Bernie Sanders Warns Of 'Concentration of Ownership' In US Companies: 'That's Power'

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) says the biggest threat to U.S. capitalism isn't foreign competition but "three Wall Street investment firms," he claims, now dominate corporate America.

What Happened: "It's not only income and wealth inequality that bothers me, it's concentration of ownership," Sanders told Joe Rogan in a recent sit-down.

“In virtually every sector … you got a handful of giant multinationals controlling that sector." He urged listeners to “check it out on Google," adding that the trio of asset-management giants “combined are the major stockholders of 95% of American corporations.”

"That's power," he exclaimed.

Academic studies back part but not all of Sanders' claim. Research by economists Jan Fichtner and others finds the "Big Three" are the largest single shareholders in about 40% of all U.S.–listed companies and 88% of the S&P 500. Other analysts put their combined stake at nearly 20% of total U.S. market capitalization, not 95%.

See also: ‘Do You Really Think We’re Going To Get Rid Of Lawyers?’ Says Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt — Predicts AI Will Only Make Jobs More Complex

Sanders argues concentrated shareholding lets a handful of executives steer wages, prices and even politics. "They are now owned by Wall Street firms," he said, contrasting today's dispersed retail ownership with the era when "somebody actually owned General Motors."

Why It Matters: Sanders, during the course of the same podcast, also told Joe Rogan that his top presidential priority would be campaign-finance reform. He wants public funding to replace "billionaires" bankrolling elections, which he says "rejects the will of the American people."

Rogan and Sanders also attacked the $7.25 federal minimum wage, calling it impossible to live on; Sanders noted he is fighting to raise it to $17 an hour. Rogan illustrated the problem with a $25 sandwich that would cost a minimum-wage worker 3½ hours of labor.

Both men argued that technology's gains have bypassed workers, with Sanders pointing out real wages trail those of 52 years ago despite soaring productivity. To spread the benefits of automation and AI, Sanders champions his "Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act," trimming the workweek without cutting pay so people gain time for family, learning and purpose.

Photo Courtesy: Jana Shea on Shutterstock.com

Read next: Howard Lutnick’s Viral Fed Rant Claims ‘Simple Formula’ for Rate Cuts—Here’s Why Economists Are Cringing