In the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has publicly criticized the Democratic Party’s handling of working-class issues.
What Happened: A statement released on Tuesday by Sanders expressed his disappointment with the Democratic Party’s neglect of the working class, which he believes has led to their abandonment of the party.
“It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them.”
Sanders highlighted the increasing income and wealth inequality in the U.S., with 60% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck. He also criticized the country’s healthcare system and its continued financial support for the Netanyahu government.
“Unbelievably, real, inflation-accounted-for weekly wages for the average American worker are actually lower now than they were 50 years ago.”
Sanders wondered if the Democratic party would actually learn any real lessons from this “disastrous campaign.” He expressed his lack of confidence in this being a learning movement for the democrats.
“In the coming weeks and months those of us concerned about grassroots democracy and economic justice need to have some very serious political discussions,” said Sanders.
In a post on X, on Wednesday, Sanders said, “While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change.” He said “They’re right.”
Why It Matters: Sanders’ criticism comes in the wake of the 2024 presidential election, where Donald Trump won over Democratic rival Kamala Harris. The election results sparked an “everything rally” on Wall Street, with major U.S. equity indices surging to record highs. This was largely due to investor optimism over anticipated favorable tax policies under the Trump administration.
Before the election, Sanders had criticized Trump’s proposal to eliminate all income taxes, describing it as ‘insane economics’ that would disproportionately benefit the wealthy. He also expressed his disagreement with Kamala Harris’ stance on the Gaza war, but still pledged his vote for her.
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal
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