s words, “[Sanders] has been insanely consistent his entire life.”

His policies are not in the past either. Just as Sanders has argued for progress in the past, he does so now. Establishing a stronger workplace, Medicare for All, universal public college, and every other progressive issue Sanders champions prove his principles.

Among one of his most notable stand out plans is the adoption of universal internet. When almost all jobs require applications online, job postings made online, email requirements and online news, living without the internet is a death sentence. As such, Sanders will make internet far more accessible than it has ever been previously.

To those who say this is too radical, I would say that it has already been paid for — because it was through a $400 billion bill to the American taxpayers, who received nothing in return. While corporations built what they wanted and pocketed the cash, everyone else was left hung out to dry. But that will be corrected with the Sanders administration.

That is the theme of the Sanders campaign — where only a fraction of a percent benefited, now the whole country will prosper.

Sanders’ plans are only radical in comparison to what the American people have gotten so far. This is the only campaign that rights the historic wrongs that have been dealt.

Those who would say that Sanders’ propositions are dreams only claim such because they cannot accomplish what he can.

Columns reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board, The Daily Iowan, or other organizations in which the author may be involved.