Railing Against ‘Oligarchs,’ Sanders Touts Harris’ Achievements For Workers

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) cast the election as a fight against “oligarchs” and the “billionaire class” in a speech at the Democratic National Convention Tuesday that alternated between celebrating Vice President Kamala Harris’ bread-and-butter accomplishments and forcefully reiterating a case for social democracy.

He began by reminding the audience of the dire straits the country was in when President Joe Biden and Harris took office, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying economic downturn.

Sanders then described how the Biden-Harris administration sent out $1,400 stimulus payments, temporarily expanded unemployment insurance and Medicaid coverage and slashed child poverty with an expanded child tax credit.

“Now, I say all of this not to relive that difficult moment, but to make one simple point: When the political will is there, government can effectively deliver for the people of our country,” he said. “And now we need to summon that will again — because too many of our fellow Americans are struggling every day to just get by — to put food on the table, to pay the rent, and to get the health care they need.”

From there, Sanders launched into a condensed version of the stump speech he has been delivering since he first ran for president in 2015.

“Brothers and sisters, bottom-line: We need an economy that works for all of us, not just the billionaire class,” Sanders said.

“When 60% of our people live paycheck to paycheck, the top 1% have never, ever had it so good,” the Vermont senator added. “And these oligarchs tell us we shouldn’t tax the rich; the oligarchs tell us we shouldn’t take on price gouging; we shouldn’t expand Medicare to cover dental, hearing, and vision; and we shouldn’t