Bernie Sanders Appeals to American People

Throughout one of Bernie Sanders' political campaigns of 2016, "Progress", he elaborately lists his objectives to rebuild America if he were elected into office. His main points include: free college tuition with drastically lower interest rates on student loans, universal health care for all, equal pay for women, and to raise minimum wage. To enhance his arguments, Sanders most prominently uses the rhetoric technique of ethos, the appeal to ethics/character.

In the beginning of his campaign ad, Sanders narrates the story of his parents and his childhood living in the lower class, which validates his understanding to the struggles many American people face daily. His use of ethos supports his appeal to the middle and lower classes and his goal of increasing minimum wage.

In addition, Sanders also uses ethos to establish his view on equality for all people. He describes a time when he was at University of Chicago, getting involved in the civil rights movement where he demonstrated sit-ins because he purely believed in equal rights which is one of his platforms in his political campaign today.

Sanders also translates his hopes for his family to the American people with his aim to fight global climate change, exhibiting ethos. He uses the claim of keeping our globe habitable for future generations, but also "leaving them with a nation we are proud of".

Although Sanders utilizes other rhetoric techniques, ethos was especially evident. By using ethos, he successfully related to the American people.