Following President-elect Donald Trump’s decisive victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has reiterated his claim that the Democratic Party is losing touch with America’s working class. Sanders’ comments, first made in a social media post after the election, sparked a response from prominent Democrats, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who disagreed with his assessment.
Appearing on CNN’s State of the Union and NBC’s Meet the Press, Sanders addressed the Democratic Party’s perceived disconnect from working-class Americans. “It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them,” Sanders said, emphasizing his view that the party’s policies are not adequately addressing the economic hardships many Americans face.
Pelosi pushed back on Sanders’ comments, defending the Democratic Party’s achievements under President Biden. On The New York Times podcast The Interview, Pelosi said, “I don’t respect him saying that the Democratic Party has abandoned working class families… Under President Biden, you see the rescue package, money in the pockets of people, the shots in the arm, children in school safely, working people back to work.”
However, Sanders argued that these efforts fall short of what working-class Americans need. Responding to Pelosi on NBC, he said, “In the Senate in the last two years, we have not even brought forth legislation to raise the minimum wage to a living wage despite the fact that some 20 million people in this country are working for less than $15 an hour.” He listed additional grievances, noting the Senate’s lack of action on expanding union rights, securing pensions for retirees, and addressing Social Security solvency.
Sanders also highlighted stark economic disparities, pointing to figures showing that 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck while the top 1% hold more wealth than the bottom 90%. “If you’re a working person out there, do you really think that the Democratic Party is going to the max, taking on powerful special interests and fighting for you?” he asked. “I think the overwhelming answer is no.”
During his Meet the Press interview, Sanders criticized President-elect Trump’s approach to winning over working-class voters by addressing their anger without, in his view, providing real solutions. “What Donald Trump did is provided an explanation,” Sanders said. “He went around, he said, ‘I know you’re angry. And the reason is that zillions of illegal immigrants are coming over…’ Well, obviously, that is not the reason.” Sanders contended that the true causes of discontent lie in corporate greed and income inequality, which he believes require bold reform to address.
Sanders called for systemic changes, including overturning the Citizens United Supreme Court decision to curb the influence of big money in politics, which he argues allows billionaires to “buy elections.” Without these reforms, he insisted, Democrats would struggle to connect with working-class Americans effectively.
Pelosi’s response reflects a broader divide within the Democratic Party over how best to represent working-class voters and counter Trump’s populist appeal. Pelosi argued that the Biden administration’s policies have been progressive and beneficial to Americans, but Sanders remains convinced that these efforts have fallen short.
With Democrats now facing a Republican-controlled Senate and losing working-class support to Trump, the party’s internal debate about its approach to economic justice and populist appeal is likely to intensify.
Sources:
- The New York Times. (2024). “Nancy Pelosi responds to Bernie Sanders on working class criticism.”
- CNN. (2024). “Bernie Sanders doubles down on Democratic Party critique.”
- NBC. (2024). Meet the Press: “Sanders on why Democrats are losing the working class.”
