To the editor:
You won’t hear it discussed in corporate media (for obvious reasons) or on the floor of Congress (for obvious reasons), but the most important issue facing facing the American people and the global community is the rapid rise of oligarchy.
Never before in modern history have so few had so much wealth and power. Never before has a ruling class been able to exercise that power not only in the United States but in every corner of the planet.
Today in America we have more income in wealth inequality than we have ever had. While 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, three individuals own more wealth than the bottom 50%.
Today in America we have more concentration of ownership than we have ever had. In sector after sector — financial services, health care, agriculture, transportation, energy, food, housing, etc. — fewer and fewer giant corporations control what is produced and the prices we pay.
Today in America we have more media consolidation than we have ever had. Some estimates claim as much as 90% of U.S. media is controlled by just six huge global conglomerates that have a defining impact on our culture and the information we receive.
Today in America we have a political system that is increasingly controlled by the billionaire class. In the recent elections, just 150 billionaire families spent nearly $2 billion to get their candidates elected.
And let’s be clear. This massive level of inequality is only going to get worse under the Trump administration — with Elon Musk, the wealthiest person on earth, playing an active role. If Trump gets his way the very rich will get richer and have more power, while ordinary Americans will get poorer and have less power.
Under Trump there will be more tax breaks for the very wealthy and large corporations while, at the same time, reductions in desperately needed programs for the poor and working class.
Under Trump there will be efforts to privatize Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, the Veterans Administration and public education while, at the same time, making it easier for large corporations to destroy the environment, engage in bigotry and undermine workers’ rights.
We cannot allow this to happen. We have got to take on Trump and the oligarchs. And the best way to do that is to educate and organize, educate and organize. We have got to expand our social media reach to counter the enormous influence of corporate and right-wing media We’ve got to increase our presence in working class communities. We’ve got to find grassroots leaders who are prepared to take on the powerful special interests and run for office at the local, state and federal levels.
These are tough times, but despair is not an option. The stakes are too high, not just for us but for our kids and future generations.
We’re all in this together.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders
Burlington, Vermont
Go away, Bernie. People on your side of the aisle did enough damage the last four years. Hopefully, Trump can restore order.
Instead of putting forth such invective, why don’t you actually try to refute what Sanders has said? The primary reason we have these issues is not so much the fault of the rich themselves but rather that of folks like you, ceding wealth and power to them. That’s always been the problem with American Populism since the days of Andrew Jackson. I’ve kept silent for many months prior to the recent election. I hoped beyond hope that the softer approach by others with similar thoughts as myself would be more successful in terms of gathering votes. I feared something I might have said would be counterproductive, but I’ve since come to the conclusion that nothing much anyone could say could really make any difference. It’s pointless when dealing with people who refuse to see the obvious. Oftentimes, individuals learn only at the speed of pain. In like manner, Trumpism can only be overturned by its resulting inevitable and unimaginable suffering jolting its followers into rationality. No, nothing anyone could have said would have convinced half the electorate they’re chasing ghosts. Unfortunately, the rest of us must also suffer as the result of people’s poor decisions.
When Trump finds out he’s not King of the World, that unimaginable suffering jolting will be preceded by a bright flash, followed by many mushroom clouds. He’s been stewing in his revenge fantasies for four years, and they have now given him the keys to make them come true.
A narcissist’s end.
The real stickler is the apocalyptic death wish held by many of the evangelicals. They fully expect to be raptured before experiencing the consequences of their awful choices in policy and allegiances. Trump’s minions refuse to see the wake of destruction Trump has left behind him for at least 45 years. Yet many see him as “God’s man.” Trump’s base is like an abused dog that will fetch the very newspaper their handler rolls up and beats it with. Be warned: any and all who seek to liberate that dog from its oppressor stand only to be mauled by the same canine. Hence the animosity toward Sanders or virtually anyone who would disagree with them.
Whatever happened to thinking positive? God bless America, land of the free and home of the brave. God bless our military and veterans.