One of the chief criticisms of Bernie Sanders is that he uses the word “oligarchy” too much and many people don’t know what it means. Mike Lawler, for instance:
No, Mike. 44 years in elected office is not the very definition of oligarch. Let’s read page one of Bernie’s book together, since I know you haven’t gotten beyond the Grok critiques.
Bernie is a modestly wealthy (estimated net worth $3M) 84-year-old independent Senator from Vermont, living in a country controlled by the GOP. Hardly the profile of an oligarch.
What do oligarchs look like? You’ll spot them at the Mar-a-Lago reptile trough in Greasing Palm Beach, Florida; or at Mar-a-Lago North, aka the Orange Gold (formerly White) House in D.C. in the Concrete & Umbrella (formerly Rose) Garden; or lined up behind our Kleptocrat-In-Chief at most of his public appearances, including the inauguration:
Tech titans, including Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai, and Elon Musk, attended Donald Trump’s inauguration, representing a combined net worth of nearly $1 trillion. Source: fox5ny.com
Oligarchs look like the guy Trump pardoned yesterday, Changpeng Zhao. The billionaire founder of the world’s largest crypto exchange, who confessed to money-laundering violations, served just 4 months in prison, and now has a clean record and a net worth of $85B. Zhao bought himself a pardon by boosting Trump’s crypto business and effectively becoming his business partner.
The real oligarchs aren’t doing book signings in rural Vermont.
Volumes could be written about the open corruption of this administration. But Lawler thinks Bernie Sanders is the feature story? Lawler was so impressed with his own zinger that he thought it worth repeating two days in a row:
One major difference between Mike Lawler and Bernie Sanders is that Bernie is not a party tool. He decries a broken system, finding fault with both parties. Unlike Mike, Bernie is clear-eyed and full-throated about the danger of Donald Trump. From page 105 of Bernie’s book:
Most Americans understand that our current economic and political system is broken—and they want change. Real change. Donald Trump is providing change, but it is change based on lies, hatred, divisiveness, self-interest, and policies that benefit the very rich at the expense of everyone else.
Bernie also said this in an interview with Jon Stewart Monday night:
We have to have a vision for the future of this country. And I think that many of my colleagues in the Democratic Party have not had that vision. And what that means is that we should not accept the fact that we have so much income and wealth inequality. That you got one guy, Mr. Musk, owning more wealth than the bottom 52% of the American people.
That we have a corrupt campaign finance system that allows billionaires in both parties to determine who wins and who loses elections. And the vision has gotta be, and I want people to think about this in this extraordinarily great country, wealthy country, why don’t we guarantee healthcare to every man, woman, and child?
The Washington Post reported today that average Obamacare health insurance premiums are set to rise 30% in 2026 and, combined with the expiration of enhanced subsidies, millions will see their premiums double or triple.
Mike Lawler’s solution? Blame Democrats for the Republicans’ refusal to negotiate healthcare funding; slash Medicaid for millions; let the enhanced Obamacare subsidies expire in a year (after the midterms) instead of now, with no health insurance policy proposal to replace it, while providing deep & permanent tax cuts to the uber-wealthy.
Before you post your next Bernie book review, Mike, I recommend that you read the book. Look up the words you don’t understand.
If that’s too much to ask, watch this AI video to better understand the word oligarchy, and that crater where the East Wing of the White House used to be, and where we’re headed under your watch.
Featured photo credit: Ross D. Franklin/AP
Rule of Lawler 