Bernie Sanders launch tour
Fighting oligarchy
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders launched his “Fighting Oligarchy” national tour in Omaha on Friday night, Feb. 21, attracting an overflow audience of over 2,500 attendees, with hundreds more unable to gain entry. The Vermont independent addressed supporters about the growing division in the country under the leadership of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who oversees the Department of Government Efficiency. Sanders explained that he selected Omaha as his inaugural stop due to its significant working-class population, many of whom were leaning toward Republican candidates in the 2024 election. The former presidential candidate aims to motivate residents, particularly those in Omaha’s 2nd Congressional District, to recognize policies that may adversely affect their well-being and economic stability.
During a recent event, it was reported that 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck while affluent individuals benefit from tax cuts. Senator Sanders is continuing his tour in Iowa on Saturday, Feb. 22, focusing on the promotion of democracy and calling on the working class to resist oligarchic influences. “We are living in two Americas,” Sanders stated. He continued, “The actions we take now will affect our futures. Americans require a grassroots movement that firmly opposes oligarchy.”
Before Sanders' address, several speakers highlighted how policies from Washington, D.C. are widening the gap between the wealthy and the working class. Among them were Eric Williams, a member of the Omaha Public Power District board; Precious McKesson, executive director of the Nebraska Democratic Party; and Ron Kaminski, business manager for the Laborers International Union Local #1140.
As the crowd chanted his name, Sanders emphasized how the actions of figures like former President Trump mirror those of oligarchs, noting that billionaires such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg benefit from tax cuts while working-class Americans bear the burden. He also expressed concern that many individuals in power lack an understanding of financial struggles, referencing his own experience growing up in a rent-controlled apartment. Sanders is no stranger to Nebraska, having visited in the past as a presidential candidate and a prominent figure among progressives.
In the state, U.S. Representative Don Bacon, a Republican, has successfully won the slightly right-leaning 2nd District five times, despite the district's recent trend towards Democratic candidates in presidential elections. The 2nd District voted for President Biden in 2020 and for Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, previously supporting Trump in 2016 and Mitt Romney in 2012. This split voting is significant in Nebraska, a state that, along with Maine, uniquely allocates its Electoral College votes by congressional district. Each district awards one vote to the presidential popular vote winner, while two votes go to the statewide winner, which in 2024 was Trump. Governor Jim Pillen and certain conservative lawmakers in Nebraska’s nonpartisan but Republican-controlled Unicameral Legislature are attempting to shift the state to a winner-take-all system to reduce the likelihood of the traditionally red state splitting its votes with the "blue dot."
By: Robert Tengker
Image Source: RollingStone