"Deserting a sinking ship" — Internet reacts as Bernie Sanders rips into Democrats for abandoning working-class voters after Donald Trump win

US President Joe Biden in New Hampshire - Source: Getty
Bernie Sanders addresses audience at NHTI-Concord Community College in New Hampshire on October 22, 2024. (Image via Getty/Joseph Prezioso)

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders took to Instagram on Wednesday to upload a scornful statement against the Democratic Party in the wake of Kamala Harris' loss to President-elect Donald Trump. In his statement, Sanders shed light on seven key issues he feels the nation has failed to tackle.

His caption for the Instagram post read:

"It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them. While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change. And they’re right."

While he may have been trying to stand up for the working class, the internet did not take kindly to his sentiments. Many began pointing out that his moves were akin to rats deserting a ship going down or, as one user asserted,

"This is more popularly known as deserting a sinking ship."

Many more online had a lot to say. While some critiqued him, others pointed out that, given his failed attempts to become president, he was the one person who had the right to weigh in:

"Bernie really not the guy yall think he is," one user claimed.
"I’m sorry but Bernie Sanders of all people has the right to say this. He’s been down that road before," one user defended.
"Bars! They did Bernie dirty in 2016. It’s been downhill since then," someone else pointed out.
"Says the dude who has yet to win anything or pass a bill to help the working class!" one user declared.

The discussions continued:

"i never thought i would manage to dislike him. teen me would be very shocked," one user tweeted.
"the only ol man i trusted to run this country & we failed him," another tweeted.
"Bernie Sanders is so amazing. America fumbled big time not making him president," someone else opined.
"In what way did Harris abandon the working class? The child tax credit, Medicare covering in-home senior care, first time home buyers credit, lowering prescription costs, saving union pensions...all good for the working class!" someone stated.

Several others began opining that Bernie Sanders was a xenophobe and a racist himself, while others claimed that it was he who should have won in the past.


Bernie Sanders shreds the Democratic Party for failing to follow through on their promises

In his Instagram post, Bernie Sanders touched on the struggles of being working class, as he penned:

"It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them. First, it was the white working class, and now it is Latino and Black workers as well. While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change. And they're right."

Bernie Sanders, who ran for president in 2016 and 2020, went on, weighing in on critical issues like granting Israel military aid:

"Today, despite strong opposition from a majority of Americans, we continue to spend billions funding the extremist Netanyahu government's all out war against the Palestinian people which has led to the horrific humanitarian disaster of mass malnutrition and the starvation of thousands of children."

He continued,

"Will the big money interests and well-paid consultants who control the Democratic Party learn any real lessons from this disastrous campaign? Will they understand the pain and political alienation that tens of millions of Americans are experiencing? Do they have any ideas as to how we can take on the increasingly powerful Oligarchy which has so much economic and political power? Probably not."

Sanders was also of the opinion that today's youth "will have a worse standard of living than their parents" and that AI and robots would make matters worse. He continued, reflecting on how health care is an issue nationwide and that America is the only "wealthy nation" paying "by far the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs."

He concluded his tirade by noting that "those of us concerned about grassroots democracy and economic justice" ought to sit down for some "very serious political discussions." He then called on all like-minded individuals to "stay tuned."


Bernie Sanders is an Independent, but he frequently aligned himself with the views of the Democratic Party. He has long advocated for policies like Medicare for All and a higher minimum wage.

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Edited by Priscillah Mueni