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Sen. Bernie Sanders Critiques Oligarchy and Wealth Disparity in America
In a recent opinion piece published by Fox News, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) expressed his concerns regarding the overwhelming influence of billionaires in the United States and the escalating concentration of wealth, a trend he asserts is steering the nation towards an oligarchic structure.
After securing his fourth Senate term in November, Sanders contends that American society is increasingly splitting into two distinct groups: the affluent billionaire class and the general public. He describes this division as a crucial and historical inflection point for the nation.
“We are in a pivotal and unprecedented moment in American history,” he stated in the op-ed, which was published on Friday. “Either we fight to create a government and an economy that works for all, or we continue to move rapidly down the path of oligarchy and the rule of the super-rich.”
Highlighting the disparity in wealth, Sanders specifically criticized high-profile billionaires such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg, noting that these individuals collectively “own more wealth than the bottom half of our society — over 165 million people.”
This commentary emerges at a time when President-elect Trump has appointed a number of billionaires to his administration, further igniting a debate around the influence of wealthy individuals in politics, particularly after Musk’s vocal opposition to a bipartisan agreement aimed at preventing a government shutdown.
Throughout his piece, Sanders reiterated his long-standing criticism of the campaign finance system, characterizing it as a key factor that undermines democratic principles. He also highlighted the deficiencies in the current healthcare system and the implications of billionaires owning significant social media platforms, including Facebook, X, and Truth Social.
He painted a concerning picture of the struggles faced by the working class in what he refers to as an alternative version of America, where basic living necessities are increasingly out of reach while the extremely wealthy indulge in luxuries such as yachts, mansions, and private islands. “In this America, over 60 percent of our people live paycheck to paycheck,” Sanders emphasized, “millions work for starvation wages, 85 million are uninsured or underinsured, more than 20 million households spend over half of their limited incomes on rent or a mortgage, and over 60,000 die each year because they can’t afford to go to a doctor on time.”
The Senator, aligned with the Democratic caucus, also focused on the concentration of media ownership and financial power on Wall Street, asserting that these trends, in conjunction with income inequality, pose significant threats to democracy.
“It is estimated that six huge media corporations now own 90 percent of what the American people see, hear and read,” he cautioned. “This handful of corporations determines what is ‘important’ and what we discuss, and what is ‘unimportant’ and what we ignore.”
In his closing remarks, Sanders called for a rejection of the prevailing dynamics and a choice between two futures: one dominated by the wealthy elite or one that embodies democracy and justice. “That is not democracy,” he remarked about the influence of billionaires. “That is not one person, one vote. That is not what this country is supposed to stand for.”
He echoed the sentiments of President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address from 1863, arguing that today’s governance reflects the interests of the billionaire class rather than the populace: “Well, today, we have a government of the billionaire class, by the billionaire class, for the billionaire class.”
Source
thehill.com