The American Backlash Against Oligarchy 

Photo via The New Yorker

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The current presidential administration has raised concerns among many Americans, who fear that the United States is becoming an Oligarchy. An Oligarchy is when a small group of people have control over a country. It is often associated with corruption and the service of powerful interests. In the context of the U.S., some believe that select billionaires such as Elon Musk, the unofficial head of The Department of Government Efficiency, are obtaining a level power and influence over the government that should not be allowed in a representative democracy. The threat of oligarchy and authoritarianism has left many Americans feeling frustrated and hopeless; like there is little they can do to combat it. Additionally, Democrats are concerned with the lack of action being taken by Democratic representatives regarding broadened executive powers and the increasing influence of billionaires on our government. However, Vermont Senator Bernard Sanders is fighting for working class people to have a voice against this administration. 

On March 20, 2025, ‘Bernie’ Sanders, as he is known, alongside New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, started their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour in hopes of reminding the American people that change is in their hands. Inspired by the rising feeling of hopelessness surrounding the U.S government, the main goal of the tour is to persuade Americans that idleness is not an option in the face of authoritarianism. As part of their advocacy, Sanders has stated support for healthcare reform, social security, and the takedown of billionaire rule. This is in response to the current administration’s cuts to social security, veteran administration, and the proposed dismantling of the Department of Education. Sanders claims the Trump administration is enacting these policies “. . . All so that they [can] give over a trillion dollars in tax breaks to the wealthiest 1%” which will harm the working class. At his rally in Denver, Colorado, Sanders proclaimed that “this nation was built by working people, and we are not going to let a handful of billionaires run the government.” This rhetoric is meant to reconcile many of the doubts Americans have had with the Democratic Party. Historically, the Democratic Party has been seen as the working class party, focusing many of its efforts on those in economic need. This rhetoric is meant to inspire working-class voters into action because action is the only way discontent can be made known and change enacted. 

As of now, the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour has been to Tempe and Tucson, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Greeley and Denver, Colorado. They have also just announced another tour stop in Los Angeles, California. Although their overall tour has been making headlines, both Colorado stops stick out as extremely relevant in understanding the mood of the American people. The rally held in Denver attracted a record-breaking attendance for both Senator Sanders and Representative Ocasio-Cortez, with more than 34,000 people turning up. This truly proves that people believe in the message that Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez are trying to convey through this tour and that their goal of mobilizing change is working on a large scale. Denver is a very blue area and a large audience was expected for this tour, while Greeley, on the other hand, is a red area and the attendance outcome was up in the air. The Sanders team reported that more than half of the RSVPs for the rally were not on a Sanders support list. Despite that fact, they were able to get more than 11,000 people in a republican area to come and show their support, underscoring that Americans’ discontent with the actions of the Trump administration stretches across party lines. 

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This article was edited by Katherine Brennan and Chapin Fish.