Thousands rally in Charleston, with Bernie Sanders spotlighting Trump's tax plan and the Gaza crisis situation
In a rallying call for progressive change, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders visited Charleston, West Virginia, as part of his Fighting Oligarchy Tour. The event, held at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, saw Sanders addressing a range of pressing issues, including economic struggles faced by working-class Americans, President Trump's tax cut bill, and the ongoing crisis in Gaza [1][5].
Sanders emphasized the need to challenge the influence of billionaires and large corporations on the national government. He argued that the issues facing working-class people in Vermont are the same as those in West Virginia, highlighting a common struggle against oligarchic power and economic inequality [2][1].
Regarding President Trump's tax cut bill, which Sanders refers to as the "Big, Beautiful Bill," he criticized it sharply. Sanders argued that the bill amounts to giving tax breaks to billionaires while slashing Medicaid and SNAP benefits, a move he believes harms working people who need these social safety nets [4][2].
On the situation in Gaza, Sanders was scheduled to participate in a rally outside the Charleston Convention Center, showing solidarity and concern for humanitarian issues there [1]. Tiffany Tyson, executive director for the West Virginia Healthy Kids and Families Coalition, expressed excitement for Sanders' visit to the state, emphasizing the importance of his message [3].
Outside the rally, Omar Sabbagh, a recent graduate, expressed his concerns about the situation in Gaza. Sabbagh stated that the U.S. government funds Israel, which he believes is using these funds to kill children and starve them of food and water in Gaza [6].
Sanders' Fighting Oligarchy Tour is part of a larger effort to recruit progressive candidates and organise grassroots movements against authoritarian tendencies and economic inequality in America [1][5]. The next stop for the tour is North Carolina. Sanders predicted that tens and tens of thousands of people who are now on Medicaid would lose their benefits due to the Big Beautiful Bill. He expressed strong disapproval of the current situation in Gaza, describing it as horrific [7].
The event in Charleston marked Sanders' third stop in West Virginia, following speaking engagements in Wheeling and Lenore [8]. Tyson, a supporter of Sanders' mission and views, which align with her own fighting efforts, expressed her support for the senator's visit [3]. In summary, Sanders' key points in Charleston included fighting oligarchy and corporate takeover of government, criticizing Trump's tax cuts as favoring the wealthy at the expense of working families, and showing support for ending the famine in Gaza through public rally involvement.
Sanders spoke about the need for policy and legislation changes to combat war-and-conflicts, such as the ongoing crisis in Gaza, emphasizing the importance of addressing humanitarian issues. In political discussions regarding policy-and-legislation, Sanders expressed his opposition to the tax cut bill, arguing that it benefits the wealthy while harming general-news issues like healthcare and social safety nets for working-class Americans.
