“We can’t go around the world saying, ‘In Russia, Putin has an oligarchy.’ Well, we got our oligarchy too,” said Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) in an interview with Rolling Stone on Dec. 15, 2024. “Never before in American history have so few billionaires, so few people, have so much wealth and so much power.” 

Oligarchy is defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary as “a corrupt government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes.” According to Sanders, America is rapidly heading in this direction. 

To share his ideas of America’s turn into oligarchy, Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) launched the Fighting Oligarchy Tour nationally. On this tour, Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez tackle the subject of moving forward during these uncertain times.

This conversation was brought to the Los Rios Community College District on April 15, as Folsom Lake College housed over 30,000 people eager to hear from Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez. 

The messages delivered at the event closely follow Sanders’ previous comments of the Democratic Party being lost and unprepared to fight what he calls the increasingly powerful oligarchy. 

“Will the big money interests and well-paid consultants who control the Democratic Party learn any real lessons from this disastrous campaign?” Sanders asked one day after the 2024 election. “Probably not.”

In an interview with CNN, Sanders says the rich’s upperhand accounts for the working class’ anger over the economy. While Donald Trump blames immigrants, Sanders blames corporate greed and wealth inequality. From Musk paying two Wisconsinites $1 million for voting, to putting around $260 million into Donald Trump’s campaign and election efforts, the presence of the rich in American politics is undeniable.

“We need an agenda that says to the working class: We’re going to take on these powerful special interests and create an economy and government that works for you.” Sanders said. “That can’t happen unless you get big money out of politics. We need to get rid of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision so billionaires do not continue to buy elections.”

The FLC crowd expressed alignment with Sanders’ viewpoints through clothing, signs, pins, flags and more. With people lining up as early as 5:30 a.m., the line continued to grow, expanding to nearby Folsom neighborhoods.

“We just absolutely have to fight for our democracy.” said Amy Leach, who attended the event with her two friends Ruth Nicholas and Jen Slack. “Show up, resist and vote. That’s all we have left.”

Leach, Nicholas and Slack arrived at the event at 5:30, and were first in line. Slack says she drove in from Seattle just to see Fighting Oligarchy

American River College students, including ARC alumni, attended the event as well. 

Marshall Martin, who graduated from ARC in 1992, attended the event, and says something has to change.

“I was born in 1942, and I never thought in my lifetime I would see our country in the state it is in,” said Martin. “It’s very sad.”

Bailey Waldrep, a student ambassador in the Center for Leadership and Development at ARC, attended the event with her sibling. Waldrep says she wanted to see Sanders because he represents young people better than other politicians right now.

“It’s important to fight the oligarchy in America because the power should be in the actual people of the country, not just those who can afford to make their voices heard,” said Waldrep.

Another ARC student, who requested to be anonymous, said the event gives them hope during these scary times.

The crowd slowly began to fill FLC’s track arena until it reached maximum capacity. Those who couldn’t make it in the arena gathered outside and watched through an Instagram livestream on Sanders’ account.

Carolyn Neely, an attendee who arrived at the event around 4:45 p.m. with her friend, couldn’t make it into the packed arena or watch the livestream.

“After we saw how long the line was, we went to sit down on the curb hoping we could hear it,” said Neely. “When we heard everyone’s phones playing the same video, we tried to view the livestream, but it didn’t load because everyone was using data.”

Before speeches began, a plane began circling overhead with a banner reading, “Folsom is Trump Country.” The massive audience immediately roared in disagreement, as a wave of middle fingers flung into the air.

The plane continued flying as Ocasio-Cortez made her way on stage after being greeted by enthusiastic cheering from the crowd.

“I heard that someone is flying a plane with a banner that says, ‘This is Trump Country,’” said Ocasio-Cortez, pointing at the plane. “It sure don’t look like it today. I don’t think this is Trump country, I think this is our country.” 

After drawing attention to the government’s efforts to cater towards donor corporations by stripping Medicaid and veterans benefits, Ocasio-Cortez brought up California’s own congressman, Kevin Kiley.

Kiley, who was endorsed by Trump for being a “MAGA champion,” received criticism from both Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders for voting against the people of California.

“Kevin Kiley knows this is not what you want. He knows it hurts the people of Folsom, but he is not there to serve working families,” said Ocasio-Cortez. “He is there to serve himself, and the billionaire class that put him there.”

When it came to be Sanders’ time to talk, he called out Republicans in Congress for their plans on a reconciliation bill. According to Sanders, the bill would give $1.1 trillion in tax breaks to the top 1% by cutting nutrition programs, affordable housing and Medicaid by nearly $900 billion.

“Mr. Kiley, I think some of your constituents have a message for you,” said Sanders as the audience cheered. “Don’t vote to give breaks to billionaires and cut programs that the working class of this country desperately needs.”

Kiley responded to the comments in an interview with Fox 40 on April 16. Kiley said the radical policies of Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez have failed in other cities, causing increases in homelessness and crime.

“Bernie and Ocasio-Cortez attacked me during their deranged speeches last night, after declining my offer to debate them,” said Kiley. “Apparently, they believe their socialist histrionics play better from the comfort of a teleprompter than in an exchange of ideas.”

Sanders further discussed the rich by reinstating his belief in getting rid of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision and to move elections to a system of public funding. 

He says Musk’s millions of dollars into the Trump campaign made him the most powerful person in the United States government, but the Democrats are also part of the problem. According to Sanders, both parties put considerable amounts of money into ensuring they elect candidates of their party leadership’s choice.

“There is a reason why Democrats, for so many years, have not had the courage to stand up to the ruling class and represent the working people,” said Sanders. “And that is because that party is dominated by corporate interests.”

Aside from money in politics, Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez agree that Trump’s refusal to obey the law is unacceptable. The democrats specifically targeted Trump not obeying the Supreme Court decision ordering the return of Kilmar Ábrego García, as well as Trump’s attacks on the first amendment protections of speech and press.

Trump has sued CBS, ABC, Meta and Des Moines Register, adding that licenses should be revoked.

“This is from a guy who has spent his entire political career attacking people, lying about people in the most vicious ways,” said Sanders. “Trump, if you can’t take criticism, get out of politics. This is a democracy and criticism and freedom of speech is what it’s all about.” 

Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez also shared messages of inspiration to the audience, highlighting their ability to make a difference. Both mentioned the strength in coming together in numbers, and building community amongst one another. 

“When we stand together, and not let Trump and his friends divide us up by the color of our skin, where we were born, our sexual orientation, or our religion,” said Sanders, “there is nothing we cannot accomplish.”

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