Student debt in the United States tallies more than $1.5 trillion with over $13 billion of that debt coming from Iowans. We have less than 12 years to transition to 100% renewable energy or the Earth will face irreparable damage.

There are 70-80 million individuals without healthcare and millions more who are underinsured.. The challenges we face are massive, and we must face this insurmountable task with bold solutions, decisive leadership, and organized direct action.

Students at UNI face similar impediments: our pharmacy has been closed, our public transportation defunded, and our mental healthcare slashed. All this under the guise of ‘keeping tuition stable,’ ‘lowering costs,’ and ‘remaining competitive’ with our colleagues at the University of Iowa and Iowa State. Instead of working together to lower tuition, increase funding, and increase enrollment, we compete for the scraps the State Legislature gives us.

This situation is completely unacceptable. The future seems hopeless. Our democracy is corrupted. We may not have a planet to live on in the future. However, a great revolutionary once said, “everything is hopeless and the situation is excellent!” We, the students and workers of this country, have the chance to create something new. We can demand a system that works for us, providing us with healthcare and education, and securing a healthy environment for generations to come.

There is one person prepared for this task, to lead this country out of oblivion and into a new future. That man is Senator Bernie Sanders. If you are prepared to join the political revolution, join Senator Sanders on campus Monday, Sept. 9 from 12-2pm at the Campanile.