{Political_Views} Bernie Buzz: An American Oligarchy?

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April 21, 2012 An American Oligarchy? At a time when the middle class is collapsing and poverty is increasing and the wealthiest people are doing phenomenally well, many Americans are wondering whether this country is moving toward an oligarchic form of government where a handful of very wealthy people control the economic and political life of the nation. At a time when the richest 400 Americans own more wealth than the bottom 150 million people, it was not surprising to learn from a recent study that between 2009 and 2010, 93 percent of all new income went to the top 1 percent of U.S. taxpayers. Additionally, it is extremely disturbing that because of the absurd Citizens United Supreme Court decision, many of these billionaires are now using their money to strengthen their political hold on the country. "This is not what democracy looks like. This is what oligarchy and plutocracy look like," Bernie said. Watch MSNBC'S Thomas Roberts interview Bernie » Watch Bernie in  a Senate speech » Undo Citizens United A Washington summit brought together people in the growing nationwide grassroots movement to undo a Supreme Court ruling that opened the floodgates for corporate campaign spending. Bernie's Saving American Democracy Amendment would overturn the ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. "It is important that regular voters get engaged," he said. "We need to reverse the disastrous Citizens United decision as soon as possible and it is going to take a constitutional amendment to do it." Watch a video from the summit » Read more » Special Delivery The Senate set the stage for votes next Tuesday on legislation to modernize the U.S. Postal Service and avert service slowdowns and massive job losses. More safeguards for overnight mail delivery and rural post offices were added to the bill by "a group of senators led by Sanders," Congressional Quarterly reported. Listen to Bernie and Ed Schultz talk about the Postal Service (mp3) » Stop Nuclear Welfare At a time when the nation is facing a $15.6 trillion national debt and we need to invest heavily in energy efficiency and sustainable energy, the nuclear power industry is propped up with billions of dollars in government subsidies. "Many in Congress talk of getting 'big government off the back of private industry.' Here's an industry we'd like to get off the backs of the taxpayers," Bernie said in a column written with Ryan Alexander of Taxpayers for Common Sense. Read the column first published by The Guardian » SHARE THIS What do you think? TAKE THE POLL How would you have voted on the bill to tax millionaires the same rate as middle-class families?   In Other News ENERGY FUTURE Vermont is helping to lead the nation in transforming our energy system » FOSSIL FUEL SUBSIDIES Environmentalist Bill McKibben said in a Los Angeles Times column that Bernie will introduce a tough bill that tackles subsidies and tax loopholes for all fossil fuels » DENTAL CRISIS Bernie told the PBS Newshour why he is pushing for better dental care » WORKERS LEFT OUT "Until we address the imbalance of power in the U.S. economy … the difference between our recoveries and our recessions will grow harder to discern," Harold Meyerson wrote in The Washington Post » INCOME GAP The gap between America's highest- and lowest-paid workers is widening according to a new Labor Department report released Wednesday  »   Upcoming Events THOM HARTMANN PROGRAM Listen to "Brunch with Bernie" Fridays at 3 p.m. ET » Please do not respond to this email, it is not a monitored address. If you would like to send Senator Sanders a comment click here. To unsubscribe to all newsletters from this sender, click here. Privacy Policy