Bernie Sanders

Date: 2025-06-24 | Duration: 1h 56m

Episode Overview

Senator Bernie Sanders returns to JRE for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of America, oligarchy, automation, and whether there's any path to cross-partisan solidarity. Bernie opens by taking a deep breath and trying to answer honestly: what's going well, what's not. From there they cover growing inequality and the billionaire class's grip on politics, the absurdity of still debating gay marriage, China overtaking the U.S. as the top carbon polluter, and the seismic threat of AI automation to truck drivers, factory workers, and the American middle class. Bernie pushes back on the idea that displaced workers should just accept their fate, argues for a universal basic income framework, and shares stories from his recent tour of Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas — conservative states where he found remarkable common ground with working-class voters who feel the same economic squeeze. Trump's lawsuits against ABC, Meta, and the Des Moines Register also come up.

About Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders is the senior United States senator from Vermont, renowned for his passionate advocacy of progressive policies and social justice. With a political career spanning over four decades, he has championed issues such as Medicare for All, income inequality, and climate change, earning a reputation as one of the leading voices of the progressive movement in American politics. Known for his candid approach and unwavering commitment to fighting corporate influence in government, Bernie is currently on his "Fighting Oligarchy" tour, engaging with citizens and rallying support for a more equitable society. Tune into his recent appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience (episode #2341) to hear his insights on the current political landscape and his vision for the future. For more about Bernie’s initiatives, visit www.berniesanders.com.

Key Moments

– State of America today — honest assessment
– Oligarchy and billionaire class control of politics
– Gay marriage and why it's still being debated
– China surpasses US as top carbon emitter
– AI automation's threat to truck drivers and factory workers
– Universal basic income as response to tech displacement
– Trump lawsuits against ABC, Meta, and Des Moines Register
– Building cross-partisan coalitions in conservative states
– The working-class squeeze that transcends partisan lines
0:00:00 – Bernie takes a deep breath — where are we as a country?
0:13:08 – Billionaires motivated by more and more — but is it illegal?
0:25:40 – How are we still talking about gay marriage in 2025?
0:38:24 – China is now the #1 carbon polluter — US is #2
1:02:06 – AI automation: the goal is to throw workers out on the street
1:14:42 – Every American deserves a stake in the technology era
1:27:16 – Truck drivers, factory workers, gone — what do we owe them?
1:40:58 – Trump suing ABC, Meta, and the Des Moines Register
1:53:57 – Tour of Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas — finding common ground

Transcript Excerpt

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Joe Rogan Experience. Trained by day, Joe Rogan podcast by night, all day. Mr. Sanders, great to see you. Good to be with you, Joe. Great to be with you. You've got a bunch of notes. Not all that much. Have you prepared for this? I am all prepared. Starting point is 00:00:21 Well, it's a good time for you to be in here because the world's gone haywire. Yes. Yeah. What are your thoughts on this? I think I start off with Joe trying to take a deep breath and doing what is not often done. Where are we as a country today? What's going well? What's not going well? Starting point is 00:00:39 And I don't think we don't have that kind of basic discussion. And to my mind, I think in America today, we are facing more serious crises than we have in the modern history of our country. This is a pivotal moment in American history and what happens now will depend, determine the lives of our kids and future generations. What specifically concerns you? I'll tell you what concerns me. The issue of wealth and power. Starting point is 00:01:06 All right. I'm kind of old-fashioned and I believe in democracy. And I believe that everybody should have a good shot at living a decent life. And what I worry about right now, and this is an issue, Joe, and it's part of the problem that it just ain't talked about very much. And I applaud, by the way, you and the other podcasters who give people the time to really seriously discuss things rather than seven-second soundbites, you know. Starting point is 00:01:31 But if you take a look at where we are as a nation today, this system is not working. It's broken. It ain't working for ordinary human beings. So you have an America today where we have more income and wealth inequality than we've ever had in the history of this country. That's just the fact. You have one man, Mr. Musk, owning more wealth than the bottom 52 percent of American families. One man, 52 percent of American families. Starting point is 00:02:03 You ...

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Frequently asked about this episode

Who was the guest on Joe Rogan Experience #2341?

Bernie Sanders was the guest on JRE #2341. This page includes the episode overview, topics discussed, and related resources.

What topics were discussed on JRE #2341?

On Joe Rogan Experience #2341 with Bernie Sanders, topics include State of America today — honest assessment, Oligarchy and billionaire class control of politics, Gay marriage and why it's still being debated, and China surpasses US as top carbon emitter.

Where can I read the transcript for JRE #2341?

The full searchable transcript for Joe Rogan Experience #2341 with Bernie Sanders is available on this page, along with key topics and timestamps.