Sanders: 'Not a whole lot of faith in either party'

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Thursday he thinks the American people do not seem to have "a whole lot of faith in either party, Democrats or Republicans."

Sanders told Fox News in an interview that voter registration and recent polling indicating the Democratic Party's favorability is at all-time lows mean Americans "perceive correctly that both political parties are dominated by big money interests."

Sanders, along with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), made an appearance in Las Vegas on Thursday as part of Sanders’s “Fighting Oligarchy” tour that he has been taking around the country. Nevada Rep. Steven Horsford (D) was also present at the event.

Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders, both progressive Democrats, criticized tech billionaire and Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk during their first joint rally of the tour.

"He's awarded with the most important position in government. He's essentially running the government," Sanders said of Musk during the Fox News interview recorded ahead of the event Thursday. "Does that make sense to people? It doesn't."

But Sanders said, "Democrats also have a whole lot of billionaires funding their campaigns."

"And you know, I think people are looking for alternatives. And I think, among other things, they also want to end this corrupt campaign finance system … which allows billionaires in both parties to buy elections," he said.

During his speech in Las Vegas following the interview, the Vermont Independent, who caucuses with Democrats, said two different Americas exist, with some economically well-positioned and most of the rest struggling due to deep income inequality. He called the “greed of the oligarchy” the “worst addition” in the country today. 

“They are like heroin addicts,” he said. “They need more and more and more. And if they destroy Social Security and Medicaid to get what they want, that is what they will do.” 

He said programs being targeted for cuts are “desperately” needed for families. He also criticized Trump’s move Thursday aimed at dismantling the Education Department, saying it will make it more difficult for Pell Grant recipients to get funding while costing schools money and causing children with disabilities to lose support they receive.