Sen. Bernie Sanders Presses On with Anti-Oligarchy Tour

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has resumed his national “combat Oligarchy” tour, which had taken a brief pause. The tour has drawn significant crowds, including many supporters of President Trump’s policies.

“If there’s ever a time in American history when we need to come together, it’s now,” Sanders stated. He mentioned in a video shared online that he aims to “combat authoritarianism and the disturbing attacks on low-income and working-class Americans across our country.”

He hinted at a “new series of meetings” set to be announced soon, focusing on conservative rural areas, which he believes are crucial for further change.

His campaign website already features RSVP links for upcoming events, including stops in McAllen, Texas on June 20, Shreveport, Louisiana, and Tulsa, Oklahoma on June 21, as well as Amarillo and Fort Worth on June 22.

A representative from Texas, Greg Cassar (D), is set to attend all of Sanders’ Texas rallies, while former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D) will join him for the event in Fort Worth.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) hails from Shreveport, yet Sanders’ event will be located in an auditorium just outside Johnson’s deeply conservative district.

Sanders, along with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), launched a progressive campaign targeting oligarchs in February.

“We’re creating a political movement aimed at taking down the billionaire class, the right-wing militant Republican Party, and even the Democrats, whose leadership is often tied to maintaining the status quo,” he said in his Thursday video.

Sanders’ campaign team didn’t immediately respond to inquiries about his tour plans.

In April, Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) suggested that Democrats abandon the term “oligarchy” when criticizing Trump and his allies, encouraging a shift toward opposing the “king” instead.

A nationwide protest, titled “No Kings,” is planned for Saturday to demonstrate against Trump’s military parade in Washington, D.C.

Despite this, Sanders reiterated his warnings about the oligarchy. “Let’s be clear. We live under an oligarchy that has long generated income and wealth inequality,” he stated in his Thursday video. “This oligarchic society has fostered a corrupt campaign finance system, allowing billionaires to contribute unlimited amounts to campaigns.”