Omaha is the kick-off for what Sanders is billing as a Fighting Oligarchy tour.
Sanders is a hot ticket.
Prior to the rally,Rolling Stonespoke at length with Sanders both in person and via telephone.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks at a stop of his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, countering Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and the political power of billionaires.Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Cit
Despite his advancing years, Sanders remains robust, with clear eyes and a strong handshake.
The transcript that follows has been edited for length and clarity.
What is the impulse behind this Fighting Oligarchy tour?
We just dont do that.
Here is the reality: Youre living in the richest country in the history of the world.
We take that for granted.
We have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country on Earth.
That is the reality today.
Deportations
The system is broken.
Donald Trump is right.
The problem is, his solutions will only make a bad situation worse.
Your politics have long warned about the unchecked power of millionaires and billionaires.
Can you talk about whats so extraordinary and extraordinarily revealing about this moment?
I have been talking about this issue for a long time.
It is worse now than it used to be and the American people are seeing it.
If you dont see that, then you really dont know whats going on.
Whats the strategy of your tour, which opened in heartland swing-districts in Omaha and Iowa City?
Things are moving very quickly.
Theres massive anxiety all over this country.
Democrats are searching hard to come up with a way to fight back effectively.
There is something wrong.
Are you counting on a popular backlash to these priorities?
We are focusing on getting out of the Beltway, to raise consciousness and organize people to fight back.
Im here simply to say to the people: Its your district.
Last time we spoke, you raised the specter of America losing the rule of law.
What are we seeing so far that oversteps the constitution or threatens the operating principles of a democratic society?
As I hope every sixth grader in America understands we have a Constitution.
You have people like J.D.
In fact, for the last 150 years, thatsexactlywhat the courts have ruled.
That is one of the major functions of federal courts.
And Trump says, Im not going to let it go out,I am going to stop it.
The president can come to Congress and say, I dont like USAID.
I dont like the Department of Education.
I want to get rid of it.
And then Congress has to decide what it wants to do.
Trump is also targeting the Fourth Estate a textbook move for an aspiring authoritarian.
Trumps unprecedented attack on the media has not gotten the attention it deserves.
Nothing wrong with a politician being concerned about articles.
His FCC is now investigating PBS and NPR.
Hes suing the Des Moines Register because he didnt like the results of a poll they did!
What kind of effect do you think thats going to have?
You write stories that are critical of me, and you will open yourself up to a crippling lawsuit.
All of that is unprecedented intimidation of the media.
Thats our new ally.
What effect does that have?
Its not new that politicians distort the truth thats gone on forever.
Worked really hard on it.
I was involved in that.
They had a bill.
Of course, nobody should vote for a 40 percent increase for members of Congress.
The truth is it was a 3 percent, or 4 percent increase.
It wasa blatant lie.
Who the hell do these guys think they are!?
Thats what they do.
Most of us assumed based on everything that we saw and heard that Russia invaded Ukraine.
Now Trump has made it clear, in his view, that Zelensky in Ukraine started the war.
This is not a little lie.
Why did Ukraine start the war?
Heres what I think its about.
What do the oligarchs want?
Some people say, Elon Musk doesnt need any more money.
Hes got $400 billion.
Hes not hustling more money.
Hes trying to do the right thing.
Why are you criticizing this guy?
Thats what the president says.
And across his government, Trump has 13 billionaires.
These guys dont have any self interest at all.
Theyre just working for the public good.
Well, I dont believe that for a second.
They need more, and more, and more.
For Elon, I think $400 billion is not enough.
I suspect he would like to become the first trillionaire in the history of the world.
Why do we need Social Security?
Lets get rid of it.
And theyre going to be telling you about all of the problems in Medicaid.
Oh my God, somebody in Tucson, Arizona, cheated in Medicaid.
They filled out the forms.
Theyre an illegal person.
Why do we need Medicaid?
Why do we need Medicare?
At the end of the day, youve got uber-capitalists now.
Investment funds buying up everything.
Theyre buying up childcare, nursing homes, student athletic programs, you name it.
Theyre buying up primary care practices.
I gotta tell you, I think about this, about 24 hours a day.
In fact, I dream about this stuff.
I used to dream about beautiful [things.]
Thats how my life is.
Here is where the Democratic Party has played a terrible role.
I talked to a woman in Los Angeles paying 70 percent of her income for housing.
Where were the Democrats?
Do I think [Joe] Biden did a good job?
I did in many respects.
Did the Democrats when they controlled the House?
No, they did not.
How the hell does that happen?
Were the only major country not to guarantee health care for all people.
I live 50 miles away from the Canadian border, they somehow managed to do that.
They spend half as much per capita.
How are we the only major country not to provide paid family and medical leave, paid sick leave?
It is embarrassingly stupid having the highest rate of childhood poverty in almost any country.
So people look around and say, Democrats, youve been telling ushow concerned you are for us.
They didnt do nothing.
So these people think:Yes, Trump may be crazy.
Whats the path forward for progressives and Democrats?
Its not a question of messaging, or what ads you use.
It is actually a question ofdoing something.
That has 80 to 85 percent public support.
But its very hard for me to get the Democrats to move on that issue.
I want to expand Medicare to cover dental, hearing, and vision.
That also has 80-plus percent support.
Cant get most Democrats to do it.
Raise the minimum wage to a living wage widely supported.
You cant get the Democrats to do it.
Democrats have nobody to blame but themselves.
And that raises a broader question, not only for America, but for the world.
People always perceive it is government that is regulating business.
The reversals have even hit the Pentagon, which has long recognized the gravity of the threat.
Can you speak to the short sightedness of the worlds richest people sticking their heads in the sand?
Given how this has all turned out, do you have any reflections on that choice?
