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By Alia Shoaib
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Senator Bernie Sanders responded to criticism from a Democratic senator for using the term "oligarchy" to describe the Trump administration, saying Americans aren't "dumb" and can understand the word.
"The American people are not as dumb as Ms. Slotkin thinks they are," Sanders told NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday in reference to Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin's comment.
Newsweek reached out to Slotkin via her website's contact form for a comment on Monday.
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Why It Matters
In the wake of President Donald Trump's reelection and Republicans now controlling both chambers of Congress, Democrats are grappling with how to rebuild. However, there are disagreements within the party over what its vision and strategy should be.
Sanders is currently on a nationwide "Fighting Oligarchy Tour" with New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, which he said is drawing crowds of over 30,000.
He has built much of his political brand around criticizing America's wealthiest elites, repeatedly warning that the U.S. is drifting toward an oligarchy, where a small group of people controls a country. He has ramped up these warnings on his tour, criticizing Trump's economic policies and questioning the prominent role of billionaire Elon Musk in the Trump administration.
What To Know
Slotkin told Politico last week that she believed the Democratic Party should stop using the word "oligarchy" as the word doesn't resonate with ordinary voters.
Sanders, the independent senator from Vermont who caucuses with the Democrats, pushed back on Slotkin's claim.
He argued on NBC that Americans are not "dumb" and recognize that "the top 1 percent owns more wealth than the bottom 90 percent," which he said means that the country is "living in an oligarchy."
The senator stressed that the party is "on the same page, but what Democrats lack right now is a vision for the future."
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Slotkin is not the only Democrat who has recently taken issue with Democrats using terms like "oligarchy."
Former Vice President Kamala Harris' 2024 running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, recently spoke to The Atlantic about simplifying Democrats' messaging and avoiding words like "oligarch," opting instead to describe the rich and powerful as "greedy billionaires."
He added that instead of using terms such as "food insecurity," Democrats should simply talk about making sure people aren't "hungry."
What People Are Saying
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders speaking about the American people on NBC: "I think they understand very well when the top 1 percent owns more wealth than the bottom 90 percent. When big money interests are able to control both political parties, they are living in an oligarchy. And these are precisely the issues that have to be talked about."
What Happens Next
The Democrats' internal divisions over how best to rebuild are likely to remain a fault line as the party continues to grapple with how to oppose Trump and the Republicans.
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