I think the American people are not quite as dumb as Mr. Lockton thinks they are. I think they understand very well when the top 1% owns more wealth than the bottom 90%. When big money interests are able to control both political parties, [00:00:16] they are living in an oligarchy. It just makes everything so plain, so simple. And he's right. Bernie Sanders there on Meet the Press yesterday, biting back at Elissa Slotkin for her war plan on defeating Donald Trump. In that plan, she suggests ditching the term oligarchy because she believes [00:00:35] Americans just don't know what it means. So we're going to give you more on her plan in just a little bit, but, she's now starting to roll it out, whatever that entails. So first, Jank, what are your thoughts on what Bernie said in that clip? [00:00:54] - Do Americans get it? - Yeah, I think they do. Look, if Slotkin is says she's picking on the word, but she's not. She's picking on the concept of fighting back against the donor class. And so I think one of the interesting parts of the story is, [00:01:12] yes, but who's more popular? Who represents Democratic voters more. Now, I know that she represents something else more. But let's talk about it. Let's let's give you all the details. And then I want to talk about who Bernie represents and who's Slotkin represents. [00:01:30] - Go ahead. - Different base, if you will. Here's more. Bernie's explaining why he thinks the Fight Oligarchy tour is a winning strategy. Let me ask you about something that your colleague, Senator Elissa Slotkin, said. She said Democrats should stop using the term oligarchy because it's a phrase [00:01:49] that doesn't resonate with all Americans. Are you missing a chance to speak to a wider audience, Senator? Well, geez, we had 36,000 people out in Los Angeles, 34,000 people in Colorado. We had 30,000 people in Folsom, California, which is kind of a rural area. [00:02:09] I think the American people are not quite as dumb as Miss Lockton thinks they are. I think they understand very well when the top 1% owns more wealth than the bottom 90%. When big money interests are able to control both political parties, [00:02:26] they are living in an oligarchy. And these are precisely the issues that have got to be talked about. Are you living in a democracy when Mr. Musk can spend $270 million to elect Trump and then becomes the most important person in government, [00:02:41] or are AIPAC and other super PACs have enormous power over Democratic candidates? Those are issues that we have got to talk about. Yeah. So Bernie wants to keep going. The senator meantime, Slotkin has yet to directly respond to Senator Sanders, but she has set out on tour to promote her war plan. [00:03:01] Here's a clip from this past weekend on what she is pitching to Americans. I no longer think that the debate in the Democratic Party is between moderates versus progressives. The debate is people who are new generation, who believe we have to fight [00:03:19] to defend what we have, and those who are sort of more establishment who think we'll survive this administration. We just got to wait it out. There's a very big difference among leaders on how they perceive this administration. The very fabric of our democracy is at risk, and if we don't fight for it, [00:03:37] it's going to be lost. This is about patriotism. This is about loving your country. This is about taking the flag back from the people who are spitting on democracy. - And I refuse to let them have it. - That's her version of fired up. Michigan senator said she will span everything from strategy to tactics [00:03:54] and tone, acknowledging public perception of the party as, quote, weak and woke needs to change. She is urging Democrats to retake the flag with appeals to voters sense of Patriotism to adopt the [00:04:10] goddamn Alpha Energy or war plan includes more urging Democrats to run for president in 2028 and to get in. Rather than waiting until 2027, creating Democratic Shadow Cabinet, made up of ranking members on congressional committees. [00:04:28] And stop using that word oligarchy. Alyssa has suggested instead using the phrase opposing kings, but most Americans have a good idea what oligarchy means. According to a survey done by data for progress, here it is majority of voters [00:04:45] can correctly identify the definition of oligarchy without looking it up. If you had to guess which of the following best describes what you believe an oligarchy is? A government where power is concentrated in the hands of a small, wealthy elite. [00:05:02] So I mean, you see the bars there. That one seems to be winning, and people do get it. But is she right? Do we need to dumb it down for Americans here? Should it be, you know, this Kings thing that didn't resonate with me. [00:05:18] But should it be, you know, fight the rich bastards or something, I don't know. Why not go with what's already working, it seems like. Yeah. So I think there's three different issues here. One is about the verbiage being used. So Slotkin seems like has taken our advice here. [00:05:37] And for a long time I've been saying, just for God's sake, just use normal words. It's okay to curse. It's okay. Oh, no. Civility. Who cares about civility, right? So when she says goddamn and effing and retake the flag, etc.. [00:05:55] Nothing wrong with that. That's that's what we've been saying the Democrats should do, right? Like, just be a little bolder, be more aggressive, fight back, etc.. She doesn't like the word oligarchy. I don't really care about that. Like I don't object to her point about a different word. [00:06:12] And you see there? Yeah. Most Americans do know, but it is only 55% that got the correct definition. But this is a giant but okay. But they're doing that not as a way to fight back on the issues and on content and substance. [00:06:29] They're doing that in lieu of fighting back on content and substance. And and Senator Slotkin in lieu of means in place of. Okay. So there I just explained it. So if she says take back the flag, I love it. [00:06:46] I told you guys all the time we should take back the flag. That's our flag. Stands for Americans, stands for Constitution, the idea of America. Equality for all, justice for all. Those are all things that Democrats believe in, progressives believe in, etc.. So. But yes, but did you notice anything that she proposed [00:07:04] or a goddamn this and that? Yes. But what what what is it that you want to do? So Bernie is clear, right? Take money out of politics. Pass bills that help the average American, higher wages, lower drug prices, etc.. When you turn to Slotkin. Yes. Okay. So what do you want to do with that? Goddamn right. [00:07:24] Yeah. That doesn't solve it. No, no, no, that doesn't solve it at all. So you're doing theatrics, but without any of the the sizzle, without the steak. So, no, we need you to fight for something. And the reason. Reason why she doesn't and the establishment doesn't [00:07:40] is because that would upset their donors. And this whole hilarious thing about it's not progressives versus establishment. It's new guard versus old guard. And technically, what does that mean? Like, like technically she's younger than Bernie, so she wins. [00:07:55] I don't care about your age. I don't care about any of that. If you're a mental decline, that's a different problem, right? What I care about is. Yes, but what are you fighting for? If anything. If anything. So. And was Senator Slotkin really mad at Joe Biden for taking out $15 [00:08:11] minimum wage, not doing paid family leave, not doing public option, not doing any of those popular proposals. If she was, I missed it. To be fair, Sanders wasn't mad enough and didn't call out Biden either. But now, further fairness. I always criticize Bernie on one thing, which is that he never criticizes [00:08:30] other Democratic colleagues by name. And then, well, then you don't know why the Democratic Party has failed. It's because those specific senators and representatives vote against Democratic policies don't actually want to fight for Democratic policies. [00:08:46] So here he's calling out someone by name. All right, I'll take it. Okay. So that's great for Bernie. And I appreciate that he did that. And again, I don't have a problem with Slotkin's verbiage. I have a problem that sorry, Senator Slotkin verbiage means [00:09:01] different words that you use. Okay. But but I have a problem with her content, which is show me what you did. Show me what you're going to fight for. I haven't seen it at all. Do you believe her intentions Tensions are, I have to put it in air quotes. [00:09:21] Pure meaning. Why is she really doing this? Because it almost feels like the party saying, we got to do something about this, Bernie, AOC, you know, successful tours here. And the other thing is her saying that she wants Democrats to get in the presidential race and fight now. [00:09:37] I mean, I started thinking about money and what that would even cost and what you'd have to raise to do that. And it just seems like, oh, so you're really saying you want more money in politics to fight? We need more of this. What are your thoughts about her intentions? [00:09:54] Yeah. So so here's what happened. This is a we'll track this as it goes. Right. So first, Democrats get slaughtered, you know, lose the popular vote in swing states, and then they're 26% approval rating. So they're in disastrous shape. So people start writing about populism and economic populism. [00:10:12] Bret Stephens, writes about it. I believe he did a bunch of New York Times editorials and mainstream media articles. But I came out here. I said, look, I love it. I appreciate that they're doing that. But at the same time, they're enormously full of crap. They don't mean it. And the minute that there's a real power challenge from a progressive who's an [00:10:29] actual populist, they'll all turn against them and viciously smear them and support the establishment candidate instead. So now here we are to the question that you asked Sharon, what happened was in the beginning, people were like, oh, yeah, populism and Bernie and AOC, hey, they're they're actually [00:10:45] energizing Democratic voters. Okay, good. All right. Maybe we can make a comeback out of that, etc.. And then it's been some time now. And now AOC is getting super popular, and she's polling at the top of the Democratic primary, candidates in 2028. [00:11:04] And hence a panic has begun in Washington. - So now they're like. - Wait, wait wait wait wait wait wait. We meant bringing the voters, but not your stupid ideas about rejecting donors. Ridiculous. No. So now they realize, oh, no, no, no, we got to head this thing off at the pass. [00:11:21] Forget Bernie. Bernie's handing off the torch to AOC. We can't have that happen, right? No no, no. Sen. Slotkin out there. She just she's young. She just won a Senate race in Michigan. And and she can make the case for us. And and you know what? [00:11:36] To be fair to her, she did mention one issue democracy Now! I love democracy. I care about democracy. I'm deeply worried, as you guys see every single day about how Trump is trampling on democracy, the Constitution, due process, etc. But why do they say democracy? Because that's not an economic issue. That doesn't bother their donors. [00:11:56] Their donors are like, yeah, sure, give them some platitudes about democracy. Okay, but don't you dare raise wages. Don't you dare touch drug prices. We make billions of dollars off of that. So you back away from that. Enough of this AOC and Bernie crap, okay? Go out there and tell them that they're doing it wrong. [00:12:12] And so here comes Slotkin. ET cetera. That's what I think. That's what's happening. Every time you ring the bell below, an angel gets its wings. Totally not true. But it does keep you updated on our live shows.