I’m gonna be honest: I did not have Bernie Sanders introducing Clairo at Coachella on my 2025 bingo card. But then again, there’s been a lot this year that I didn’t have on my 2025 bingo card. Anyway, Sanders’s cameo — in which she urged all the young people in the audience to fight for justice — brought a ton of attention to what the Independent senator from Vermont has been up to lately… and TBH, it’s been a lot. If you weren’t aware, Sanders has been on a cross-country tour, accompanied by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to speak to people about the current political climate since President Donald Trump took office. And let me tell you, Sanders and AOC’s “Fighting Oligarchy” tour has been making some serious waves.
Both Sanders and AOC are leading voices on the left, known for their strong stances for economic, racial, social, and environmental justice. They’re also both known for standing up to Trump. So, when Sanders announced his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, with AOC as his frequent special guest, the collab made perfect sense.
Since embarking on the tour, Sanders, AOC, and co. have traveled the country, hosting rallies where they call out Trump’s actions since taking office, decry the involvement of billionaires like Elon Musk in the U.S. government, and spread a message of hope and resilience to encourage millions of their supporters to continue fighting for democracy.
As of April 14, the tour only has a few stops left on the schedule. Here’s what to know about those stops, as well as more info from this viral tour.
“Fighting Oligarchy” Tour Schedule
According to Sanders’s website, the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour has just a few more stops left. They are:
- Tuesday, April 15, in Bakersfield, California
- Tuesday, April 15, in Folsom, California
- Wednesday, April 16, in Missoula, Montana
For a list of the tour’s previous stops, you can also check out Sanders’s website.
How To Attend a “Fighting Oligarchy” Rally
Thousands have been turning out for these rallies, and if you want to be one of them, it seems pretty simple to do so: Just RSVP on Sanders’s website (it’s free) and show up. Just note that no bags, signs, or firearms are allowed. Per the RSVP page, free parking will be available on-site for event attendees (but it’s first-come, first-served, so try to get there early).
Noteworthy quotes from the “Fighting Oligarchy” Tour
If you weren’t able to make it to a rally — or you just want to know what’s been going down at them — here are some key quotes worth noting from throughout the tour:
- “When we talk about oligarchy, it’s important to understand that we’re not just talking about the incredible wealth of the people on top, we’re not just talking about the struggle of the working class in this country. We are talking about the incredible political power of the oligarchs.” – Sanders
- “We believe in a government of the people, by the people, for the people — not a government of the billionaire class, by the billionaire class, for the billionaire class.” – Sanders
- “It is not just Republicans or Musk. Let’s be clear: Democratic billionaires also put huge amounts of money into their party.” – Sanders
- “Millions of Americans in Vermont, in Iowa, in Nebraska, in every state in this country who come together in a strong grassroots movement and say: ‘No to oligarchy!’ ‘No to authoritarianism!’ ‘No to kleptocracy!’ ‘No to massive cuts to programs that low-income and working Americans desperately need!’ ‘No to tax breaks for the wealthiest people in America!’” – Sanders
- “Ironically, the most divisive forces in this country are actually starting to bring more of us together. And that’s important, because the same billionaires who are taking a wrecking ball to our country derive their power from dividing working people apart.” – AOC
- “This moment did not come out of nowhere. The destruction of our rights and democracy is directly tied to the growing and extreme wealth inequality that has been growing for years in America.” – AOC
- “We are taking on everybody. Taking on the oligarchy, taking on the Republican Party, taking on the Democratic leadership, taking on the corporate media, taking on Wall Street. It ain’t easy, and this change is not gonna happen overnight.” – Sanders