Bernie Sanders: America has a rigged economy

Bernie Sanders says pay and justice equality are priorities (Reuters)
Bernie Sanders says pay and justice equality are priorities (Reuters)

Vermont senator Bernie Sanders spoke in Arizona today, calling out big businesses and the justice system in the US.

Like most, he is arguing for the saving of a nation, but it seems as though there is one distinct difference -- he has tangible ideas on how.

Mr Sanders says it is unacceptable that the wealthiest people in the US own so much, while the bottom 150 million struggle.

"The US today is the wealthiest country in the history of the world, but almost nobody knows that," Mr Sanders says.

"We will be judged as a nation not by how many million and billionaires we have, but by how we treat the weakest and most vulnerable among us."

He says it is absurd that workers are paid US$8 or US$9 on a minimum wage income, because you cannot survive on such a low rate.

He says he would raise the minimum wage to a living wage income -- US$15.

But it's not just inequality in the economy he endeavours to improve, but the justice system too.

He says African-Americans and Hispanics are locked up disproportionately and this needs to stop.

"Police departments need to look as diverse as their communities," he says.

But despite his seemingly admirable ideas and a campaign he claims is free of super PAC funding, Mr Sanders remains behind in the polls.

An early count showed a loss of North Carolina, Ohio and Florida to Hillary Clinton and it looked as though he'd lose Illonois too.

Newshub.