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In my years of covering Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), one thing has remained consistent: his palpable disdain for political theatrics and divisive inquiries.
Recently, during an appearance on Meet The Press, host Kristen Welker attempted to corner Sanders about his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, inquiring whether he intended to launch a third party. This line of questioning emerged after Sanders suggested that more individuals should engage in politics as Independents.
Watch Sanders’ response on Meet The Press:
In response, Senator Sanders articulated a compelling viewpoint:
No, weâre not attempting to create a third party. Our goal is to reinforce American democracy, which is currently suffering from a significant lack of trust in both the Democratic and Republican parties. Here we are, living in the wealthiest nation in history, yet one individual, Mr. Musk, possesses more wealth than the bottom 53% of American households combined. Thatâs not just alarming; itâs oligarchy on steroids. Meanwhile, 60% of our workforce is living paycheck to paycheck, and we have the highest rate of childhood poverty among major nations. Over 20% of seniors in the U.S. survive on $15,000 or less per year. The message from the American populace is clear: they desire an economy that benefits everyone, not just billionaires like Mr. Musk.
At this moment, my concern is that Democrats are rightly addressing Trumpâs authoritarian tendenciesâsomething I’m actively supporting. They are opposing the so-called reconciliation bill, which would deliver over a trillion dollars in tax breaks to the wealthiest 1% while enacting severe cuts to Medicaid, nutrition assistance, and housing. They are also resisting Musk’s efforts to dismantle the Social Security and Veterans Administration, which jeopardizes timely healthcare and benefits for our veterans. We’re aligned on these issues.
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