The problem is, I think, that while Bernie points out the real facts, Americans stick their heads deeper into rose colored near history.
While the Billionaires are doing well, most everyone else is going on a long down hill slide.
Why the disconnect? I think the Billionaires have hired the brightest most successful Wall Street Advert campaign companies and are selling us the "Song of America". We, the people, eat up the ads, and continue to except less as more.
Why so successful? The very rich have been doing this for a long time and what worked in Ancient Rome still works - divide and conquer. Keep us quarrelling amongst ourselves over scraps while the rich dine on the fillet mignon. Hence the Repubs vs the Dems. Have you noticed how many very rich switch parties to which ever they think will carry them into office - and despite what the say, their goal is as Bernie noted, make the rich richer.