Word The global oligarchy revealed by the Paradise Papers

Common Dreams - The major issue of our time is the rapid movement toward international oligarchy," Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) declared in a statement to the Guardian, which noted that "Sanders' intervention in the debate sparked by the Paradise Papers marks the most prominent political response to the leak in their opening 24 hours."

Decrying a world "in which a handful of billionaires own and control a significant part of the global economy," Sanders said the trove of more than 13 million leaked documents detailing offshore dealings "shows how these billionaires and multinational corporations get richer by hiding their wealth and profits and avoid paying their fair share of taxes."

Sanders said the documents expose a "major problem not just for the U.S. but for governments throughout the world." According to the Guardian, he also:

pointed the finger of blame for the flourishing of offshore holdings on both Congress and the Trump administration. He told the Guardian that Republicans in Congress were responsible for providing "even more tax breaks to profitable corporations like Apple and Nike.