I wouldn't say Bernie is more "brave" or "ideologically pure" than any other candidate. The fact is that "anti-estabilishment" candidates are basically irrelevant on large game politics, and have never been required to compromise towards any of their goals. Should Bernie get ellected - which he won't, because a candidate like him will be lolstomped by basically any Republican nominee - probably even Trump - he would be another Alexis Tsipras, unable to do anything even remotely ressembling his promisses and hated by two thirds of the populace.
Instead of promissing freebies for all, an old as molasses scheme to attract public support and of which the gullible, idealistic youth are specially prone to fell into, candidates should take a look on why:
- State subsides to public universities have been steadily falling, pushing tuition rates higher, even though the US has rising tax income and a stable percentage of its population on the young adult bracket for decades now. Where's the money, dear governors?
- Medical costs have spiraled so high with little return -lower than European life expectancies with twice the cost - meaning the country can't effectively pay for ample public healthcare, even when it already spends as much per capita on it as an European welfare state.
On the flip side, Bernie does support the recognition of the Armenian Genocide unlike basically every American president so far... even though he predictably turns a blind eye on the atrocities Israel commit against Palestinians. So I'd watch out for even more Israel support and military/financial help in his government.
Edit - of course he would lose against most nominees but he does have a good chance against this one here:
