Oligarchs Are Our Modern Day Kings

Summary

In this compelling speech, Bernie Sanders critiques the modern oligarch culture likening them to ancient kings who believed in their divine right to rule. Sanders highlights how figures such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg, with their immense wealth, significant media influence, and political sway, shape contemporary society. He argues that these oligarchs prioritize their interests over the welfare of ordinary citizens. Sanders rallies for a united stand against these powers to create a just society. He encourages collective societal action and political engagement to counter these modern-day challenges.

Highlights

• Bernie Sanders thanks Elon Musk for inadvertently highlighting societal oligarchies 💡.
• Elon Musk and others are likened to ruling classes of history wanting more power and wealth 📊.
• Three billionaires owning more wealth than half of America symbolizes broken systems ⚖️.
• Sanders accuses oligarchs of waging war against working-class citizens ⚔️.
• Despite challenges, Sanders insists on fighting for a more just and equitable society 🌍.

Key Takeaways

• Oligarchs like Musk, Zuckerberg, and Bezos dominate our society much like kings of the past 👑.
• Sanders criticizes their immense wealth and political influence, arguing it harms ordinary citizens 💸.
• Highlighting economic inequalities, Sanders points out how many Americans struggle while billionaires thrive 📈.
• The need for collective action is emphasized to combat the oligarchs' control over the government and media 🤝.
• Sanders rallies for unity across all demographics to demand a government representing everyone, not just the wealthy few 🏛️.

Overview

Bernie Sanders opens his speech by drawing a parallel between modern oligarchs and historical kings, branding them as today's rulers with immense societal control. By referencing Elon Musk, he underscores the powerful sway these billionaires hold over public policies and economic structures.

Highlighting shocking wealth disparities, Sanders calls out the colossal fortunes of Musk, Bezos, and Zuckerberg. Accusing them of prioritizing their wealth over the needs of everyday people, Sanders paints a grim picture of working-class struggles amidst the opulence enjoyed by a select few.

Sanders ends on a hopeful note, asserting the power of unity among diverse populations to challenge the oligarch's dominance. He urges political activism and grassroots movements as vital to reclaim democracy for all citizens, not just the affluent elite.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction to Oligarchs This chapter introduces the concept of oligarchs and highlights a point made evident by Elon Musk's actions. The speaker emphasizes that society is dominated by billionaires who control politics, media, government, and the economy. This dominance and influence of billionaires in various aspects of life serve as a clear demonstration of living in an oligarchic society.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Musk's Actions and Oligarch Endgame Mr. Musk has been making headlines as he allegedly dismantles government agencies illegally and unconstitutionally. This raises a crucial question that the media and politicians are not addressing: what do he and other multi-billionaires really want? The chapter explores the potential endgame that Musk and his billionaire peers are aggressively pursuing.
• 01:00 - 02:00: Historical Context and Modern Ideology The chapter delves into the recurring behavior of ruling classes throughout history, highlighting their persistent desire for increased power, control, and wealth. It argues that these elites, exemplified by figures like Elon Musk and other oligarchs, view government and democratic laws as obstacles to their ambitions.
• 02:00 - 03:00: Wealth Disparity In pre-revolutionary America, before the 1770s, the ruling class operated under the Doctrine of the Divine Rights of Kings. This belief held that the King of England was an agent of God, rendering him unquestionable by ordinary people. In contemporary times, although the divine right of kings has been abolished, remnants of material disparity and socio-economic governance continue to echo in modern societal structures.
• 03:00 - 04:00: Social Impact and Future Threats The chapter discusses the ideology promoted by modern oligarchs, asserting that as immensely wealthy, often self-made individuals and pioneers of revolutionary technologies, it is their ultimate right to rule. The narrative draws parallels between these oligarchs and historical monarchs, emphasizing the unparalleled power and wealth they hold in contemporary society. Specifically, it mentions Mr. Musk's significant financial stature, highlighting the enormous wealth accumulated by such individuals.
• 04:00 - 05:00: Media Influence and Political Power The chapter 'Media Influence and Political Power' examines the massive wealth of tech giants like Zuckerberg and Bezos, highlighting how their combined wealth surpasses the bottom half of American society.
• 05:00 - 06:00: The Struggle Against the Ruling Class The chapter discusses the growing wealth disparity in society, highlighting how billionaires like Zuckerberg and Bezos have significantly increased their fortunes since election day. In contrast, a large portion of the American population faces financial struggles, with 60% living paycheck to paycheck, 85 million lacking adequate health insurance, and 25% of seniors surviving on $15,000 per year or less.
• 06:00 - 08:00: Call to Action and Historical Inspiration This chapter titled 'Call to Action and Historical Inspiration' addresses the pressing issues of homelessness and childhood poverty in the United States, asserting that the level is amongst the highest compared to other major countries. It critiques the apparent disregard of the oligarchs for the struggles of working people, suggesting that these elite actors are indifferent to the plights of the less privileged. The chapter further emphasizes the impact of policy decisions by influential figures, such as Elon Musk, whose actions may lead to the curtailment of humanitarian aid resulting in increased hunger and mortality among impoverished populations globally.
• 08:00 - 09:00: Conclusion and Call to Unity The chapter discusses the ongoing attack on programs designed to protect the vulnerable population in the United States, including healthcare, nutrition, housing, and education. It highlights the motive behind these actions, which is to provide significant tax breaks to billionaires and the wealthy elite. The chapter portrays these individuals as 'modern-day Kings' who feel entitled to such financial advantages.

Oligarchs Are Our Modern Day Kings Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 I do not often find myself in the habit of thanking Elon Musk but I must confess that he has done an exceptional job of demonstrating a point that a few of us have been making for years and that is the reality that we live in an oligarchic society in which billionaires dominate not only our politics and the information we consume from media but our government and economic lives as well that has never been clearer than it is today by giv the news and attention
• 00:30 - 01:00 Mr musk has been getting over the last few weeks as he illegally and unconstitutionally dismantles government agencies I think it is an appropriate time to ask the question that the media and most politicians don't seem to be asking what do he and other multi-billionaires really want what is their endgame in my opinion what musk and those around them are aggressively striving for is not
• 01:00 - 01:30 it is not complicated and it is not new it is what ruling classes throughout history have always wanted and have always believed is theirs by right more power more control and more wealth and they don't want Ordinary People that's you and democracy getting in their way they want it all Eli musk and his fellow oligarchs believe government and laws are simply an impediment an impediment
• 01:30 - 02:00 to their interests and what they are entitled to entitled to in pre-revolutionary America before the 1770s the ruling class governed through a Doctrine called The Divine rights of Kings the belief that the king of England was an agent of God and he was not to be questioned by mere mortals in modern times we no longer have the divine right of kings what we now have
• 02:00 - 02:30 is an ideology being pushed by the oligarchs which says that as very very wealthy people often self-made often as the masters of revolutionary new technology it is their absolute right to rule in other words these modern-day oligarchs are our Kings and it is not just power it's incredible wealth that they have today Mr musk is worth 402
• 02:30 - 03:00 billion Zuckerberg is worth 252 billion Bezos is worth 249 billion with combined wealth of over $900 billion these three people three people own more wealth than the bottom half of American society not surprisingly since Trump was elected their wealth has soared musk has become a 100 $138
• 03:00 - 03:30 billion richer Zuckerberg has become 49 billion richer and Bezos has become 28 billion richer all since election day meanwhile while the very rich become much richer 60% of Americans live paycheck to paychecks 85 million are uninsured or underinsured 25% of seniors are trying to survive on $15,000 year or less
• 03:30 - 04:00 800,000 are homeless and we have the highest rate of childhood Poverty of almost any major country on Earth do you think for one second that the oligarchs give a damn about working people trust me they don't musk's decision to dismember us Aid means that tens of thousands of the poorest people around the world will go hungry or die of
• 04:00 - 04:30 preventable diseases but it's not just abroad here in the United States they will soon be going after the health care nutrition housing and educational programs that protect the most vulnerable people in our country all so that Congress can provide huge tax breaks for them and their fellow billionaires as modern-day Kings who believe they have the absolute right to
• 04:30 - 05:00 rule they will sacrifice without hesitation the well-being of working people to protect their interests further they will use the enormous media operations they own to deflect attention away from the impact of their policies while they entertain us to death Mr musk owns Twitter Mr Zuckerberg owns meta which includes Facebook and Instagram and Mr Bezos owns the Washington post
• 05:00 - 05:30 and twitch further they and their fellow oligarchs will continue to spend huge amounts of money to buy politicians in both major political parties bottom line the alars with their enormous resources are waging a war against the working class of this country and it is a war that they are intent on winning now I'm not going to kid you
• 05:30 - 06:00 the problems this country faces right now are extremely serious the economy is rigged our campaign Finance system is corrupt and we are struggling to control climate change and existential threat to our planet among many many other important issues but this is what I do know the worst fear that the r ruling class in this country has is that said
• 06:00 - 06:30 Americans black white Latino urban and rural gay and straight young and old that all of us will come together to demand a government that represents all of the people in our country not just the wealthy few the oligarch nightmare is that we will not allow ourselves to be divided up by race religion sexual orientation or country of origin and will together have the courage to take
• 06:30 - 07:00 them on will this struggle be easy absolutely not and one of the reasons for that is that the ruling class of this country will constantly remind you that they have all the power they control the government they own the media you want to take us on Good Luck they will say there is nothing you can do about it but our job right now in these very difficult times is to not
• 07:00 - 07:30 forget the great struggles and sacrifices that millions of people have waged over the several centuries to create a more democratic just and Humane Society think about it over the last number of centuries how many people have stood up and fought and when they were doing that you know what their contemporaries said they said hey you want to overthrow the king King of England to create a new nation and
• 07:30 - 08:00 self-rule forget about it impossible you want to establish Universal sufferage right of all people to vote impossible can't happen you want to end slavery and segregation impossible you want to Grant workers the right to form unions and end child labor can't be done impossible you want to give women control over their own bodies who you kiding impossible can't be done you want to pass legislation to
• 08:00 - 08:30 establish Social Security Medicare Medicaid at minimum wage clean air and water standards impossible in other words as Nelson Mandela told us everything is impossible until it is done in these difficult times despair is not an option we've got to fight back in every way we can we have to get involved in the political process run for office
• 08:30 - 09:00 connect with our local state and federal legislators donate the candidates who will fight for the working class in this country we have got to create new channels for communication and information sharing we have to volunteer not just politically but to build community locally whatever we can do is what we must do needless to say I intend to do my part both inside the Beltway and traveling throughout the country to
• 09:00 - 09:30 stand up for working families and to take on the oligarchy in the days weeks and months ahead I hope you will join me in that struggle we can win we will win we must win thank you very much