‘What does the Democratic Party stand for?’: Bernie Sanders criticizes his party for being out of touch

After Kamala Harris lost the 2024 presidential race, Senator Bernie Sanders criticized the Democratic Party for abandoning the working class people. He claimed that their nominee’s loss was “no great surprise.”

In an NBC News interview, Sanders was asked to clarify how Democrats abandoned the working class. Sanders responded that the working people of the United States have “the right to be angry.” He claims that the richest people in the wealthiest nation in history are doing well. Meanwhile, 60% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck.

“Where is the Democratic Party? Are they prepared to stand up to these powerful corporate interests?” Sanders listed issues that benefit workers, such as raising the minimum wage and fighting for accessible healthcare. For Sanders, these are among the issues that Democrats haven’t been paying attention to.

Sanders doesn’t believe that Kamala Harris lost the race because Joe Biden pulled out of the election too late. Instead, he asked, “It’s not just about the campaign. What does the Democratic Party stand for?” He thinks that many Americans don’t feel like their interests are protected or represented by Democrats. Additionally, increasing the minimum wage is a platform on which Republican and Democrat voters are united. Despite this, Democrats have not proposed legislation in two years to raise the minimum wage.

Is identity politics to blame?

Some political commentators have blamed identity politics for Kamala Harris’ loss. Sanders doesn’t blame identity politics or the “woke era.” Rather, Sanders reiterates that the Democratic Party “must continue to stand up against bigotry.” That doesn’t mean the focus should just be on fighting for minority rights. Democrats can both write policies that promote living wages while defending people’s civil rights. Campaigning doesn’t happen overnight. Democrats in the 2024 presidential campaign lost their grip on working-class Latino voters. Meanwhile, Trump gained among working-class Latinos and non-college educated Americans. Voters also viewed Trump with more confidence in making economic decisions.