Summary

Senator Bernie Sanders is intensifying his fight against U.S. oligarchy, targeting wealthy individuals like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg.

Sanders argues that these billionaires manipulate the global economy, influence elections, and control the government, hindering democracy and exacerbating global inequality.

He believes this issue is crucial, impacting various aspects of society, including climate change, healthcare, worker protections, and poverty.

  • JaggedRobotPubes@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    In the sense that it’s part of how we handle climate change, and part of how we handle covid + other diseases + future pandemics properly, yes.

    Yes it’s very important to get your leg unstuck but yes your house is still on fire even if you do.

    • Qwazpoi@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Idk I think it makes perfect sense. Think of the oligarchs as someone actively firebombing the house in your analogy. It’s not just about getting the leg unstuck but stopping the ones causing the biggest issue

  • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    I love Bernie, but it’s hard not to just feel utterly hopeless when you see how Elon basically bought the government and we see the other oligarchs flying down to mar-a-swampo to kiss donvict’s ring.

    Putin’s oligarchy is here.

    • Eatspancakes84@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      It is amazing how quickly the elite is closing ranks around the Trump government this time around. This includes essentially all major media, billionaires and even some Democrats. Completely different from the first term when we immediately saw a major resistance movement.

      Realistically he will end the Ukraine war (since Ukraine has to cede land without US support), and it’s likely that investment will skyrocket (as tariffs make it too costly to import). The same will happen to inflation and inequality (but we won’t see that in the media). Let’s not even think about minorities and women. My worst fear of competently-looking facism may well be on the way.

      • CleoTheWizard@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Tariffs will not significantly increase domestic investment. The US is at its maximum employment and that’s without deporting people. Who will even work in those factories?

        Not to mention American labor means that products made here are at least double the price. So no it’s smarter to just raise your prices 20-30% than build a factory that will also have raw material costs 20-30% higher anyways.

      • ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Ukraine has to cede land without US support

        Seems like that’s going to be the best-case scenario for Ukraine. Worst case is the US starts supporting Putin instead.

      • SreudianFlip@sh.itjust.works
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        2 days ago

        KS Robinson has the anonymous resistance send drones into plane engines shortly after takeoff, 6 private jets in one day. Things change in the novel quickly after that.

      • GaMEChld@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Much easier just to shoot the individual than the plane I think. Maybe I’m wrong. I imagine a 50 cal sniper would fuck up a plane. But planes can glide. Hypothetically speaking.

  • Skiluros@sh.itjust.works
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    3 days ago

    As someone not from the US (but who has lived/worked/studied in the US), Sanders seems like the only member of the US upper house that is willing to speak honestly and engage in haram speech that goes against local provincial orthodoxy.

    I was particularly intrigued by an article that claimed that Sanders was the only “outsider” in the US upper house and that all other senators were more or less on friendly terms (with the implication being that their polemics are a ruse). Unfortunately I can’t find the article.

    • TheDemonBuer@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Sanders seems like the only member of the US upper house that is willing to speak honestly and engage in haram speech that goes against local provincial orthodoxy.

      He is, and he’s loved by millions of Americans for it, and also hated by essentially the entire political establishment for it.

    • octopus_ink@lemmy.ml
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      3 days ago

      As someone not from the US (but who has lived/worked/studied in the US), Sanders seems like the only member of the US upper house that is willing to speak honestly and engage in haram speech that goes against local provincial orthodoxy.

      As someone from the US, Sanders seems exactly like this to me, also.

      Apologies if you already know this, but Sanders is not a Democrat. He caucuses with them and runs as a Democrat, but he’s not a member of the Democratic Party. Depending on the article they may have been referring to that. (IMO this is one of many reasons the DNC ensured he couldn’t get the nomination in 2016 and 2020.)

        • teodor_from_achewood@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          Yeah, the “only Bernie loves us” bullshit.

          Here are ratings from the AFL-CIO, America’s union federation, where you can find the current year and lifetime ratings of all US Senators.

          Bernie has a 98%.

          Twenty five Senate Democrats have higher pro-union ratings than him.

          • AWistfulNihilist@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            Damn, you think that’s a dunk? At 98% lifetime with 100% current, you think you might be splitting hairs a bit to make that sound bad?

            • teodor_from_achewood@lemmy.world
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              3 days ago

              Did you read the part where 25 Democratic Senators have higher lifetime ratings than him?

              Anyway, the contention here is the stupid notion that the only “good” US Senator is Bernie.

              • AWistfulNihilist@lemmy.world
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                3 days ago

                Ahh, that’s a strawman. The person you are replying to never made that argument, you created that argument in your head because it was easier to defeat with this piece of information.

                • teodor_from_achewood@lemmy.world
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                  3 days ago

                  Sorry for disrupting your circlejerk!

                  Here, let me get into the mood:

                  The only thing we need to do is make Bernie president, then we’ll never have to think about politics ever again!

              • wizblizz@lemmy.world
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                3 days ago

                There’s no contention except what you’re creating it, no one’s said that at all and I see you’re trolling the rest of the thread. Get lost, troll.

                • teodor_from_achewood@lemmy.world
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                  As someone not from the US (but who has lived/worked/studied in the US), Sanders seems like the only member of the US upper house that is willing to speak honestly and engage in haram speech that goes against local provincial orthodoxy.

  • whotookkarl@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    It seems to me he should continue to work with labor and student unions to organize a general strike for explicit, specific goals by a given deadline. The best tool the working class has to take power back from oligarchs is to coordinate stop working at the same time until demands are met, and it requires politicians and labor leaders like Sanders and Sean Fain to build and coordinate alliances across the workforce.

    • PSoul•Lemmy@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Yes this! I’ve been watching Bernie speak up about this. So far though, it’s just talk. Ranting. I’m looking forward to see what his plan of action is. I think gearing up towards a general strike, or threat thereof, is the only really tool we have given the incoming admin.

  • sumguyonline@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    You don’t defeat oligarchs by protesting alone. You also don’t break their power hold by forcing them into concessions. The position of oligarch must be eliminated entirely, and anyone with links to the position they held is either removed from the planet, or imprisoned where they never have human contact to try and manipulate their way out.

  • PixellatedDave@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Sorry my misunderstanding. I would say if you are able to do what you need within 100 yards then you don’t need to get to within 50 yards.

    • Xanthrax@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      It started off with rich, white cultists who took over disease ridden, Native American ghost towns. Close enough, though.

    • Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works
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      3 days ago

      There’s nothing he can be to become president. Democrat was the only shot he ever had.

      And the democrats failed all of us. Reason, and the appearance of hope has failed. All that’s left is reality, and the further rapid erosion of our systems under increasingly corrupt leadership that no longer feels that they should hide their indescretions.

    • jordanlund@lemmy.worldM
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      3 days ago

      Bernie isn’t a Democrat, he’s a registered independent who caucuses with the Democrats. That’s why the DNC hates him.

      • MutilationWave@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        I keep seeing people call him a Democrat. It’s so annoying. Like this guy managed to get elected as an independent to the US Senate, a major accomplishment, because of his hard work and uncompromising values. Calling him a Democrat is insulting.

  • EmpireInDecay@lemmy.ml
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    3 days ago

    The same oligarchy he calls his good friends? Where was this version of Bernie the last 4 years? Sheepdog gonna sheepdog