Modern Wisdom Podcast #1010: Bernie Sanders – Who Actually Runs the US Government?
Date: October 23, 2025
Host: Chris Williamson
Guest: Senator Bernie Sanders
Episode Overview
In this engaging episode, Chris Williamson sits down with Senator Bernie Sanders to ask: “Who actually runs the US government?” Sanders puts aside the usual left-right divides to spotlight the rise of oligarchy—power and wealth concentrated in the hands of the few—and explores its impacts on American democracy, economic opportunity, and daily life. The conversation is an incisive critique of income inequality, political influence of billionaires, the failures of both major parties, and urgent questions about how new technologies and population trends shape the country’s future.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Real Divide: Oligarchy Over Ideology
- Sanders’ Focus: Sanders quickly reframes the debate from “left vs. right” to the urgent problem of economic and political oligarchy.
- “In an unprecedented way in American history, we have more income and wealth inequality, more concentration of ownership, more billionaire control over the media and our political system than we’ve ever had…” (00:14)
- Stark Realities: 60% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, struggling with healthcare, housing, food, and education costs.
2. How Did America Become So Unequal?
-
Historical Perspective (01:17):
- Despite technological progress and increased worker productivity, real wages have stagnated since the 1970s.
- “Real inflation accounted for weekly wages for the average American worker is lower today than it was back then.” (01:19)
- Sanders cites the RAND Corporation: $75 trillion has transferred from the bottom 90% to the top 1% over 50 years.
-
Costs vs. Earnings:
- Essential needs (healthcare, housing, education, quality food) have become dramatically more expensive, while wages remained static.
- “Now, the flat screen TVs are cheaper… good. But in terms of the needs of the average American family… tens of millions of people should not be struggling to put food on the table or pay the rent while the people on top, the oligarchs, have never had it so good.” (06:48)
3. Consolidation of Power & The Political System
- Wall Street & Corporate Power:
- BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard are the primary stockholders in 95% of S&P corporations—a massive centralization of ownership (08:51).
- Billionaire Influence in Politics:
- Campaign finance and the Citizens United decision enable billionaires to “buy” politicians: “You could put hundreds of millions of dollars into a super PAC. Elect whoever you want. Defeat whoever you want. Musk spent, I think, $270 million to help elect Donald Trump.” (18:41)
- Democracy Diminished:
- “When you have a handful of large corporations owning and controlling what is produced and engaging more or less in price fixing, we got some serious problems.” (08:51)
4. Healthcare & Social Policy
- Broken System:
- US healthcare is more expensive and less effective than peer countries: “We live three or four years shorter lives. We have 85 million Americans who are uninsured or underinsured.” (03:57)
- Sanders on Policy Solutions:
- Calls for universal healthcare, a living minimum wage, affordable education, and strong public funding of elections.
5. Party Dynamics & Populism
- Republican Cohesion & Trump:
- Sanders critiques what he sees as a “cult of personality” in the GOP, with members fearful to dissent from Trump (10:34).
- Memorable analogy: “It reminds me...when Stalin was the leader of the USSR...he used to give a speech and all these guys would stand up and they would applaud, and everyone looked around to see who would be...Oh, you stop first, you know, you’re in trouble.” (13:08)
- Democratic Establishment:
- Democrats drifted from working-class advocacy to corporate fundraising—what Sanders calls a “tragic era” (25:18).
- “The Democrats have been strong on those social issues, identity politics, but they have not been strong in standing up for the working class in this country.” (50:56)
6. AI, Robotics, and the Future of Work
- Risks of Technological Revolution:
- “If robots are going to do the work...there are people, including Musk...who really think there’s going to be an incredible loss of decent paying jobs as a result of robotics and AI.” (38:18)
- Sanders advocates for reducing the standard workweek and ensuring people—not just corporations—benefit from technological progress (45:17).
- Centralization Danger:
- Concerned about handing excessive power to tech billionaires: “We cannot let a handful of multi billionaires make the decisions for us.” (46:04)
7. Birth Rates, Family, and Demographics
- Falling Birth Rates:
- Sanders acknowledges the US is facing a demographic challenge: “As the father of four, the grandfather of seven...having kids is a beautiful thing, you know, that makes us human.” (40:22)
- Points to economic reasons—childcare costs, housing, insecurity—as barriers to families (40:51).
- Values & Policy:
- “We should create a nation where people want to have kids, enjoy having kids and so forth.” (42:40)
8. Men’s Issues and Social Inequality
- Neglect of Men’s Issues:
- Sanders agrees that both political parties, especially the left, have overlooked challenges facing men—declining college attendance, higher suicide rates, family breakdown (60:04).
- “We want women's equality. What about me? Have we paid enough attention to that? I think we have not. And I think we need to do a better job.” (64:58)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On who rules America:
- “When you add all that together, that’s what’s called oligarchy. And that’s the fight that I am engaging in right now.” — Bernie Sanders (00:24)
- On wage stagnation:
- “Real inflation accounted for weekly wages for the average American worker is lower today than it was back then.” — Sanders (01:24)
- On politicians’ relationship with donors:
- “If you’re a billionaire and you’re gonna give me a whole lot of money...When I get elected, I’m say, hey, thanks. What do you need? I’ll do it for you.” — Sanders (18:41)
- On limits to wealth:
- “[Elon Musk] owns more wealth than the bottom 52% of American households...I happen not to believe that anybody should have that much wealth when so many people are struggling.” — Sanders (30:04)
- On the state of democracy:
- “I worry about the future of this country and whether or not we will be a democracy. I worry about a president who is a megalomaniac...and who is working at the service of oligarchs who want more and more wealth for themselves. That is precisely what keeps me up at night.” — Sanders (66:09)
- On party affiliations:
- “It is not incompatible to say that we believe in women’s rights...but say the same thing. Of course we want our young men to be able to have all of the opportunities that they deserve as well.” — Sanders (61:07)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:14 — Sanders reframes debate from left vs. right to oligarchy and inequality
- 01:19 — Discussion of wage stagnation and wealth transfer
- 03:54 — America’s broken healthcare system and international comparisons
- 08:51 — The power of Wall Street giants and corporate consolidation
- 13:08 — Analogy of “Stalinist-type” Republican party allegiance to Trump
- 18:41 — Billionaires dominating campaign finance
- 21:55 — Sanders lays out public funding as democracy's fix
- 25:18 — Why Democrats lost the working class
- 38:18 — Technological progress and threats to good jobs
- 40:22 — Sanders on family, birth rates, and social values
- 50:56 — Sanders critiques Democrats’ focus on social issues over working-class needs
- 60:04 — On neglect of men’s issues and the need for new focus
- 66:09 — What keeps Sanders up at night; worries about democracy’s future
- 67:44 — Grassroots vs. top-down movements and faith in American people
Conclusion
This episode delivers a sweeping yet personal diagnosis of economic, political, and social maladies facing America. Sanders is consistent in his call for systemic reforms—universal healthcare, campaign finance overhaul, support for families and workers, and re-balancing of technological advances. There is a sense of urgency in his warnings about oligarchy and democratic decline—tempered by cautious optimism in the power of grassroots activism. Whether you agree with Sanders’ perspective or not, the issues and statistics he raises demand further attention for anyone interested in the future of American democracy and society.