Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont reiterated Sunday that he is not interested in launching a third party, dismissing the notion that the self-avowed socialist does not find common cause with the Democratic Party.
Mr. Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have drawn tens of thousands of people to their “Fighting Oligarchy Tour,” which has served as a political platform for Democrats and others seeking refuge from President Trump and his MAGA agenda.
“No, we’re not trying to start a third party,” Mr. Sanders said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “What we’re trying to do is strengthen American democracy, where faith in both the Democratic and Republican parties right now is extremely low.”
Mr. Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Senate Democrats, has had a tumultuous relationship with the Democratic Party establishment.
Some of his loyal supporters insist that party insiders used nefarious tactics to prevent him from winning the Democratic presidential nomination in both 2016 and 2020.
His political brand has energized activists across the nation and challenged party leaders in Washington to adopt a more progressive vision that seeks to dramatically increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans and large corporations to help fund programs, including a single-payer health-care system.
Mr. Sanders said he is on the same page with Democrats when it comes to thwarting “Trump’s movement toward authoritarianism” and what they claim are his plans to cut Medicaid to help offset the cost of more tax cuts for the rich.
“But what Democrats lack right now is a vision for the future,” he said. “How are we going to provide a decent standard of living for a younger generation, which, everything being equal, will be poorer than their parents?”
“How do we repair a broken health-care system? How do we raise the minimum wage to a living wage? How do we deal with a corrupt campaign finance system that allows billionaires to control both political parties?” he said.
Mr. Sanders also disagreed with criticism from Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat who says the party should stay away from the word “oligarchy.”
Ms. Slotkin said the term — borrowed from the Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle to mean “rule by the rich” — does not resonate with Americans broadly.
“Well, jeez, we had 36,000 people out in Los Angeles, 34,000 people in Colorado,” Mr. Sanders said. “We had 30,000 people in Folsom, California, which is kind of a rural area.”
“I think the American people are not quite as dumb as Ms. Slotkin thinks they are,” he said.
