There Is Fire On Capitol Hill: As Sands Wash Ashore — NewsBreak

By Obakeng Masego Mooketsi

On January 20, 2025. A very cold and chilly morning, as the world watched Donald Trump sworn in once again as President of the United States, but a different kind of power was seated behind him. During this special day in American history, The President’s inauguration was well embraced by the three wealthiest individuals in America- who were seated directly behind the President.

Sanders took to the Senate floor, his voice thick with both urgency and fury, as he delivered a fiery critique of what he sees as the rise of the world’s real “third government”-one not bound by borders or constitutions but by balance sheets and stock valuations. This stark visual prompted Sanders to express his concerns about the consolidation of economic and political power. He shared a photograph from the event, stating,

To him, this signified a new image of the world, it gave us a brief taste of what was about to unfold right before our eyes. It was, a stark illustration of oligarchy.

But what does fighting back even look like when the referees of the game are also its biggest players?

In a recent series of impassioned speeches, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has intensified his critique of the growing influence of billionaires in American politics, specifically targeting tech magnates. Sanders’ remarks come in the wake of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, where these three individuals were prominently seated, symbolizing, in Sanders’ view, the deepening entanglement between wealth and governance.

Sanders’ speech wasn’t just another anti-capitalist monologue. It was a dire warning of the political and economic shift we are witnessing in real-time. The idea that democracy is still a game of votes, campaigns, and policies is beginning to crack under the weight of trillion-dollar empires. While Sanders has been a vocal critic of the influence wielded by billionaires, there have been instances of unexpected alignment on specific issues.

Notably, both Sanders and Musk have expressed concerns over wasteful defense spending. Musk, appointed to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency under President Trump, has advocated for auditing the Pentagon and reducing the defense budget. Sanders, a long-time critic of excessive military expenditures, found common ground with Musk on this issue, stating, “Elon Musk is right.”

Sanders’ recent speeches serve as a clarion call to address the escalating influence of the billionaire class in American politics. He warns of a dangerous shift toward oligarchy, authoritarianism, and kleptocracy, urging citizens and lawmakers alike to recognize and combat this trend. As he stated, “We are living in an extremely dangerous time.”

This bipartisanship was concerning, and it was an improbable alliance that may have underlying consequences for this economy in the coming future. This was a start of something new, not just an image of bigotry but a bold stance of defiance. President Trump now wielded power over Thor’s Hammer, and he was using this power to knock on every door of unsuspecting governments. Destabilizing the economical trade system, broadening the tensions with China and further imposing his fascistic urge to take over Mexico’s territories.

President Trump was repeatedly holding a bold stance against Canada, as if it was a foreign state, independent from this collective sportsmanship. Using the political muscle, he has over the west to direct power and shift it away from normal discourse, into a more lenient cut of a larger steak, that he was looking forward to feasting on with his new comrades. Elon Musk now had his hand deep in the President’s pockets, and he was now closer than he ever was to political waters. With more freedom for him to glide over these waterswithout getting wet enough to taint his image.

In the last decade, corporations have grown more powerful than entire nations:

• now holds a GDP larger than 70% of the world’s countries.
• Facebook (Meta) controls the social infrastructure of over 3.5 billion people-nearly half the planet.
• Tesla, SpaceX, and Twitter combined now function as an independent media, tech, and transportation empire under Musk’s singular rule.

We are no longer looking at private corporations. We are staring at the new world powers-ones that do not answer to the public but dictate the terms under which the public must live.

“Oligarchy, authoritarianism, kleptocracy”-these are not words to throw around lightly, but we are now living in an extremely dangerous time,” Sanders declared.

The billionaire class has become the executive branch of global politics, making deals, crafting policies, and influencing wars-not from government chambers but from their boardrooms.

And now, they sit behind the leader of the free world like the shadow government they have become.

An Introspective View on Senator Bernie Sanders’ Dual Battles

The juxtaposition of Senator Sanders’ public denunciation of billionaire influence with the personal controversy surrounding the Burlington College land deal presents a complex narrative. Critics argue that while Sanders decries the ethical lapses of the ultra-wealthy, he must also address and rectify the controversies within his own sphere. Supporters contend that the closure of the investigation vindicates the Senator and his wife, allowing them to refocus on broader systemic issues.

As Sanders continues to champion policies aimed at reducing income inequality and curbing corporate excesses, the lingering questions from the Burlington College case serve as a reminder of the multifaceted challenges faced by public figures who straddle the line between personal tribulations and public advocacy.

Federal prosecutors in Vermont have closed their investigation into Jane Sanders’ 2010 Burlington College land deal, deciding not to press charges, according to Sanders’ spokesman Jeff Weaver. The probe stemmed from allegations that Jane Sanders misrepresented donor levels to secure a $10 million loan from People’s United Bank to buy 33 acres of land for the college. In response, the Sanders hired legal counsel to defend against federal agents’ scrutiny.

Throughout history, we have been warned about the dangers of unchecked power-monarchies, dictatorships, military regimes. But this is something else entirely.

This is not just about America. This is about the entire world.

The Third Government has no constitution, no elections, no term limits. It has only one law: expand, consolidate, and dominate.

And so, we must ask ourselves:

• Are we watching the end of democracy?
• Is this the final shift from government rule to corporate rule?
• Or is this just the beginning of something even darker?

As the sands wash ashore, the fire on Capitol Hill continues to burn. And in the shadows, the real rulers of the world are waiting.

The metaphorical fire on the mountain top symbolizes the escalating tension between concentrated wealth and democratic ideals. Senator Sanders’ relentless pursuit of economic justice positions him as a sentinel against the encroachment of oligarchic power.

Senator Sanders’ critiques are more than rhetorical flourishes; they reflect a deep-seated concern about the future of American democracy in the face of growing economic disparities and concentrated wealth.

Yet, the embers of past controversies, like the Burlington College case, continue to glow, challenging the purity of his crusade. Whether his warnings will catalyze significant policy changes or mobilize public action remains to be seen. Whether these embers will ignite into a conflagration that undermines his efforts or dissipate into the annals of political history remains to be seen.

However, his unwavering stance highlights a critical debate about the intersection of wealth and power in the United States.

Sources & Further Reading:

• Bernie Sanders on America’s Movement Toward Oligarchy and Kleptocracy
• As Biden Warns of Oligarchy, Trump’s Inauguration Features Tech Billionaires
• Bernie Sanders and Elon Musk’s Surprising Agreement on Pentagon Spending
• Investigation into Jane Sanders over Burlington land deal
• Sanders Statement on Trump Tariffs’ Impact on Vermont
• Jane Sanders Bank Fraud Investigation: 5 Fast Facts
• Sanders Secures More Than $42.5 Million for Vermont Communities
• Sanders spokesman: Burlington College investigation is over
• Jane Sanders Lawyers Up
• Sanders, Welch, Balint announce $75 million in earmarks for Vermont
• Grand jury takes sworn testimony in Burlington College case
• Jane Sanders Bank Fraud Investigation: What You Need to Know
• Governor Phil Scott, Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Peter Welch, and Congresswoman Becca Balint Announce $2.1 Million in Community Development Grants
• Sen. Bernie Sanders wins a fourth term representing Vermont
• Bernie Sanders floats bipartisan bill to fulfill Trump campaign promise. Critics say it’s ‘pandering.’
• Bernie Sanders and Elon Musk are on the same page about auditing the Pentagon and slashing the defense budget. businessinsider.com
• As Biden warns of an ‘oligarchy,’ Trump will be flanked by tech billionaires at his inauguration. apnews.com
• Bernie Sanders is heading to Iowa. It’s not why you think. politico.com

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