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During the Las Vegas leg of his Fighting Oligarchy tour, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) made a commitment to unveil some hard truths about the current state of America, and he certainly delivered.
Sanders didn’t hold back in his remarks directed at both former President Trump and the ultra-wealthy, asserting, “
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In his address, Senator Sanders emphasized:
We will not stand idly by as a handful of billionaires control our government and society.
We reject an authoritarian regime led by a president who undermines the Constitution at every turn and is intent on stripping away our freedoms. We cannot accept a society rife with staggering economic disparities, where the affluent continue to amass wealth while working families struggle to make ends meet. In the wealthiest nation in human history, we demand a government and economy that serve all citizens, not just the elite.
Before we can carve a path forward, we must engage in the rare practice of having an honest conversation about the economic and political realities facing our country. So let’s embark on something truly radical.
Are you ready? Let’s speak the truth.
Today, we exist in two starkly different Americas. In one, the wealthiest individuals are experiencing unprecedented prosperity. The top earners are enjoying a level of affluence never before seen in our nation’s history. The three richest Americans—Mr. Bezos, Mr. Zuckerberg—collectively possess more wealth than the bottom half of the country, approximately 170 million people. The top 1% now owns more wealth than the combined total of the bottom 90%, while CEOs of major corporations rake in 300 times the salary of their average employees. But the issue extends beyond mere income and wealth disparity.
We are witnessing an unprecedented concentration of ownership. The corporate profits on Wall Street are dominated by a select group of enormous companies that monopolize entire sectors—from agriculture to media to financial services. These corporate giants are charging us exorbitant prices for their goods.
Believe it or not, just three financial firms—BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street—are the primary shareholders of 95% of American corporations. Let me emphasize: the 1% live in a bubble, entirely detached from the realities of the broader population. They have little understanding of the struggles faced by everyday Americans while residing in their gated communities, traveling via private jets and sending their children to elite schools.
Some of them even take vacations on private islands rather than camping in a national park or staying at a budget motel. And for the ultra-wealthy, space tourism has become a hobby—perhaps they should consider staying up there.
On the other side lies the America that you know and inhabit. In this reality, a staggering 60% of our population is living paycheck to paycheck, with millions of workers barely scraping by on meager wages. Unlike Donald Trump, I was raised in a family that faced financial uncertainties, and I understand that reality, as do many of you gathered here today.
This is a memory that will never fade from my mind. As I look out at this crowd, I sense many of you share this experience.
Despite the thousands who attended the Fighting Oligarchy rally, mainstream media outlets largely ignored it. Even networks that claim to be liberal, like MSNBC, are operated by individuals who perceive the United States as a conservative nation. They have convinced themselves that figures like Bernie Sanders and AOC represent extreme leftist outliers.
In truth, their corporate overlords do little to benefit workers, just as Trump and Musk fail to do. Change must emerge from grassroots movements, as popular resistance is the only viable means to challenge an oligarchic system.
What are your thoughts on Senator Sanders’s speech? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments below.
