We already brought you part one of our list of 15 things you probably did not know about Bernie Sanders, and now we’re back with part two! Check out eight more fascinating facts about the politician and presidential candidate that you definitely (probably) did not know below. You might be surprised by what you find out!
Number Eight: He Has Some Conservative Tendencies. In fact, Sanders shares some commonalities with arguably the most conservative Republican candidate – Rand Paul. Sanders has expressed that he has suspicions in regards to government-related threats to privacy. He echoes Rand Paul in this matter.
Number Seven: He Is Surprisingly Active on Social Media. For someone who is 74 years old, Sanders certainly knows his way around social media. He, or a staffer he hired, has made sure that he can’t be criticized for approaching social media like a typical 74-year-old.
Number Six: He Is Worried About Our Fight With ISIS. Specifically, Sanders has said that the fight with ISIS is not America’s alone. He said, “This is not just an American problem. This is an international crisis…This is a war for the soul of Islam, and the Muslim nations must be deeply involved.”
Number Five: He Is Invested in Veterans. In 2014, Sanders was the chairman of the Veteran Affairs Committee. As chairman, he attempted to push a bill that would add $50 billion to spend on health programs for veterans. However, the bill did not pass.
Number Four: He Asked Obama to Raise Taxes Without Congress. Sanders penned a letter to president Obama that implied Obama should “act on his own” in an effort to close tax-related loopholes for especially profitable corporations.
Number Three: He Passed More Amendments Than Any Other Representative. When Sanders was part of the House of Representatives, he passed more amendments than any other representative serving with him. The amendments he passed were related to the issues of college cost reduction, health care expansion, and fighting corporate welfare.
Number Two: He Has an Incredibly High Approval Rating. In fact, as of November 2015, Sanders had the highest approval rating of any United States senator among his constituents. His approval rating at the time was 83 percent.
Number One: He Wrote a “Rape Fantasy” Essay. In 1972, Sanders penned an essay written in the stream-of-consciousness format that discusses rape in a strange and somewhat disturbing light. The essay was apparently meant to attack gender stereotypes, but its contents raised several questions about his views regarding rape and sexual assault.