Bernie Sanders Photo: Yuri Gripas/ Reuters
After the Democratic election defeat, where Vice President Kamala Harris lost to Donald Trump, Senator Bernie Sanders harshly criticised the party leadership, saying that the Democrats had “turned their backs on the interests of the working class”. At the same time, according to preliminary results, Democrats lost seats in the Senate in key states such as West Virginia, Montana and Ohio.
Sanders, an independent member of the Democratic Party and a prominent progressive, called on the party to have a serious discussion about its future course, but expressed doubts about the Democratic leadership’s readiness for change. “We who care about popular democracy and economic justice need a very serious political discussion,” he said. The senator pointed to rising economic inequality, the cost of healthcare, risks to jobs from advanced technology, and US support for the war in Gaza, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Criticism of the policies of the democrats and the oligarchy
Sanders also raised the issue of the influence of large corporations on the party’s policies. He expressed doubts whether the “big money interests and high-priced consultants who control the Democratic Party” would understand the consequences of losing support among voters: “Do they feel the pain and alienation that tens of millions of Americans feel? Do they know how we can fight an oligarchy that has enormous economic power?” he asked. His answer to these questions was pessimistic: “Probably not.”
Failures of progressive reforms
In the Senate, Sanders chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, but this year he failed to hold a vote to raise the federal minimum wage to $17 per hour. His initiatives to expand Medicare and support an affordable housing programme also failed. Sanders faced resistance not only from Republicans but also from centrists in his own party. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer compromised with centrist Joe Manchin on the “Build Back Better” programme, but according to Sanders, this compromise did not meet the expectations of progressives.
Criticism of military aid to Israel
Sanders also condemned US spending on military aid to Israel, pointing to the humanitarian consequences of the conflict for the Palestinian people. “Despite strong opposition from most Americans, we continue to spend billions to support Netanyahu’s extremist government, which is waging a brutal war that has led to a humanitarian catastrophe and the starvation of thousands of children,” the senator said.
Analysts had warned that the Biden administration’s support for the Israeli war could negatively affect Democrats’ popularity, and, based on the election results, this stance does seem to have weakened their influence in Congress.
A call for change and further struggle
Sanders is calling for a major rebuilding of the democratic movement to focus on the needs of the working class and economic justice, although he remains sceptical about whether the party will hear the voice of its voters.
