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In the midst of the assassination attempt on Trump, the Republican Convention, Democrats continuing to try to take Biden off the ticket and record-breaking heatwaves around the country, let me highlight one development which has not gotten the attention that it deserves.

Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Elon Musk, the richest person in the world, is planning to donate some $45 million a month to a Trump campaign super PAC - a total of $150 million or so.

That is on top of the fact that Elon Musk owns one of the largest media companies in the world - X, formerly known as Twitter - which he has used to amplify the voices of conspiracy theorists who deny the results of the last election and spread the dangerous idea that Democrats want to allow mass, undocumented migration to the country to replace, electorally, the votes of white people.

While Elon Musk’s financial contribution is chump change to someone worth $250 billion, it is a very significant amount of money for any campaign.

I do not often find myself in the habit of thanking Elon Musk, but he has done an exceptional job of demonstrating a point that we have made for years -- and that is the fact we live in an oligarchic society in which billionaires dominate not only our economic life and the information we consume, but our politics as well.

And let me be clear. While the size of Musk’s financial contribution is particularly egregious, he is not alone in attempting to buy this election to further his own needs.

Other billionaires are also playing a significant role - in both political parties.

Oh, I know... here goes Bernie Sanders again about Citizens United and the role of money in politics. I have no shortage of critics who accuse me of being boring and of hammering away at the same themes year after year after year.

They’re probably right. I am repetitious, but that’s because the problems we care about are only getting worse.

Let’s be clear. It has never made sense to me, then or now, that a tiny clique of people should have incredible wealth and power while most people have none.

The reality is that while people like Elon Musk try to buy elections for Donald Trump, people who work for low wages, have no health insurance, can’t afford prescription drugs and can’t find affordable housing are giving up on politics.

They see the rich getting richer as they use their wealth to buy influence, and wonder whether anyone in Washington even knows what is going on in their lives.

So this is not a progressive issue. It is not a conservative issue. It is an American issue. It is an issue that should concern all Americans - regardless of their political point of view who wish to live under a government that represents all of the people and not just a handful of powerful special interests.

Taking action is not just good politics, it is also good policy. Because the truth is, campaign finance reform is the most important issue facing us today, because it impacts all the others.

So where do we go from here?

As we proved during our two campaigns for president, and a number of candidates have proven since, there is great power when people come together to make their voices heard.

That is true of volunteering.

That is true of posting on social media -- even on the site owned by Elon Musk.

And that is true when it comes to making small-dollar campaign contributions.

That is what I am asking you to do today.

I am asking you to make a contribution to help me elect and campaign for candidates who will work to overturn Citizens United and create a government that works for all the American people, and not just the billionaire class.

Please use this link to contribute $27 today. I will put your donation right to work helping to elect progressives who understand the dangerous reality of billionaires buying elections in this country.

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A solid majority support laws that would overturn Citizens United and limit the role of money in politics.

8 in 10 Americans believe the cost of campaigns makes it impossible for regular people to run for elected office.

The American people are with us.

It is time for Congress to act.

In solidarity,

Bernie Sanders


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