Senator Bernie Sanders is holding the Democratic Party accountable following Vice President Kamala Harris’s defeat to now President-elect Donald Trump, leading to Republican control of the Senate.

In a social media post on Wednesday, the Vermont senator stated that the party leaders need to engage in “serious political discussions” about why Latino and Black voters are increasingly choosing Republican candidates.

“It shouldn’t be surprising that a Democratic Party that has turned its back on the working class is now abandoned by them,” Sanders remarked. “While party leaders defend the status quo, the American populace is frustrated and desires change. They’re justified in feeling this way.”

At 83 years old, Sanders pointed to various issues he believes have been neglected during the Biden-Harris Administration, including growing income inequality, an eroding standard of living, escalating prescription drug costs, and the absence of guaranteed medical leave.

Although he identifies as an Independent, Sanders works with the Democratic Party and has consistently advocated for policies such as Medicare for All and increasing the federal minimum wage.

Sanders secures Senate seat against Republican Gerald Malloy

Sanders’ remarks followed his victory in the recent elections, where he won a fourth Senate term by defeating Republican opponent Gerald Malloy, 62, ensuring another six years in the Senate.

He has served in the Senate since 2007 and was elected to the House of Representatives in 1991. He has previously run for the presidency in 2016 and 2020.

Malloy, a former U.S. Army officer and business executive from Perkinsville, Vermont, ran on a strongly conservative platform. A Boston native, he graduated from West Point in 1984 and holds a graduate degree from Temple University.

The result was widely expected in a state that hasn’t elected a Republican U.S. Senator since 2000. Malloy, 62, had lost to Democrat Peter Welch in a previous Senate run in 2022.

Read Bernie Sanders’ complete statement

It is not surprising that a Democratic Party which has left behind the working class is now facing abandonment from them. This started with the white working class, and now Latino and Black workers are following suit.

While the Democratic leadership supports the existing system, the people of America are frustrated and seek change. Their frustration is valid.

Currently, the wealthy are thriving, yet 60% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, with income and wealth disparities at an all-time high. Astonishingly, real wages adjusted for inflation for the average American worker are lower today than they were 50 years ago.

Despite advancements in technology and worker productivity, many young people are likely to experience a lower quality of life than their parents. There are concerns that Artificial Intelligence and robotics could exacerbate these issues.

Despite spending significantly more per capita than other nations, we are the only rich country that does not guarantee healthcare as a human right, and we pay the highest prescription drug prices globally. Unlike many other developed nations, we cannot even assure paid family and medical leave.

Additionally, despite widespread opposition, we continue to allocate billions to fund the extremist Netanyahu government’s aggressive actions against the Palestinian people, resulting in a severe humanitarian crisis with mass malnutrition and starvation affecting countless children.

Will the wealthy political forces and highly paid consultants controlling the Democratic Party actually learn from this campaign disaster? Will they grasp the suffering and political disaffection felt by millions of Americans? Do they have any solutions for confronting the increasingly powerful Oligarchy that possesses so much economic and political influence? Probably not.

In the coming weeks and months, those concerned with grassroots democracy and economic justice must engage in some serious political discussions.

Stay tuned.