ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥

The Vermont independent senator was joined by U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Greg Casar, D-Texas, for the second ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ stop in his “Fighting Oligarchyâ€� tour, after Tempe.

Sanders said America has the most "income and wealth inequality we’ve ever had,� with three people on top — Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg — “holding more wealth than the bottom half of the country, 170 million Americans. You’ve got the top 1% earning more wealth than the bottom 90%,� he said.

Pointing to Catalina High School behind him, Sanders said kids come to school hungry because parents, some “working for starvation wages,� can’t afford to buy enough food. “In the richest country in the world, 60% of our people are living paycheck to paycheck,� he said.

“CEOs now make 300 times more than their average worker, so that is one world, one America,� he said. “People on top, more money than they could spend in a thousand lifetimes. But then there’s another America, and that’s an America that you know.�

Ocasio-Cortez said she knew what it was like to be unable to keep up with unexpected expenses when she was a waitress working double shifts before she was elected to Congress.

Sanders later posted on X that 23,000 people came out for the rally in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, while a police officer at the event estimated the crowd at 10,000. 

The high school football stadium was filled, bleachers and field, with supporters. And outside of the fencing, people sat along the perimeter and listened in an overflow line.

Patrice De La Ossa, 53, a former public school teacher, said she was attending the rally as a form of resistance against the current administration. She left public education after 25 years because of COVID-19, she said.

“As an educator this is what you have to do, this is what I taught students to do, to come out,� she said.

She was with a friend, Edgar Medians, 54, who said he wants to support unification of Democrats because he’s seen a change in the community in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.

“I feel like ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ used to be such a Democratic hub,â€� he said. “This is unbelievable how people can support such an idiotic administration.â€�

Ocasio-Cortez called out Musk’s role in the administration, saying “Trump handed the keys of the 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.�

Sanders asked, “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?�

Ocasio-Cortez contended their agenda “is lying to and screwing over working and middle-class Americans so they can steal from our health care, our Social Security and our veterans to provide tax cuts for the rich and bailouts for their crypto-billionaire friends.�

“They try to make working people like you and me feel like we’re just one step outside of that club, that if we just work a little bit harder, maybe we’ll be a billionaire, too,â€� she said. “Except those kinds of spoils aren’t earned, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. They’re stolen.â€�

She criticized ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s Republican Congress members for voting for the GOP spending bill passed this month in Congress and signed into law by the president, saying it will most likely result in major Medicaid cuts.

Ocasio-Cortez began her speech by remembering how close she was to fellow liberal Democratic Congressman Raúl Grijalva of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, who died this month of complications from cancer treatment.

“I will always be loyal to the people of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, and fight for you the way he would have wanted,â€� she said. “So as we’re in this moment of grief, I hope we all come together and ensure that we carry on Raúl’s vision and his commitment and legacy.â€�

Sanders also praised Grijalva, who endorsed his presidential campaign in 2016, “and his dedication to the working families of our country.�

Casar, who is chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Grijalva's spirit is what ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ needs “in this dark time.â€�

“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 is how we not only defeat Trump and Musk, but also defeat the hopelessness, the cynicism that created them,� Casar said.