Sen. Bernie Sanders was very straightforward in a recent interview, where he took a hard look at the Democratic Party and its relationship with the working class. Sanders has long been a vocal advocate for everyday Americans and this time, he went straight to the point: the Democratic Party has, in his words, "abandoned the working class," and they're paying the price for it.
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In the aftermath of Harris’ recent campaign loss, Sanders pointed out what he sees as a major issue: people are struggling more than ever while the wealthy are thriving. "The working people of this country are extremely angry," Sanders said. "They have a right to be angry. In the richest country in the history of the world, today the people on top are doing phenomenally well while 60% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck."
Sanders was direct about income inequality. He stressed that the top 1% owns more wealth than the bottom 90% and that the U.S. has the highest rate of childhood poverty among major countries. Additionally, one in four seniors is trying to get by on $15,000 a year or less. "Where is the Democratic Party?" Sanders asked, suggesting they're not doing enough to tackle these issues.
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A major point of criticism Sanders had for the Democrats was their failure to raise the minimum wage to what he calls a living wage. He explained that even though millions of people in the country work hard, they're not earning enough to make ends meet. "In the Senate in the last two years, we have not even brought forth legislation to raise the minimum wage to a living wage, although some 20 million people in this country are working for less than $15 an hour," Sanders said.
Sanders also addressed Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent pushback against his statements. But Sanders stood firm, explaining that while he respects Pelosi, he thinks it's clear that the party has to do more. "Do you think that the Democratic Party is going to the max, taking on powerful special interests and fighting for you?" The overwhelming answer to him is no, which needs to change.
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The Vermont senator believes it's time for the Democratic Party to show that they are willing to stand up for ordinary Americans – not just in words, but through action. He pointed out that they haven't made much progress on issues like expanding union rights or strengthening Social Security benefits for retirees. "People are in pain. People are hurting. They can’t afford to go to a doctor. They can’t afford to send their kids to child care or to college."
When asked how much he blames President Biden for the recent loss, Sanders gave a measured response. He acknowledged that Biden, when he came into office, promised to be the most progressive president since FDR. "On domestic issues, not foreign policy, Biden has kept his word and pushed through a strong agenda," Sanders said. But he said that it still isn’t enough to fix the big problems of unfairness in American society because, even though Biden has done some good things, the rest of the party needs to do more to help working families if they want to regain their trust.
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