Fight Oligarchy rallies are setting attendance records in swing states and Republican-controlled Congressional districts across the country.
This podcast features speeches by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Texas Congressman Greg Casar and Pima County Supervisor and newly announced candidate for Congress Adelita Grijalva. Tucson favorite Calexico rocked the house, and you can hear them at the end.
Event organizers estimated 3000 for the Tucson rally at Catalina High School. The Midtown neighborhood association warned residents that as many as 7000 people may attend the March 22, 2025 rally.
More that 23,000 people filled the football field and bleachers. The beginning of the program was delayed because so many people were still in line, and still streaming in as AOC began to speak. The lines snaked around the neighborhood, and eventually everyone got in.
Above is the audio podcast and below is the video version of the podcast, the time stamps (for those who like to jump around), and a full edited transcript.
Here is a link to the A View from the Left Side (AVLS) podcast website, where you can see all of the segments and hook up with AVLS via your favorite podcast network. A View from the Left Side is on multiple podcasting services such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, I Heart Radio, Podcast Index, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Deezer and others. YouTube podcast videos and original Legislative update videos can be found on my YouTube Channel and Substack.
Time Stamps
| Power to the People [Music] | 0:00
| Episode Introduction Segment 1: Change Is Gonna Come | 1:09
| Four Speeches Included in this Podcast | 2:35
| AOC & Casar Are Progressive Leaders for the Future | 3:03
| End Big Money Politics with Nationwide Clean Elections | 3:52
| Segment 2: Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva | 4:44
| Segment 3: Texas Congressional Rep. Greg Casar | 9:04
| Segment 4: NY Congressional Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez | 19:55
| What Congress Should Be Doing | 30:14
| When the System Is Stacked Against You ... | 32:23
| Trump Is Selling Our Country for Parts & Kickbacks | 33:43
| Benefits WE Paid into Are Being Stolen | 34:32
| Common Sense Isn't Radical | 36:40:00
| I Believe in These Things Because I was a WAITRESS!' | 38:21
| AOC Thanks AZ for Electing Grijalva & Getting Rid of Sinema | 39:20
| AOC Calls Out Schweikert But SoAZ Wants to Oust Ciscomani | 40:46
| This Fascist Administration Didn't Come Out of Nowhere ... | 41:26
| 'Beyond Elections Our Task Is to Build Community' | 42:08
| No Act Is Too Small' | 43:17
| In this House We Stand Together' | 44:46
| We Can't Go Back' | 45:29
| Segment 5: Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders | 46:22
| Sanders Praises AOC & Casar | 47:21
| Bernie Remembers His Friend Raul | 51:12
| Bernie Talks Crowd Size | 52:10
| The American Oligarchy | 52:45
| The Rich Have Never Had It So Good | 56:20
| Too Many Are Living Paycheck to Paycheck | 58:19
| Stand Up! Fight Back! | 1:01
| Segment 6: Calexcio [Music] | 1:14
| Closing | 1:15
Podcast Transcript
Season 3: Episode 7 of A View from the Left Side—23,000 Turn Out for Bernie/AOC Fight Oligarchy Rally in Tucson—was recorded on March 22, 2025.
Segment 1: Change Is Gonna Come.
Hello, my name is Pamela Powers with Powers for the People. Well, today's podcast focuses on the Bernie Sanders/AOC rally in Tucson, Arizona on March 22, 2025.
It was freaking amazing. There were 23,000 people there. The Sanders AOC event organizers thought there was going to be 3000. The neighborhood association said, well, maybe 7000, but they blew the doors off with 23,000 people.
And it's estimated that this might be the biggest political event in Arizona's history. So, way to go, Bernie!
I was lucky enough to get a spot on the press riser to shoot my video. Unfortunately, I didn't have my full tripod with me or my bigger camera because I was unable to get a secured spot there [on the press riser] ahead of time, but they [the event volunteers] were very nice.
I was about number 2000 to get in the door, so I did have to wait in line for quite some time, but it was just amazing that droves and droves of people that kept coming in to the football field and the stadium at Catalina High School in Midtown Tucson.
Anyway, it was a great set of speeches.
I have Adelita Grijalva speaking first. She's a Pima County supervisor and the daughter of the late Congressman Raul Grijalva. [Adelita recently announced she is seeking her father’s seat in Congress.] Next up is Greg Casar from Texas. He was great. He was on fire. And then he was followed by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York City, who was also freaking awesome. As far as being an orator. She is amazing. And so is Casar.
In some ways, you know, this event was Bernie, who's in his mid 80s at least, kind of passing the torch and saying, “Yes, the progressive movement does have young leaders” because Ocasio-Cortez and Cass are both in their 30s and they are fired up and ready to go.
So, we heard a lot about Big Money politics. We heard a lot about Trump and his clown car cabinet.
We heard a lot about, how the Democrats should change their ways and talk to the working people and talk about, you know, kitchen table issues and like, unions and better pay and clean fucking elections.
You know, why don't we have a nationwide clean election system?
We have clean elections in Arizona. Now, the Republicans have kind of messed it up by, you know, always picking away at it. But it's a good system when you have clean elections instead of Big Money politics. You have politicians who spend their time talking to voters rather than calling rich people for money.
So, there was a lot about getting money out of politics. There was a lot about health care for all. There are a lot about corporations are not people, and money shouldn't be speech. We should take down Citizens United.
Anyway, it was classic Bernie. I'm going to do this very short introduction. And then on to the speeches.
So, power to the people! Resist, people. It's up to us to fight back.
Season 3: Episode 7, Segment 2. Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva.
Adelita Grijalva: Hola, my name is Adelita Grijalva. I am the granddaughter of a bracero, a hard-working Mexican immigrant who responded to the call when the U.S. needed labor.
And I am the daughter of a congressman.
That happened in one generation because in the America that I want to raise my three beautiful children in, hard work and perseverance opens doors of opportunity that can change the future for an entire family, an entire generation.
In Trump's America … [Boos from crowd.] I know. We will be a society divided by those who have it all and those who have nothing. The dismantling of our public education system, the defunding of our libraries and museums, the complete disregard for protecting our environment, a tax on our seniors, our veterans, Medicare, Medicaid, the villainizing and targeting of our immigrant and LGBTQ communities and women.
Are we going to stand silently while the billionaire boys clubs … the billionaire boys club who bought this last election roll over our rights? No way. This broligarchy has got to go.
Now, I'm dealing with the greatest loss of my life. And I want to thank the thousands of you who sent prayers and condolences to me and my family after the loss of my amazing father, Congressman Raul Grijalva.
I wasn't sure I was going to be able to come today, but I realized that there is no better way to honor my dad than to add my voice to this event.
I want to join his friends who also fight for those who have no voice, can always be counted on to speak truth to power and show us what is possible when we stand up for justice, equity and dignity for all.
We have … we have way too many politicians when we need more public servants.
We need people less concerned about being reelected and more concerned about protecting the people.
So, I want to thank Congressman Casar, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Tio [Uncle] Bernie.
Thank you for coming to Tucson and getting us fired up because we really needed this. We needed to get together as a community and understand that we are not alone.
So today is the Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta March in Tucson. And I want to honor them by doing a little chant. Okay? So, when I ask you a question, you answer, fight back. Okay? We're ready. All right.
When our education is under attack? [FIGHT BACK!]
What do we do when our health care is under attack? [FIGHT BACK!]
What do we do when our environment is under attack? [FIGHT BACK!]
What do we do when our democracy is under attack? [FIGHT BACK!]
Si se puede! Yes we can! Thank you!
Season 3: Episode 7, Segment 3. Congressional Rep. Greg Casar of the 35th District in Texas.
Greg Casar: It's time to take on the rich. It's time to take on the ultra powerful.
Your power is what they're afraid of.
Your power that is organizing unions right now in this country like we haven't seen in 100 years.
Your power that can break that unholy alliance between corporate greed and corrupt government.
Your power that is scaring Republican office holders right now from holding any town halls.
That might be the biggest news that we've missed in the last few days is that House Speaker Mike Johnson told all the Republican members of Congress, “Don't hold any town halls. Don't meet with your constituents.”
Well, we got a little town hall here today, don’t we Tucson? [The rally was in the middle of Republican Congressman Juan Ciscomani’s district].
These fraud politicians are so scared that they will be exposed by Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs that the fraudsters that they are. That's exactly what we intend to do. [Casar switches to Spanish for a couple of sentences.]
We are not going to let them get away with this. We are not. If these puppet politicians want to represent billionaires instead of the people, and they should lose their jobs in the people's House.
So, they may not want to have a town hall, but we're having it here. Let's talk about what they don't want to talk about, starting with Elon Musk's Department of Government “Efficiency” (DOGE). [Loud booing.]
You can understand the whole DOGE scam with just two numbers. First number: $8 million a day. Elon Musk gets in government contracts $8 million a day for himself.
The second number is: $65 a day. $65 a day is how much a senior who's worked their entire life just to survive on Social Security gets.
$8 million a day … $65 a day … if they were looking for efficiency, wouldn’t they look into Musk's billions of dollars or the billions of dollars Big Pharma milked from the taxpayers, or the billions of dollars that Big Tech screws us out of? They don't want to look into that because those corporations fund their campaigns.
That's not right. It's not right. They want to come after programs for working people. They get their $8 million a day, while they try to cut food stamps for the working class.
While Elon Musk makes $8 million a day in government contracts, he's coming after your grandma’s $65 a day.
While Musk gets his $8 million a day, he's trying to shut down the Department of Education, trying to shut down the Department of Labor.
Musk wants you to work more hours to make him more rich.
Musk wants you to pay more taxes to make him more rich. Tucson, I’ve had enough of this. It's time to say fire Elon Musk.
Fire who? [ELON MUSK!]
Fire who? [ELON MUSK!]
Don't fire public school teachers. Fire who? [ELON MUSK!]
Don't fire nurses. Fire who? [ELON MUSK!]
Don't fire our veterans. Fire who? [ELON MUSK!] Fire who? [ELON MUSK!]
Well, it's time to talk about how we're going to do it. Tucson. You see, there's this debate happening in Washington, D.C. right now about how we should respond to the oligarchy. There are those … [Responding to an audience member] A general strike would be pretty good. I haven’t heard that at a townhall.
There are those who say that politicians of conscience should just roll over and play dead. That's their words. And then there's those that say we should stand the fight.
Anybody here think we should roll over and play dead? [NO!] Anybody? No? No, roll over and play dead people over here? [NO!] Over there? [NO!]
Well, Bernie Sanders is here to stand and fight.
AOC is here to stand and fight. I hear some people are ready to stand and fight.
Stand with me. Stand and fight! Stand and fight. [Audience chants.]
When they come to our public schools, we're not going to roll over and play dead. We're going to stand and fight. [Audience chants.]
When they come for our health care, we're not going to roll over and play dead. We're going to stand and fight. [Audience chants.]
When they come for our veterans, we're not going to roll over and play dead. We're going to stand and fight.
When they try to pass their tax cuts for billionaires, we're not rolling over and playing dead. We are going to stand and fight.
That's exactly how we're going to beat them, Arizona.
I'm not telling you it's going to be easy, but remember what's possible when people come together in this country, organize, demand more, and stand and fight.
In the 1920s, the robber barons, the Elon Musks of their day, they took over our government, enriched themselves and caused the Great Depression. But people just like you didn't play dead. They stood. They fought. They organized.
They took back our government from the ultra-rich, created Social Security, created the New Deal, beat fascism across the world!
In the 1960s, the segregationists had a chokehold on our government. But people like you didn't play dead. They stood. They fought. They marched. They bled … until they passed the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act and created Medicaid and created Medicare and created HeadStart.
That is what is possible when we organize. So, on our darkest days, I want you to remember there can be a world that is better after this. There has to be a better world after this. Our biggest enemy is not just Donald Trump. It's not even Elon Musk. Our biggest enemy is cynicism. The idea they try to implant into us that a better world is impossible.
The idea they try to put in our heads that no matter what we do, nothing will ever change. Because if they convince us of that, if they get us to tune out, then they have all the power. They can turn us against one another. They can get us to even give up. But that cynicism is a lie, Arizona.
And our job is to expose the truth.
Our job together is not only to save Medicaid and Medicare. Our job is to pass into law giving Medicare to every single person in this country. So, you never again have to check your bank balance before you go to the doctor.
Imagine a world where health care is a right. It'd be very hard for a fraudster politician to come after our Medicare if every single person had it, and they had to come after every single American. Our job is not just to beg corporate CEOs, “Oh, please. Lower prices. Please stop lowering wages.”
No, our job is to permanently get Big Money out of politics, so those CEOs don’t get a bigger say than all of us.
Our job is to break up the big corporate monopolies that are screwing us every single day, bring down housing prices for good, bring down grocery prices for good, and require good living wages for a full day's work, put power back in the hands of everyday people from Arizona to Texas, all across America. That's our job, y'all.
And very importantly, our job is not just to beat the fraudster Republicans at the polls. Our job is also to make sure the Democratic Party stops thinking small, does big things for working people always … no matter what … period … full stop. Cut off ties to the billionaire class and stand with the working class every single day.
Our job is to organize our workplaces around that idea, organize our neighborhoods, knock on every door, hold town halls, hold politicians accountable, and rebuild our democracy.
That's exactly what we're going to do.
That is how we not only defeat Trump and Musk, but also defeat the hopelessness, the cynicism that created them. That is what we are tasked to do here today.
And there is a young congresswoman who has shown the world how we create hope. How we take on the billionaires. How we take on the bullies.
She's fearless. She's a true leader of our movement. She's who we need in this moment. She's a historical figure right now, right here. She's our champion for the working class. She's our champion for democracy. I'm proud to call up the Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. [Cheers. Music.]
Season 3: Episode 7, Segment 4. Congressional Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC. Congressional District 14, New York.
Arizona! Como estas? Hello, Arizona! Hello, Tucson! How are we feeling today? [Cheers.] Are we ready to fight?! [YES!] Are we ready to win?! [YES!] And we will never, ever, ever give up. [Cheers.] Thank you all so much for joining me today and for taking the time.
My name is Alexandria, and it's so great to be here in Tucson today.
You know my home is a ways from here. But in truth the distance between us is a lot shorter than we think, and it's a lot shorter than we're told. Mi casa es se casa. [My house is your house.]
And, this stop here in Tucson is particularly special to me.
It has really special significance in my heart. I was very, very close with Raul Grijalva. And before I dive into it, I just kind of want to share with you a little bit about what he meant to me very briefly and, and what Tucson means to me by extension. And I know Bernie and Greg are going to say some remarks as well when we wrap up.
But, you know, when I was first elected in 2018, I was a waitress, and I had won this upset fight. I had challenged a very, very powerful member of the Democratic Party. And we won in a totally upset primary election.
And we won with no money, with just everyday people in our community coming together, outspent by millions of dollars, but people just coming together and believing that we deserved better somehow broke through. And it was a miracle. Genuinely a miracle.
And, and when I first got to the House [of Representatives], though, by extent when you kind of unseat someone that has a lot of power and a lot of relationships in Washington, the reception that I first got on Capitol Hill was very hostile.
It was very cold, and it was very, very, very lonely. And we all have our own experiences. But, it was hard when you walk into a room every day, and it's just you're just met with so much contempt. [We love you!] But the first door that I walked into in Capitol Hill, first door that I walked in, was Raul's … Raul Grijalva.
And when I was being attacked, not just by Republicans and the right wing, but honestly by a lot of members of my own party, it was … to find people who were kind and compassionate were very few and far between. And Raul Grijalva was the first person to open his door to me. The first.
And he welcomed me. And he said, “You belong here. You belong here.” [Cheers.]
Raul Grijalva, your congressman, is a reflection and was a reflection of Tucson's values, of you, of who each and every one of you were because you believed in him. You sent and picked a man like that. Raul was … became the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee in Congress. Huge, huge jurisdiction control of all federal lands.
And he came up to me and not just me, but to so many other people. And he specifically wanted to hand women the gavels and the chairmanships of all the subcommittees of the Natural Resources. [Cheers.]
And, you know, maybe people not from Arizona from far other places may not know who Raul was. I know that you all knew who Raul was and he never would, you know, put out a press statement and say, “Oh, look at all these women.” No, he just did it. And, because he knew it was the right thing to do.
And as a Latina and as a Boricua, too, he was …
Puerto Rico en la casa. Siempre, no? Con mucho amor a me Chicano y Mexicano but Puerto Ricans, you know, we're loud. We're honest. I guess we're all loud.
But you know, and I think that's also a reflection of his work and commitment to public lands, to the public good, and also to to making sure that Chingonas had the keys, was a reflection of his love, not just for Tucson, but for his daughter Adelita … his daughters, Adelita, Raquel, Marissa, and his wife Mona.
So I just want to send them so much love in this moment and let you all know that because of Raul, I will always be loyal to the people of Tucson and fight for you the way he would have wanted. So, as we're in this moment of grief, it's not just I hope we all come together and ensure that we carry on.
Raul's vision and his commitment and legacy, and we continue to choose and send people that make Tucson proud and that are committed to the public good.
Now. Let's get to why we are all here today because we're all here and we share in the frustration and the heartache from watching people in power actively tear down or refuse to fight for everyday working Americans like us.
We're here together because an extreme concentration of power and corruption is taking over this country like never before. And we are here most importantly, because we know that a better world is possible. [Cheers! Si se puede!]
But to get there, we need to be honest about where we are, Tucson, because we are witnessing an oligarchy in America when those with the most economic, political and technological power destroy the public good to enrich themselves, while millions of us pay the price.
And our political system is ill prepared for this abuse of power, in fact, much of our political system enables this abuse of power, starting with the role of money in politics, and but I'm here to remind you that we are not powerless in this moment.
People are starting to put the pieces together. And ironically, the most divisive forces in our country are actually bringing more of us together than before. And that's important.
And I want to … I want to let you all know in every single stop that Bernie and I have had in the last couple of days … where we were in Nevada a couple days ago, we were in Greeley, Colorado, way out there in Colorado. We went to Denver … every single stop has completely blown out all attendance projections.
3200 people in Las Vegas.
Out in Greeley, we went to Republican congressman's district. Gabe Evans, who you know, he's he just got elected. He just got elected. Usually your first three months on the job, you're on your best behavior. This guy hasn't held a town hall once. So, we said, you know what, let's go out there and we'll hold our own town hall.
We thought in wildest dreams out there in Greeley. We thought maybe 2000 people showed up, would show up. 11,000 people came out to hear Bernie. Then we went to Denver and now in Denver, Colorado again, our wildest dream … we were like, “Maybe we can get like … what if we got like 20,000 people out in Denver last night?
34,000 people in Denver showed up.
And as you can see here in Tucson, we originally … [Hands waving and people shouting, “Medic!”]
Need a medic? You need a medic? Yeah. Can we get a medic out here? Sorry, folks. We're going to pause the program. [Speech paused while first responders help an audience member.]
What Congress Should Be Doing
This is what the focus on trans kids is all about. Come on. 1% … 1% of the entire population. If people want to have conversations about that [trans participation in sports], take it to the NCAA. It doesn’t need to be on the floor of the United States Congress.
We need to be taxing the rich on the floor of the United States Congress. We need to be establishing guaranteed health care on the floor of the United States Congress, not erasing American history on the floor of the United States Congress.
We need to be passing a living wage on the floor of the United States Congress.
And we're going to send a message to Donald Trump and Elon Musk and every Republican in the state of Arizona that we will not be distracted. We got our eyes on the prize, and we will build the nation that we want for ourselves.
Now, I understand that Donald Trump and the Republican Party's disdain for the working class doesn't just come from not being raised right. [Chuckles.]
It's a shorthand for the right wing's entire political agenda and a certain ugly kind of politics that, at its core, is about lying to and screwing over, working and middle class Americans so that they can steal from our health care, Social Security, and veterans to pay for tax cuts for the rich and bailouts for their crypto billionaire friends.
But there's a word for this kind of thing, too. Some, you know it. Corruption. I'll say it in Spanish: Corrupcion. Que los corruptas vayan.
And seeing all of this stack up from how overwhelming and selfish all this looting is, to the constant barrage of of phone notifications and headlines day-to-day is enough to make even the best of us want to give up, want to give in to despair.
When the System Is Stacked Against You …
And trust me, I want you to know that if you feel that way, I get it. I do understand because when the system is stacked against you, it's hard to feel like anything you do matters. That we matter … in our democracy, and it is easy to give in to despair.
And I can tell you for a while there, when I was waitressing and working double shifts and never able to get ahead, and just when you think that you're close enough, you take two steps behind. You have to go … you get sick. You get a hospital bill. Whatever it is, it's like you can't keep up.
And I … when I was in that space, I did try to give up. I tried to stop caring and just keep my head down and work my shifts and accept that this is just how things are.
But ultimately, Tucson, that's no way to live. It's no way to live. And we do not have to live like this. And in fact, we cannot live like this anymore.
And I'll tell you, you know, Trump sees the immense pressure that working people are under. But his answer to that pressure is an America where it's just every man for himself, a kind of Darwinistic society.
Trump Is Selling the Country for Parts & Kickbacks
And now that he's back in power, we can see a clear as day, Trump handed the keys of government to Elon Musk and is selling the country for parts to the richest people on the planet for a kickback.
And in exchange, those billionaires will back his campaigns and those of his allies. And if you don't believe me, just look at what Elon Musk said the other week that he would volunteer to bankroll campaigns for House members who voted to impeach Supreme … even right-wing Supreme Court members who don't totally agree and don't vote with him lockstep on every … on every case.
But the clever thing is that what Republicans do is that they try to make working people like you and me feel like we're just one step outside of that club. That is … that is if we just work a little bit harder, maybe we'll be a billionaire too.
Benefits We Paid into Are Being Stolen
Except those kinds of spoils aren't earned, Tucson. They're stolen. They’re stolen. And all you need to do is look at what Republicans are doing to our health care, our veterans benefits, and Social Security.
They are slashing these programs that we have spent a lifetime paying into, not them, because they don't even pay their fair share of taxes. And mind you, even if you aren't on Medicaid or Medicare, this raises your private health insurance cost, too. And every single Republican in Arizona voted to cut Medicaid. Not an accusation. It was their vote.
Because you see, these budgets aren't just fights about numbers. They are fights over our values that define us as a country because Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security were promises that we as a people have made to each other about who we want to be and the kind of nation we want to become. A nation that cares for its elders, that values people with disabilities, that thinks kids with disabilities should have access to special education.
But these promises that we've made to each other are not promises from politicians to the people or charity from the rich to the poor. These are promises that we make to each other. We pay into each other. We neighbor to neighbor, friend to friend, teacher to student, worker to worker.
And to me, Tucson, the strength of our country is not just measured by the height of our best days. It's about who and what's there for you on your worst day. And that's why I'm here with you today because let me share with you exactly what I mean.
Common Sense Isn’t Radical
What these folks want to call radical, I believe, is common sense. I think that in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, if a person gets sick, they shouldn't go bankrupt.
I believe that a minimum wage should cover the minimum cost to live. Common sense. And Tucson, I believe that homes are not slot machines for investors and big banks who extort working families out of every last dollar that we have.
Home is sacred and you deserve a government that fights to help you keep an affordable roof over your head.
And finally, I believe that our elected officials should take on abuse of corporate power everywhere that we find it. We must get Big Money out of politics and make clear that our country is not for sale. That's why I don't and never will take money from industry lobbyists or corporations.
‘I Believe These Things Because I was a WAITRESS!’
And you know, some folks, you know, maybe some some local members of Congress out here or, or some, some pundits on television might have you believe that these American values are something out of the Communist Manifesto, and that we believe these things because we went to some fancy school and read them in a book somewhere.
But I can tell you, we don't believe in health care, labor and human dignity because we're extremists. And I don't believe these things because I'm an extremist. I believe these things because I was a waitress, Tucson. [Me on a hot mic: Yeah, right!]
I scrubbed toilets with my mom to afford school, because I worked double shifts to keep the lights on, because I did lose my dad to cancer as a kid and had to see my mom open the hospital bills a couple days after, and I know that we don't have to live like this anymore, Tucson.
I don’t want to live like this anymore. And we deserve better than this. And it's not just about Republicans. We need a Democratic Party that fights harder for us too.
AOC Thanks Arizona for Electing Grijalva & Getting Rid of Sinema
And that means communities choosing and voting for those Democrats and elected officials who know how to stand for the working class. And, Arizona, I want to thank you for working so hard to continue to make that happen. It was Tucson that sent a man like Raul Grijalva to Congress. And I know that you will continue to make us proud in Congress as well.
In fact, one thing I love about Arizonans is that you all have shown that if a U.S. senator isn't fighting hard enough for you in the Senate or elsewhere, you're not afraid to replace her with one who will and win.
And that's how you got Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego.
And that's not all. Last week, when other Democrats caved in the Senate, your senators stood strong against the D.C. pressure and voted “no” against a Republican spending bill that cut billions for the working class. Arizona stood up. Arizona had a spine last week, and I thank you. In fact, all the Democrats who represent a congressional district in Arizona also voted against the bill.
AOC Calls Out Schweikert But Southern Arizona Wants to Oust Ciscomani
So, I want to shout out Reps. Yasmin Ansari and Greg Stanton for their courage. Defend them, Arizona, but don't stop there because you know who did vote to gut Medicaid and jack up health care costs? Every single Republican in the state of Arizona, including Representative Schweikert.[Oops. Yes, let’s get rid of Schweikert, but in Southern Ariozona, we want to get rid of fake moderate Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani. We also need to find a solid replacement for Raul Grijalva.]
So, you know what that means. You know what our mission is here, right? This whole state needs to come together and give Schweikert [Ciscomani, Gosar, Crane, Biggs, and Hamadeh] the boot and replace him [them] with a Democrat who fights for the working class. And that's our mission for the next year. And it doesn't stop there. Every down ballot race matters.
‘This Fascist Administration Didn’t Come Out of Nowhere’
This fascist administration didn't come out of nowhere. They have planted the seeds for years. PTAs. Bullying people out of school boards, city councils.
It's time to put our glasses on. [Jets roar overhead.] We got an Air Force show out here. We got an air show. They’re our back up today.
We need to pay attention to every local race on the ballot, Arizona. We're taking this state over. We're taking it back. And we're gonna fight, fight, fight for the future that we deserve.
Si se puede! Vamos hacerlo y ganar! [Yes, we can! Let’s do this and win!]
‘Beyond Elections, Our Task Is to Build Community’
Beyond elections, our task is to build community. Block associations, neighborhood groups, volunteer groups, church organizations, PTA's.
Community is the tissue and the infrastructure for us to win. Union drives. Standing with our farm workers. Standing together is how we win. Because community is the most powerful building block we have to defeat authoritarianism and root out corruption. It's not a mistake that all of this backsliding is happening after COVID, when we were isolated and apart, but then after that they tried to keep us isolated and apart.
‘No Act Is Too Small’
Because when you don't know your neighbor, it's easier to turn against them. So, that's why what you do matters. Showing up to the community board matters. Showing up in person matters because it becomes so much harder to hate someone you know. That is why … that is our mission. Don't think it's too small. There is no act too small in the next couple of years.
So, I'll end where I began. We might all come from different places, Tucson, but we share a lot of the same experiences. So, to all those who came here today, unsure of whether this is where you belong, I want to say that you do.
‘In this House, We Stand Together’
And truly, if you're here today giving this a shot for the first time, I want to let you know, no matter who you voted for in the past, no matter if you know all the right words to say, no matter your race, religion, gender identity or status, no matter if you're a dreamer or a U.S. citizen, no matter if you disagree with me on some things, if you are willing to fight for someone you don't know, you are welcome here.
If you're willing to fight for working people regardless of who they are, how they identify, or where they come from, you are welcome here because here everyone is valued.
But I will say this to those leaders on either side of the aisle who are willing to put their fellow Americans down so that they can get ahead or feel better about themselves. Those folks might best find a home somewhere else … [Cheers.]
Because in this house, we stand together! Because here, we know that together, without exception, is the only way that we can win!
I hope you see that this movement is not about partisan labels or purity tests, but it's about class solidarity.
It's about the thousands of you who came out today to stand together and say our lives deserve dignity and our work deserves respect, no matter who we are or where we come from, we are here today to make a sacred promise to each other, because our goal is not just to come together, share a few inspiring words, and then go back to how things were.
‘We Can't Go Back to How Things Were’
We can't go back to how things were.
Our goal today is to commit to building the kind of country we all deserve. So, I want you all to look around. These are your brethren, for the fight in that for our future. And I want you to look around.
And if I can offer one assignment before we all depart here today, it is to leave this place connected to a new person you didn't know coming into this place. And I want you to turn to the people around you and greet someone you don't know. [Mingling, chitchat and handshaking begins in the crowd.]
Season 3: Episode 7, Segment 5. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
[Music: Power to the People by John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band.]
Bernie Sanders: Tucson, thank you!
My only problem today is that I don't know what I can say after what Greg and Alexandria have already said.
But when people think about the future of this country and whether we have the kind of political leadership we need among the young people of America, you're looking at these guys right now.
Sanders Praises AOC & Casar
And I just want to say a word or two about these fantastic and courageous members of Congress. When Alexandria was a kid, she cleaned houses with her mom in order to earn money to pay the family bills. And after she graduated college, she worked as a barista … struggling every day to pay the rent.
But she looked around her and she said, “There is something fundamentally wrong in a world where so few have so much and so many have so little.”
So, she did something rather extraordinary. Never held political office. Tending bar. She's like, “You know what? I'm going to run for Congress.”
And then people said, “You're out of your mind because you're running against one of the most powerful guys in the U.S. House. How can you do that?”
But you know what she did? [Looking at AOC.]
What she did … she went out to her friends who held similar concerns, said, “Get involved with me.”
They started with no money, and then they raised a few thousand dollars, and they knocked on doors, and they talked common sense to the working people of her district.
And on election night, she won!
Now, my point is not just to praise this wonderful young lady. My point is to tell you that there are Alexandra's and Alexander's in this crowd right here.
And there are Greg’s and Alexandria’s all over America. There are young people who love America, who want to see better for our country, who are smart, who are disciplined, who are prepared to roll up their sleeves and take on a billionaire class which is destroying working families all over this country and this guy here [Casar], known him for a few years, came to Congress, and because of his leadership skills he became chairman of the Progressive Caucus in a two-year period.
And not only in Washington, but all over the country. He is doing a great job. So I just want to thank Alexandria and Greg, not only for being here today, but for inspiring millions and millions of young people all across this country.
Bernie Praises His Friend Raul
And I want to just say a brief word about our friend Raul Grijalva. I was here in Tucson a number of years ago when I was running for president.
And at that point, you know, we didn't have 20,000 people coming out for meetings, and I wasn't very well known. And what Raul did was he said, “I like what Bernie …” I just talking with Adelita just a few minutes ago and he [Raul] said, “Bernie is speaking what has to be said,” and he had the guts to come out and endorse me and take on the whole Democratic establishment.
So, we will never forget Raul Grijalva and his dedication to the working families of our country.
Bernie Talks Crowd Size
Look, my message today is simple and what this crowd tells me. And by the way, we had 36,000 people coming out in Denver. We had 15,000 in Tempe. And now we got some 20,000 here. [Final number for Tucson was 23,000.]
The American Oligarchy
And what it tells me is that the American people will not allow Donald Trump to create an oligarchy in America.
They will not allow Donald Trump to create an authoritarian society.
They will not allow the billionaire class to cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans program. Title one funding, which will impact that school profoundly. [Bernie motions toward Catalina High School. A teacher who spoke at the rally earlier said the students at Catalina High speak 30 different languages.]
And we're not going to let them decimate the programs that the working class of this country needs in order to give more tax breaks to billionaires.
Now, right now … right now in America, you have what we call an oligarchy. And what an oligarchy is about is a handful of billionaires controlling our government.
Now, some of you may have seen … some of you may have seen Donald Trump's inauguration. [Audience groan.]
Well, I had the unfortunate position of being in the front row. Not a good position to be. [Crowd begins chanting “Bernie, Bernie” as a heckler can be heard in the distance.] And what I saw … Okay.
And what I saw in front of me, right behind Donald Trump, were the three wealthiest people in America, Mr. Musk, Mr. Bezos and Mr. Zuckerberg.
But that's not all. Right behind them, there were 13 other multi-billionaires who Trump had nominated to head major government agencies.
Now, some of you may remember what Abraham Lincoln said at Gettysburg.
Remember what he said here. You had a situation where thousands of soldiers died trying to end slavery. And a few days later, he looks out on the battlefield where people had died and been wounded.
And Abraham Lincoln said, “You know what? We have a vision of a country where we're going to have a government of the people, by the people, for the people.” [Audience recites this iconic phrase with him.]
Well, Donald Trump has a different vision. He wants a government of the billionaire class, by the billionaire class and for the billionaire class. [Booing.]
So, let me tell you something now that you don't see much on corporate television and you don't hear discussed in the halls of Congress. Talking about doing something very radical. You ready? I'm gonna tell you the truth.
The Rich Have Never Had It So Good
And the truth is that right now in America, the people on top have never, ever in the history of our country had it so good. A huge explosion of billionaires. These guys literally don't know what to do with their money. They buy one mansion, two mansions. I don't know if they got five mansions and want to get around.
They own their own jet planes. They own their own helicopters, send their kids to the best private schools, the best colleges. Go on vacation – they don't go to Motel 6. They own their own islands. {Booing.}
And just for kicks, the very rich decide to take a trip to outer space on their own spaceships.
Today in America, we got more income and wealth inequality than we've ever had in the history of America.
Today, you got three people on top –Musk, Bezos and Zuckerberg—owning more wealth than the bottom half of America … 170 million Americans.
Does that make sense to anybody? You got the top 1% owning more wealth than the bottom 90%? While workers are struggling, CEOs now make 300 times more than their average worker.
So that is one world, one America. People hold up more money than they could spend in a thousand lifetimes.
Too Many People Are Living Paycheck to Paycheck
But then there's another America. And that's the America that you know, that's the America where the richest country on earth, 60% of our people are living paycheck to paycheck. [Audience groans.]
You all know what living paycheck to paycheck is about?
Oh, I grew up in a family that lived paycheck to paycheck in a rent-controlled apartment. And I know what lack of money did to my family, and the stresses that caused. Right now in America, you have hundreds … you have hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people working for starvation wages.
In America today, if you can believe it, 60,000 people die each year because they don't get to a doctor when they should.
Oh, so we got massive income and wealth inequality. We have more concentration of ownership in the economy. Handful of giant corporations owning sector after sector. Three Wall Street firms combined being the major stockholders of 95% of American corporations.
But meanwhile … meanwhile … we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country on Earth. Over 20% of our seniors are trying to get by on $15,000 a year or less. We got kids in this school [pointing to Catalina High School] and schools all over America who come to school hungry because their parents can't afford to buy the food they need.
So, brothers and sisters, this is where we are right now.
People are on top … enormous wealth, enormous power. And what their power is about—not just that they control the economy—they control the political system as well.
Now, I don't care if you're a conservative Republican or a progressive. Does anybody think it makes sense that we have a campaign finance system where one man, Musk, can put $270 million to get Trump elected.
And then his reward is that he becomes the most powerful person in government?
That is not democracy. That is oligarchy. But it's not just Republicans. You got billionaire Democrats who are telling candidates, “Don't stand up for the working class.” [Booing.]
So, we've got a corrupt campaign finance system. We got to get rid of this terrible Citizens United Supreme Court decision.
Everybody in America … every eligible voter has the right to one vote. Billionaires do not have the right to buy elections.
Stand Up. Fight Back.
But what Greg and Alexandria were talking about, it's not just standing up to Trump's attacks on Congress, his attacks on the media, his attacks on the courts.
You know, some of you who studied American history remember that the Founding Fathers of this country were no dummies.
They had taken on the King of England, the most powerful guy in the world, and they said, “You know what? We don't want to create a nation in which one person, like the King of England, has unlimited power.”
It is outrageous that this guy sues media, sues ABC, CBS. Now threatening to investigate NPR, PBS. You know why? Because they dared to be critical of him. Oh, his feelings! His feelings were just crushed.
He wants everybody to bow down. Oh. You're great. You are terrific. Hey, Mr. President, if you can't take criticism, get out of politics!
And for the first time, you know, there have been Supreme Court decisions that I have profoundly, profoundly, as many of you have disagreed with. Citizens United … terrible decision. Undermining Roe v Wade … terrible decision. [Booing.]
But, you know, we believe in the rule of law.
And right now, what Trump is doing is the judge stands up and says, “Hey, you can't do that. That's unconstitutional.” And now they are threatening to impeach that judge.
You know, I was a few years ago, chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. And in that position, I got to meet veterans not only in Vermont but all over this country. And I have a profound … we got any veterans in the audience today? [Cheers.] These are the men and women who put their lives on the line to defend us and defend American democracy!
And we’re not gonna let Trump … we're not gonna let Trump undermine 250 years of this country being an example to the world of what democracy is supposed to be.
But what Trump is doing is not only horrific domestic policies. You don't take food away from hungry children to give tax breaks to billionaires. There is no world. There is no universe. There is no religion where that is not grossly immoral.
But it’s not just domestic affairs, for the first time in the history of our country, we got a president allying himself with a ruthless dictator in Russia!
Mr. president, it was not Ukraine that started that war. It was Russia that started the war. We don't want a murdering dictator as an ally. We believe in democracy.
And we don't believe that we should continue funding the murderous Netanyahu government that has destroyed the people of Gaza. 45,000 people are dead there. 100 plus thousand are wounded, mostly women and children. The Netanyahu government should not get another nickel of military weaponry from the United States.
And if you can believe it, as bad as all of that is, they now want to do is force the 2 million people out of Gaza and build some playground for the billionaire class. Unbelievable.
Brothers and sisters—and Alexandria made this point and Greg made this point—we're going to fight Trump at every step of the way. The crowds that I have seen told me the American people are prepared to stand up and fight.
But it's not only opposing Trump. What is very important, absolutely important, is for us never to forget. We are today the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. There is no excuse for 800,000 people to be sleeping out on the streets. There is no excuse for 20 million people, including people right here, paying 40 or 50% of their limited incomes for housing.
This is America. We can build 4 million units of low income and affordable housing. We can lower rents.
This is America. We should not be the only major nation on Earth not to guarantee health care to old people, as a human right. The functional of the health care system is not to make billions in profits for the drug companies and the insurance companies it is to provide quality care to all. We can do it!
We do not have to pay ten times more for prescription drugs than people in other countries. We could take on the greed of the pharmaceutical industry and cut prescription drug prices in half.
Brothers and sisters, we live in a competitive global economy. We need to have the best educated workforce in the world. We need to make sure that all of our kids, regardless of income get a quality public education.
We got any teachers here? Thank you, teachers!
And when we talk about quality public education, no teacher in America should start off at less than $60,000 a year. [Wild cheering in a low-wage state.]
These kids here … kids in Tucson … kids in Burlington, Vermont … in L.A., California … they deserve the best education in the world. We can provide it to them.
And we can and should make sure that when kids want a higher education, whether it's college, whether it's trade school. We need desperately doctors and nurses, mental health counselors, dentists. We need sheet metal workers, carpenters, bricklayers. We need construction workers.
We need a system that trains people to go out and do the work that needs to be done without going bankrupt! We should be making all of our public colleges, universities, community colleges tuition free.
And when somebody says, “Well, Bernie, it's a good idea. How are you going to pay for it?”
I'll tell you how. We're not going to give tax breaks to billionaires. We're going to have to start paying their fair share of taxes.
And now and, you know, in Washington, Alexandria, Greg and I, we hear from our colleagues a whole lot about freedom.
Freedom. Well, if we're going to talk about freedom, let us understand that the women of this country must have the freedom to control their own bodies … not the government.
So, brothers and sisters, we're going to fight Trump every step of the way. And what you are saying here in Tucson …I want you to know … what you're doing here in Tucson impacts not only Arizona, the whole world is watching.
And what people all across this country are saying: Do we have the guts to stand up to Trumpism and oligarchy and authoritarianism? We say, “Yes!”
So, the task is not easy. Believe me, I know that. Let's be clear. The oligarchs have unlimited amounts of money.
You know, what for you is a cup of coffee, for them … $5 million ... $10 million doesn't mean a damn thing. They got unlimited amounts of money. They control the media. They own the media. They hold tremendous power over the political process.
But this is what I believe. In every way … not just running for office … that's important, too, we need great candidates here to stand up for the working class … and all across this country.
It means that we have got to build the trade union movement.
Do we have union members here? [Cheers.] Thank you.
Well, we're gonna make it easier, not harder, for workers to join unions. It means joining all kinds of organizations, making sure your schools are top notch, your health care is top notch.
So, we need you to go outside of the comfort zone you had yesterday. Yesterday, you stood and you watched. We don't need you watching anymore. We need you to be involved in the process in every step of the way.
Brothers and sisters, I don't have a Ph.D. in mathematics, but I did pretty poorly in school in math. But this, I do know, that at the end of the day, 99% is a hell of a bigger number than 1%.
They have the wealth. They got all the money in the world. They got the power. They got the media.
But you know what we have that they don't have?
We got 20,000 people here in Tucson!
And we got hundreds of millions of people all across this country.
So, brothers and sisters, don't let them … don't let them divide us by the color of our skin or where we were born or our religion or our sexual orientation.
Let's stand together as one people, proud people. Let's take on Trumpism and defeat it. And let's create the kind of America that you and I know we can become. Thank you all very much.
Season 3: Episode 7, Segment 6. Calexico.
We're going to turn the microphone to Senor Brian Lopez. We're going to do another cumbia. This is Flores y Tamales.
[Calexico entertained the crowd as we filed in. They were fabulous, as usual. Check out the empty stands behind the band around 10 a.m. and compare that with the full stands behind Sanders. People kept streaming in. It was thrilling. Sorry about the shaky camera work. With standing in line and holding my spot on the press riser, I stood for 4.5 hours and kept shifting my weight while holding the video camera.]
Thank you for listening to A View from the Left Side today. For now, this is Pamela Powers signing off. If you like this podcast, please subscribe. Like it on social media. Make a comment and share it with your friends. In the meantime, please take care. Be healthy and stay vigilant. See you next time.
For Fun, Here’s John and Yoko singing Power to the People.
Share this post