Chicago – April 23, 2025
Senator Bernie Sanders, an Independent from Vermont who works with the Democrats, has been traveling across the country with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York to criticize the Trump administration. In an interview with Robin Young on Here & Now, Sanders argued that Democrats need to focus on candidates who understand and address the concerns of voters who are upset by President Trump’s policies.
Sanders expressed that the Trump administration’s agenda is harmful, saying it could give over $1 trillion in tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans while cutting vital programs like Medicaid, nutrition assistance, and housing.
He believes that most Americans would find these proposals unreasonable. Sanders also said that the Trump administration is now facing challenges, especially with its tariff policies, which he claims will lead to higher prices. He believes that Democrats need to create a political movement that clearly supports working-class people.
When asked about whether the Democratic Party has moved too far left, Sanders agreed that the party needs to listen more. He acknowledged the party’s success in advancing women’s rights, gay rights, and civil rights. However, Sanders criticized the fact that 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, and that one individual, Elon Musk, has more wealth than the bottom 53% of American households.
He pointed out that the U.S. is the only major country without a healthcare system that guarantees care for everyone, despite spending more on healthcare than most other countries. Sanders stressed that the Democratic Party has not paid enough attention to the struggles of working-class Americans, and he believes this has hurt them politically.
