Cenk Uygur asked Sen. Bernie Sanders how we mobilize workers on a national scale and not just in Wisconsin and a few other states where we're seeing these protests. Bernie didn't have a direct answer for Cenk but laid out what the stakes are if we don't.
SANDERS: What we have to understand is this is not just Wisconsin. This is part of the concerted attack on the middle class and working families of this country by the very wealthiest people in America, the Koch brothers and many others. And you're also right in suggesting that if you look at the end game, what are you talking about?
You're talking about the end of Social Security, privatization of Social Security, massive cuts and privatization of Medicare, major cuts in Medicaid. You're talking about over a period of time, the end of unemployment compensation, the end of the minimum wage or lowering the minimum wage.
What these guys want is to return us to the 1920's when working people had virtually no rights to organize or to earn a decent living. Bottom line today is the top 1% earn more income than the bottom 50%. The top 1% owns more wealth than the bottom 90%. That gap between the very rich and everybody else is growing wider.
And what the wealthiest people in the country are doing are using their resources to make the attack against the middle class even stronger. They want the destruction of the middle class and almost all wealth in this country to go to the people on top.
Cenk and Bernie also discussed whether the Democratic Party has figured out that it might not be the best strategy for them to abandon their base and the union movement and the importance of the existence of unions which don't only raise the wages and benefits for unionized workers, but everyone else as well.
Unfortunately these bought and sold politicians don't do the right thing until they're pushed. The best thing we can do is take to the streets and remind all of them who they're supposed to be representing. MoveOn is sponsoring rallies across the country Saturday for anyone that would like to participate.
