Why do so many Americans support a neofascist? | The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich
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- Опубликовано: 27 авг 2024
- Heather and I take a deep dive into why so many Americans are supporting a neofascist for president. Trump is the consequence rather than the cause of several major problems that have worsened over four decades - problems that have undermined the American middle class, and caused a substantial number of people to become angry, anxious, and cynical.
Please pull up a chair and grab a cub of coffee.
"The forest was shrinking but the trees kept voting for the Axe, for the Axe was clever and convinced the trees that because his handle was made of wood, he was one of them." - Turkish proverb.
Amazing proverb. So sad but so true. Thanks for sharing this. People will vote for their own demise to quench their hatred.
Si true!
Just as Trump's head is made of wood, like too many of his followers heads.
Brilliant. Thank you
Beautiful quote. Thanks. Am gonna circulate it.
Equating wealth with intelligence is a huge problem in the US.
And how many TV personalities are now in the business of running the country? Americans are not serious voters.
Exactly. The USA has a habit shipping the rich. Even though the rich has usually done NOTHING to earn either their money or our respect. The money is being stolen from the middle class and the poor.
....world wide...look at the English Royals...other dynasties..
No Doubt!
Americans IDOLIZE the greedy rich, are you kidding?!
"Instead of treating workers as assets to be developed, modern CEO's are treating them as costs to be cut." Robert Reich
That isn't just modern CEOs. There a long record.
@@thimkful But before the 80s, public opinion was strongly against that thinking, which kept them in check to a point. After the 80s, though, the public had been brainwashed into agreeing with that sentiment, which emboldened them.
Reich is a smart guy, feeding the pigeons. wake up.
@@jamesbosworth4191 yeas labor has been gutted.
@@kellharris2491 And Joe Biden was our last hope to revive it. Sadly, now he will not get that chance.
Robert Reich is part historian and partly the conscience of our nation. I always enjoy his conversations.😊
As an Australian in Australia at the start of the Covid pandemic as a CEO of a company with over 1,000 workers I realised we could be in for a very rough times with a very big drop in sales revenue - I said to our CFO that our most valuable asset is our workers, they are what makes our business successful, I asked our CFO to develop a financial plan that would allow us to retain all of our staff through the pandemic, then I emailed all our staff to explain the dire situation and our plan to keep everyone employed but with the proviso that if our sales fell all staff including me the CEO and all management would have a pay reduction until the pandemic was over - this plan was extremely well received by all staff, the huge benefit for the business was at the end of the recession we had all our highly skilled staff still employed and we could immediately return to 100% production.
lmao you're a CEO? L
👏👏👏👏👏👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
The same line the Dutch government took.
As much as possible keep the employees employed so after the crisis you still have your qualified workforce.
This strategy has worked out great, and employers still had their workers and did not have to put a lot of effort in building up a qualified staff from scratch.
@@transsexual_void_fairy It seems that at this moment a lot of Americans think that stupidity is a virtue. These folks have a club named the GOP.
Seems you are a member.
Be careful, your fellow CEOs are going to have you committed.
Thank you Robert Reich for your endless dedication and courage towards fairness and justice.
You do know that his NAFTA is a major cause of discontent among many a MAGA fan, right? Oh, you don't know. Between a good many of the MAGA crew and the likes of you, well, we are without hope...
Spoken as a true, easily manipulated, loyal, subservient, brain dead for years Democrat.
I taught U.S. History in high school for 36 years. That's what made me choose the Democratic Party. I cheer each time I listen to you explain why we study history. Yes, it taught me that historically trickle down economics has never worked. It also taught me that unions are important to the working class. My father worked in an oil refinery and belonged to a labor union that he strongly supported. Although he was a registered Republican I truly believe there is no way he would support the economic policies of the Republicans today. Please keep giving us your videos. I've shred them with so many people. You explain things so well.
How can you vote for such an immoral party? Try actually reading our Constitution yourself. You would be amazed to see that our country is being turned into a fascist, communistic system. You don't know this because the airways are dominated by the Dems who are in power! (ABC NBC MSNBC CBS CNN). If you have the time, why not read Project 2025 instead of only listening to these fascistic hate mongers mangle the truth about it?
This isn’t your dad’s republican party. This is the group once called Dixicrats. My family WAS republican, too.
I think there were a lot of people throughout the U.S. who saw where the GOP was going….we just didn’t have a platform to express our fears. I saw where the GOP was going when Reagan was elected, and I was only 18 years old. I watched a lot of the Watergate hearings culminating with Nixon’s resignation, and that was an incredible education for a 12 year old, and that’s when my political antennae began to grow along with my distrust of the Republican Party. But I remember when Reagan got into bed with evangelical Christians, and, being conscious of the division of Church and State in the Constitution, I was appalled at both the drive to connect the two as well as the bigotry that went with it. And my feeling got worse at every election.
I am 69 and the current direction of the country scares me. It's not Trump that scares me as much as the large group of people that do not see the framework of facism being set. Examples: the Supreme court is playing games with the wording of law. They struck down Roe and that's after 5 justices lied about overturning Roe in their senate hearings. Yesterday they decided to play games with the immunity of the president. Justice Alito said he was not interested in the case brought before the court. WHAT? That I thought WAS what the court system is supposed to do. Many on the court are re-writing the laws which is NOT in their power to do.
How about our government creating coups in many countries for our domination in those markers and those countries resources all for big AMERICAN companies.
How about Bush inacting the patriot act for our protection. And then lying about WMDs to get us into war and at the same time allowing our INDUSTRIAL complex to make more money. One of the only divisions of government that has no accountability to the money it spends.
Biden continues this today in supplying the Isreal government with more weapons.
The presidency has gone sideways. Trump said over and over that Covid was not a threat & that everyone should get back to work to keep our economy good. Good for who? Anyone owning stock? That's limited to very few at the top. The stock market used to be the sign of the worth of a company. NOT like Trump is trying to do with his social media company and make a quick buck.
Many in the house and esspecially the senate are their to make money off of the stock market.
And lets not forget Citizens United. What a perfect way to allow big money to take ever our government.
When did THE AMERICAN WAY become worshipping money instead of life itself? We as a country do not support struggling people and make it hard for the less fortunate to lead a life of happiness.
Why are we playing with our beliefs? Many news outlets are trying to normalize hate and atrocities. In school we had fire drills but NEVER had shooter drills. What the hell? Gun manufacturers are making money while we allow our values in humanity to drift downward.
Where are the hard lines we as Americans will not cross? I would say our worship of money and power have condemned us to the hell we are currently facing. Sadly!
Well said !
Did you forget who indicted their opposition?
Did you forget who sent your tax funds to Ukraine?
Did you forget who locked you down during the "pandemic"?
You're 100% correct!!
I was creamed by The Crash of 2008 -- lost my career, my health insurance, and almost all of my retirement investments at the age of 61. The government bailed out Wall St. and Corporate America, but private citizens had to find a way to recover independently. I had an affordable house, so my disabled son decided he needed to be my housemate and share all living expenses. I cooked from scratch, baked my own bread, started using homemade laundry detergent and hung my clothes outdoors to dry. We grew our own fruits and vegetables and gave up all single-use disposable paper and plastic products. My daughter jokes that I'm an escapee from a hippie commune. She's a Trumper, and despises me for my political and economic views. I'm financially okay now, still watching every dime. My town still has tent communities of seniors who never recovered ... but GM is doing just fine.
The party that causes the homeless tent populations, screams the loudest about the nasty homeless tent camps. :(
Hopefully your daughter will one day wake up from the "word drugs" tRump spreads around. And I sincerely congratulate you and your coping mechanisms, Kathryn. If that had happened to tRumpie, he would just cry and fill his diaper in a senior's home until someone fed him.
Who are you voting for?
In re: Your daughter. I'm sorry for your loss.
Your daughter has been poisoned by fascism. Such a shame.
Superbly explained. Not just a US problem, It's the same in all western economies.
Same thing happening in the UK and Australia.
No, that is factually incorrect.
@@andersa4667 I would not say *all* Western economies have this problem equally, but many of them do. It is *very* common for people to use *all* when *many* or *most* is more accurate, as well as say monopoly when oligopoly is more accurate.
Same for Germany recent layoffs wave, despite company making profits. They do whatever they want and NOBODY can stop them because lobby matters (people don't)
Unregulated capitalism is one of the prime reasons.
"People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made" - Franklin D. Roosevelt
so that's not the case. If it was the case, it would have happened during Biden's administration.
No it happened under Republican administrations.
Said a man that had to deal with a higher percentage of people hungry and out of a job than ANY other President this century - and who's "projects" are NOT what ended the Great Depression, they EXTENDED it.
Without World War II, the Great Depression was on track to run WAY into the 1940s.
What would Franklin D Rooservelte know, he wasn't hungry or out of a job, he was a billionaire making money out of making war, and sending working class men off to be killed. Whenever they have an economic problem the billionaires want to make war, so they can make money from selling munitions.
Yes except many who are supposedly hungry are often in the wellfare system and lack ambition & moyivation to move out of this system-:(
It's a catch 22.
Omg. He is explaining what I have been trying to say ever since Regan became president! I am 80 years old and have witnessed the destruction of the middle class by Big Business republicans since the early 80s!
Ronald Regan really got the ball rolling.
people only want happy news or news that favors their position.
It's democrats who is destroying us here is the proof when taxes were raised by a large amount by Eisenhower it took one person working to support a family of four after the big tax increase it soon went to two people working to support a family of four a big drop in liveing standards now with government bigger than ever before and more regulations on business than ever before two people working struggle to support a family of four and our debt grows by seven percent a year our economy little over two this is unsustainable and will destroy our nation because of Democrat greed vote out handout Democrats before it's to late our childrens future depend on it
Republicans are still trying to tell the average American middle and lower income earners that Reagan’s trickle down economics is in our best interest. It’s only in the interest of wealthy Americans and large corporations.
Or the Hate, anger and chaos caucus
Robert Reich is a good example of a man using his talent, knowledge and ability to work making life better for others. A life’s work.
No, Reich is an individual who has expertise in one topic and thinks it makes them an expert on other topics. Much like we see with Elon Musk, and so many others. The hubris is breathtaking.
There's so much, from a political perspective, that he pretends aren't there. We have tens of millions of theocrats in this country, and they vote according to Eamon religious views elevated to rule of law. 32% of Americans. The percentage is less than half that in the other advanced western nations. The rise of the theocratic right has a lot to do with how we got here.
I marvel at how many ex-Republicans have now spoken out about the problem of theocracy in the Republican party. They aren't afraid to use terms such as theocrat, theocracy, etc. And yet there's this wing on the left that runs from such terms. Won't acknowledge the problem. Won't acknowledge what a threat to freedom it is. And that in itself is a serious problem. If he's going to speak politics, he needs to include the major political forces in this country. The ideologies.
The number one predictor of someone being a Trump supporter is being authoritarian minded. One can't get at the roots of that through talking economics.
I knew a business professor who claimed that he could understand everything, including the movement of the planets, through liking at everything as business transactions. Fortunately, NASA didn't use him for guiding space flight. It's that same sort of hubris. An intelligent person having so much knowledge on one subject that they believe their willful ignorance in another topic doesn't get in the way of them being expert on that other subject. Like Musk thinking he has any clue whatsoever regarding what freedom of speech actually entails. Or Zuckerberg & Co. flailing about with concepts of ethics and standards. Utterly clueless. Which detracts in no way from their actual intelligence, or the actual range of knowledge that they have.
I feel free with trump. Biden is letting in illegals many criminals and destroying our country . The blue states are the worst off and this professor wants to keep going in this direction
@@billtharp3374 what? Give me an example.
@@lonpollard902 interesting...but your idea doesn't rule out what Reich has been saying forever to those who would hear...All that you're saying isn't really a rebuttal...it's not AND/OR ....it's AND the money-minded theocracy is also a big part of the problem.....Makes me wonder why you need to negate Reich instead of seeing his value... Makes me also wonder if you yourself are doing exactly what you accuse Reich of.
@@Joker75113 Reich is well off we are not.
I can attest to what you're saying, Dr. Reich. I'm 71 years old now, and I saw this happening first hand. As you said, things really started changing in the early 1980s. After that, I rarely got promoted at work, and raises for almost everyone plummeted. I got a BS in Business in 1981 and an MBA in business in 1991. I got more and more angry at what business was. The more I learned, the less I liked it. Seeing jobs shipped to other countries was depressing. Seeing unions fall apart was sad. The way I was treated at work got so bad that I finally left. I've not been able to stomach the thought of going back again. Now no one would hire me. I consider myself lucky.
I saw over my career how mistreated workers began turning on one another, and I knew their anger was misplaced.
I still cannot fathom why Trump likes Putin so much? Putin's number one goal is to destroy Democracy all over the world and he said it himself numerous times. He says that if all Earth is a dictatorial hellhole it will be easy for individual dictators to talk to each other bypassing parliament, congress, senate and other democratic institutions. It's basically a global movement to get Power into the hands of a Russian Psychopath and his cronies one of which could be Trump and Co
And Trump is on YOUR side. He is fighting those elites that Reich mentioned! But he has alway been against Harris and Walz's brand of SOCIALISM. Their policies will only case more inflation. Do your research!
WONDERFUL CONVERSATION! WAKE UP AMERICANS! 💙
They already think they're "awake". It would be best if they went back to sleep.
Simple, he puts money in the pockets of the rich and he tells the working class he hates the people they hate.
scary true !! and too large a part of the country has become mindless enraged pawns
Biden = Trump. Vote Kennedy Jr.!
That’s my take exactly.
Welcome to The New Soviet Union!
the king of duplicity!
Plainly put, many of us are tired of watching some people eat caviar, live in mansions, sail around in yachts, have personal physicians and send their kids to Ivy League universities while we struggle to buy groceries, keep a roof over our heads, own a reliable car to drive to work, go to a doctor and send our kids to college. Having a society filled with glutinous overconsumption on one end and grinding poverty on the other end is both unsustainable and dangerous.
BECAUSE SURVIVAL IS INSUFFICIENT!
Weirdly, I can remember that we spent at least two decades of the 80s and the 90s WATCHING these people live in their mansions and sail their yachts on TV and in the papers, while we kept the roofs over our heads just barely, our unions and pensions went away, our health got worse as we could not afford the good food and medicine...we bought the lie! *(I didn't, you didn't, but as a culture, we bought the lie!)*
I disagree we are fine watching people do all those things what people are tired of is the inability for themselves to be that person.
Those are all very legitimate concerns. Trump can not and will not address any of them. He is about promoting his business interests and retribution to his stated enemies. He can not govern.
@@ace448 The physical Planet will not allow that.
Bob Reich continues to be one of the sanest and most intelligent voices in our national dialog, helping us to comprehend the incomprehensible allure of Donald Trump and MAGA.
W.E. Sweet, PRS, CA
He is! But the issue I have is he is too politically polarised.
He backs a team who avoid most corruption issues, promote world war, and in most cases only make things in the economy worse.
People I know backing Trump aren’t bad people, they just see him as hope.
Germany saw Hitler as hope. Maybe they weren't bad people, maybe MAGA isn't bad people, but they are falling for a bad message. Trump us a hateful, corrupted, racist, twisted idea of hope.
Your ignorance is why you don't understand the allure. Labor unions are Reichs' bread and butter. However, a strong, securely controlled country has to exist first! That is what Trump is fighting for! Please don't believe Kamala's political promises. Our country is sliding into demonic territory, with homosexuality and infanticide rampant. It's not important that Trump is a poor Christian, as long as he SUPPORTS the Christians! Please vote for America!
I love to listen to Reich talk about the last 40+ years, and why we are where we are today. He makes so much sense!
Reich speaks the same views as Marianne Williamson, who's on the ballot for president in about 40 states; yet, I am not aware of him ever mentioning her positions that are no different than his. Perhaps, he was too concerned about the fragmentation among voters that he feared would weaken the incumbent's chances and/or popularity still too frail.
The "people" who make *millions* of dollars a year being able to convince the people who make $60,000 a year that people who only make $10,000 a year are the problem was the biggest face palm I've ever seen.
Why would you vote for a millionaire to public office it's insane
Money talks and everyone hangs on their every word like gospel.
So very true.
The big question what GOD or god has
this nation really
serve from it's beginning maybe the reason why some amongst us always gets
TAXBREAKS
@@user-fm6bt9tg6v There is only the one god; the god that has enough money and power behind it to force you either by fear or brainwashing to believe in it.
The intelligence, balance and informed nature of Mr. Reich is echoed by the same in his Commenters. Democracy Now!, Mary Trump, Glenn, Gina, Beau and the rest of you heroes...bravissimo.
My sentiments exactly
Sean O’Brien’s recent ‘performance’ walking the line at the Republican Convention I find despicable. He has a sitting President in FULL SUPPORT of unions and he does this trick. Shameful. My stepfather was a member many years ago. He would have been disgusted by this.
the crowd was completely silent as he talked about the importance of protecting workers to the party of union busters and corporate greed... Sean is truly pitiful
I would wait until the DNC. If he also speaks there, then it might have been a good move if he's able to sway some of the workers from the RNC to vote blue when they figure out which candidate and party has their best interests in mind.
@@yeep9017 I would have loved to be there for that few minutes, just to see and record the looks on everyone's faces in the audience. Being so quiet, then realizing that their party is NOT the one that supports labor unions. I was laughing during his speech. I wondered if security would pull him off the dais. Didn't the RNC see the potential for any "problems"? O'Brien's audience is with the Democrats.
I think he wants both parties to support unions, and took the chance that he could convince some of them.
And the people who would benefit from unions have been convinced to hate unions.
unions are not the problem.... the necessity of unions is. companies use to seek the loyality of their employees and reward same. somewhere along the way... that changed.
When u needed help the most, the union I was in did nothing.
That would be a great thought in 1924 not so much in 2024. The union bosses are Democrats which mean they colluded with the company to get their kick-backs while they screw over the little guy.
That's why someone that _does_ _nothing_ is better.
@@carlstock5365 A long long long time ago.
@@mjt1517 I have heard that many many times. And you know what? When I have dug deeper, most of those making that claim did something that the union can't defend them against, such as theft, vandalism at work, very poor attendance that they have been disciplined about before, repeated insubordination that they have been disciplined about before, things of that nature. Unions aren't about enabling employees to violate company rules, they are about preventing the employer from making up different rules for each employee. And of course, better wages, better benefits, a pension, seniority rights, accumulated paid sick leave, and accumulated vacation time.
You are so right. Wages have gotten so far behind,. There is almost no such thing as pensions and unions so people can afford to retire. People have responded to this with anger and fear which fuels the path to dictatorship.
Wages are behind because you still believe in the democrats.
Unions killed many cities with their greed.
Per democrats !!! What do you think comes from open borders?surely you are blind and deaf
@lynnjudd9036 Exactly right. Trump, as bad as he is, is not the problem, he is a symptom. As a scarily relevant example, Hitler came to power even though he was considered a bit of a joke at the time, (sound familiar?) because of the horrendous economic conditions imposed upon Germany after WWI.
You bet it does.
Regan wasn't the savior we were were told. He was a destructive force that anyone who was at the bottom suffered.
true
Yes!
I went hungry as a kid under Jimmy Carter. Speak for yourself.
@@jefferyfite7122 Study supply side economics - Peter Turchin is great teacher of what really happened
@@user-xu6bv7yh2j What President used supply side economics to lead the USA to prosperity?
Excellent! I like when RR talks like a professor. I want to make sure I have enough understanding to explain the situation to the uninformed. Thank you! 😎
Thank you so much for bringing up unions. I worked for a multimillion dollar corporation as an Executive Assistant. Part of my job was to post anti union propaganda. I was sent weekly anti union propaganda newsletters to share with all managers. This same company had very few full time employees to avoid health insurance costs. I could go on and on about the anti worker policies. I encourage all young people, starting with my own daughter to only work for unionized companies. If they aren't for you they are against you regardless of the BS crumbs they throw you.
Vote!!
I work for a large corporation and my job is a union position. Thanks to the union, I get a guaranteed raise and bonus every year, comprehensive, low-cost health insurance, excellent retirement benefits, protection against unfair discipline/being fired or laid off, and a say in policies and procedures. For me, being in a union provides a balance of power between employee and employer. The benefits outweigh the costs. However, I know that not all unions are as beneficial as the one that I am a member of.
In the little bitty town of Foster Oregon, there was once a Plywood Mill owned by Willamette Industries. The Murphy Lumber bought it. Out went the union because Murphy's is a union busting company. Murphy's propagandized, badgered their employees until the employees voted out a union. They wish they hadn't. Now too many employees work 6 days a week just to make ends meet. So much for union busting.
I have one bumpersticker- I support the labor movement The people who brought you the weekend
You could not have posted anti-union propaganda since they are not unions. They are now political party extensions. Why do you think Biden announced 100% EV Tariffs? Sucking that union Richard.
@@dianaolson7547
So WHY did the workers cave? WHY???? They knew what they had in their union. So they deserve what they have now. NO protection, NO decent benefits & low wages. It's really hard to have any sympathy when you vote against yourself & others!!!!! It's just ignorant..
This is excellent. My husband and I raised 2 kids and put them through college during the decades of stagnating wages. I couldn't work because he got stuck on the afternoon shift and I only had 2 hours between him leaving for work and the kids getting home from school. GM had stopped hiring and plants were closing. Jobs were going overseas. We never felt secure. BUT we have a pension, excellent health insurance and a life insurance policy on each of us. We feel more secure in retirement than in his 40 years of employment, plus we have some savings from the part time job I finally had time to fit in. Thank you, UAW ❣️ And I'm keeping my Volt.
Thanks so much for this chat! It makes it so clear to me now, how everything fell into a terrible place during & after the Reagan era. I’m 62 now & watched how everything changed with minimum wages stagnation & big business & money in politics. I appreciate you both!
When asked why so many people vote for Trump, Marianne Williamson expressed it so well: People prefer false hope to no hope at all.
@@MiraGabriel9 USA under Biden is a complete failure, yet you are still have Trump derangement. Try a shrink.
what are you hoping for ?? for bigger welfare check ??
@@martinko4086Better yet - living wages.
@@maryreeves357 MOVE to CUBA , they will give you living wages .
@@martinko4086Ok Mr Snark, I'm ancient and retired when I turned 81. Beat that?
Since 1980, worker pay has increased 20%, executive pay increased 400%, corperate profit has increased 1500%.
Totally lopsided economy and society.
Do you believe in a livable wage
@@fritzforsthoefel8031
A livable wage is what gave us the middle class in America, and unions are the only country wide organizations that are still fighting for a livable wage for the working class.
That's why whenever I see someone and get into a conversation, when we're done talking and say goodbye, I always say (for 40 years now) *_"Don't work too hard, nobody pays good enough for that..."_*
@@fritzforsthoefel8031 The point is you cannot have a livable wage with those figures.
So according to you a person is an idiot to work hard enough to take a skilled job when all you have to do is drop out of school get a low skilled job and live good is that what your saying
Trickle down was the beginning of the end for the middle class. Rich got richer, poor got poorer. Wages stagnated.
You lie or don't know what you are talking about what was the ministry wage in nineteen eighty and what is in California now
Minimum wage was three dollars an hour in nineteen eight it's now twenty in California nearly a seven hundred percent increase were you not aware of that
Only one thing "Trickled Down" and it was'nt the money.
Why does someone else's money have to trickle down to you are you a child why can't you as an adult create your own wealth
You lie about wages not riseing for low skilled workers why would you do that
Because from childhood they’ve been told religious fairytales and now as adults they find it difficult to see the difference between a fact and a lie?
I argue it's the social fairy tales that are the problem (work hard and you'll be rewarded, everyone plays fair, etc.) Matthew 7:15 (wolves in sheep's clothing) seems very applicable to modern society IMHO
nah, its nothing about religion, see all those so called"communism countrys" (dictators' country in fact) forbid religion to appear or at least restricted them in really hard way.
they had this problem much worse than the west.
Thanks for stating the truth. Amazingly there's something that we can do. Not just listen but build a stronger electoral base. We need real
Voters to vote for democracy and follow the Constitution. Great Talk!!
"Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities " Voltaire
The right is about leaving people alone. The left wants to control how every community operates down to what thoughts you are allowed to share.
If it is not clear, Republicans are socialist. Democrats are worse.
January 6?!
Maybe you should listen to Biden's Gaza rhetoric, with this quote in mind.....
@@darrelldadamsYes, horrific, but every leader does it. But Jan 6 and “both sidesing” Charlottesville? Why doesn’t that attack on our republic drive all Americans away from Trump?
@@Kate-lk6tw because x% think it never happened...the power of propaganda and self imposed confinement within its protective bubble
Welfare for corporations that are wealthy- ok.
Absent-father mothers on welfare - bad. 🙄
Welfare is bad no matter who
@@yourdaddy-mq4kmthat is absolutely true... until situations change and you a hand.
@@kt798 I've been there and I don't want anything from the government
@@yourdaddy-mq4km Not if you need it.
@@yourdaddy-mq4km You don't like welfare, but you aspire to be rich like the Waltons who never paid their employees enough so that they weren't eligible for welfare and food stamps. If we thought fathers in the home would help we'd never have set up welfare so they couldn't be in the home. Do you know how much a mom with 3 kids collects when she's on welfare? Why do we think that the people who get the least are the one's who're getting the most?
This has been helpful. I am anti-Trump and this has really clarified some things for me.
I think this is happening primarily amongst the less educated, non curious angry people who unfortunately resonate with the tough, lying anti establishment con man & never bother to verify any facts & thus go down this evil & selfish rabbit hole-:(
It the way Hitler came into power. The less educated, poor and struggling were easily manipulated. It is also where Trump and his ilk have gotten their ideas to take over the country.
It's sad that those who feel resentful and disenfranchised have turned to the party and man that will undoubtedly make their lives worse.
RUST BELT was MADE so by the same globalists who fund the DNC
Robert Reich is a true Patriot. He has spent most his life speaking truth to power and educating people so they have a good understanding of how our government is supposed to work. He is absolutely brilliant, and one of the best legal minds of our time. Thank you Robert, for your exemplary service to our country. 💙
A true patriot who stop the invasion on the Southern border and as a lawyer enforce immigration laws and antitrust issues to stop the corporate control of the country. He is a propagandist
Robert Reich is unable to comprehend DEMOCRACY.
If we don’t stand together with positive ideals, we let the wolves into the fold.
I had a long conversation with Robert Reich when he was a dark horse candidate for Mass. Governor, and I was a newspaper editor. Smartest guy I ever met, beyond question.
What is a "dark horse candidate?" I don't know the expression.
@@kenashworth7672 It's a lesser-known candidate. Why don't you just Google it?
@@kenashworth7672 an expression from over 150 years ago, by training a racehorse horse "in the dark" owners & trainers could enter it in a race and place bets at very favorable odds to win, since no one expected the horse to even be running in the race.
So a human “Dark horse candidate” is one no one expected to even be in the political race, but has a good chance to win.
@@carolewhelan2492 Ah - thank you: the context now makes sense.
@@carolewhelan2492 You could've just written "a lesser-known candidate."
Truth. Today people earn less than their parents did! I’m a lifelong Union man with a pension. How many have a pension today? Exactly!
I am a teacher...I had a good pension until Rick Scott as the FL governor, decided to take the funds that was the pension fund for police, firefighters, & teachers. Now, w/ Rock Scott in the Senate he is leading the parade to get rid of Medicare & SS.
PRESIDENT BIDEN called him out during the last 2 State of the Union addresses...maga booed the President! The court jester MTG screamed out LIAR!
SAVE DEMOCRACY
💙🇺🇸💙🇺🇸💙🇺🇸💙
A defined benefit plan....a thing of the past....but then again, MOST of us do not have stocks, buy-out plans, salaries with 2 commas in the amount....
Mr. Reich, thank you for bringing great questions over your career. We might have disagreed, I can agree that you have always been a great American.
Thank you Mr Reich for sharing your knowledge and wisdom along with insight you are a true patriot.
Mr. Reich is not smart enough to understand real world . He is damage to our country.
As Heather shared she kind of “lucked out” in her situation in 2008, my family experienced the opposite- as you said, we had sunk so much into a home, and in 2008 our income stopped due to a health issue (that took a year to resolve ). Our country bailed out the banks and corporations, but no one helped us. We lost everything including our home (and sadly eventually our marriage). All we needed was a little time. Our banks literally wouldn’t even answer the phone. They disappeared (until we bailed them out). Our income was from a major airline which could’ve offered support knowing the health issue would resolve. Again, they declared bankruptcy, screwed employees and yet got bailed out. The ripples continue as our kids have unplanned college debt as they try to make their way as adults. As a country we don’t discuss this recent history because corporations don’t want to remind us *they* are the ones who didn’t pull themselves up by their bootstraps. *They* got the government handout. Their workers got screwed. Thanks for actually discussing! I may be disillusioned, but I know going authoritarian is the exact wrong way to go!! 💙
Blue team is the ones giving those handouts.
It's not teams. That's what's wrong with the rightwingers. To them it's a game. It's people's lives.
@@5amiann if it's not teams to you then why do you call them "right-wingers"
Ronald Reagan was the Antichrist
I am sorry for your losses due to the oligarchy in charge at the time. It's hard to forgive such blatant greed! I hope your kids can get help with their debt and find a good path. We cannot give up on making things better and not allowing greed and power to win--together the collective can and must unite.Thanks for sharing your story!
Man, watching that old video sent chills.
Very enlightening, educational, informative, just great knowledgeable person! Go Biden, go!
he dropped out joe was getting sleepy
Robert Reich is a national treasure. Diminutive in size but giant in intellect, and always on the side of labor🇺🇸
He seems a mediocre intellect to me couched in unfounded assertions and coached in Socialism.
What’s unfounded about what he’s saying? You don’t seem to even know what socialism is. I’d hardly call a Rhode Scholar a mediocre intellect. Let’s compare your achievements by all means.
@@brianmclaughlin4419
Only socialism will save the working class
Only socialism will save the country
Only socialism will save democracy
Only socialism will save the planet
Capitalism destroys all of the above... this is FACT.
Socialists politicized labor in the early days because it's a necessary part of their underlying class-struggle schtick. They have to have oppressors and oppressed else they can't divide and conquer the masses. This strategy had little success in the west so they turned to finding oppressors and oppressed outside of economic classes. They continue to use economics to try to woo people into surrendering their wealth and liberties, but it only works on a certain percentage of the population. There's no power base there still in what remains of the west. That's why you get all this other socialist propaganda on every conceivable social issue nowadays. Even 'gender' is now politicized in the most insane way that few ever could have predicted. So, in terms of why Trump is popular, one answer I would give is that he seems to know the difference between a man and a woman, and this resonates with the portion of the population that is still somewhat rational.
@brianmclaughlin4419
Yes, to you, I’m sure he does.
Not to smart people.
I worked many years as top aide to a politician. When she started down the criminal path, I immediately quit. She ended up escaping prison because she got a sympathetic judge, although her husband was convicted. Our system needs to change...
Who was convicted?
I despair at our future because of this reality. Do you think it’s possible for someone to ascend to high office in our country without being corrupt?
Trump promised to bring back factory jobs during his campaign. When he got elected outsourcing didn't stop. Factory jobs did not return
Thank you for this.
I’m not a American but very intrigued about what’s going on in the US right now and what caused this. Keep up beiing as informative as you are.!
When companies don't think of their employees as human beings, they themselves are not human beings.
We have to get rid of Citizen’s United, the Electoral College, & the filibuster. VOTE 100% BLUE no 3rd party no Nikki voters
Yes but under the law they are treated like human beings.
@@user-yt3so4pk7u - No RFK Jr. voters, either!
The crooked SCOTUS says that judicial entities like Corporations and Unions are people and therefore have all rights that human persons have in the Bill of Rights. Though the SCOTUS ruled this nonsense in the 2010 Citizens United disaster, we have yet to see a CEO whose company went bankrupt be prosecuted for murder, or a startup Corporation that runs out of money and is aborted be prosecuted under Dobbs. The right-wing-nuts have weaponized the 1st Amendment to the detriment of our entire democratic system.
Ah, the SCOTUS disagrees. "Corporations are people."
"ronald reagan murdered the american dream" - Hunter S. Thompson
A lot of Brits thought Margaret Thatcher was a financial savior but North Sea oil came on line as she took office. She had nothing to do with it any improvement.
F A C T !!!
Reagan's people'S actually tried to replicate the assassination of Kennedy.. yet the secret service ...Reagan was berated during office about great acting not.real journalists were already bought up. Nixon days. Can't win? Buy them.Those lazy heirs.Every heir was bought instead of protecting the family history.Shame on the future generations. YES I UNDERSTAND THE LAZINESS OF THE HEIRS JUST NOT GIVING A DAMN AND TALKING ABOUT I AM A BRAND.in name only.😂 All my oil clothes made r not going to be held for liability. 😂organization of labor is dead.Hey Reich what union do you belong too?
@@lyndakaye5198you say that like life didn't get drastically better after Reagan
@@yourdaddy-mq4km It did not. Reagan / Trickle Down Economics accelerated this present divided wealth and increasing fascism.
Hi family - I have deep respect for our former secretary of labor snd his critique of our current political situation. I hope you will listen and hear what he has ti say.
Mom
When has America had a functioning Democracy?
This guy gets it
Please Robert continue relentlessly explaining what happened 40 years ago! Reagan, Thatcher, right wing think tanks, salary stagnation, de-unionisation, tax reductions for the rich/enterprises, the middle class shrinking, etc.
You forgot money printing and devaluing currency
You said it, 1980 was the turning point.
@@user-df6mf9mb2l And Thatcher looked good because North Sea oil came on tap as she took power.
Tax cuts for the wealthy & big corporations by every Republican administration since Reagan. Effectively transferring US Wealth to the wealthiest and weakening the Middle Class and everyone else. Republicans hate for FDR New Deal & later expansion by Johnson.
Yup! I'm constantly sharing these vids, so ppl Understand the Facts. Trump supporters will still argue. It's funny. Jesus Himself could come to Earth (like they want & all), & they're so busy hunched over Trump Bibles, w/ their Trump Sneakers, & Trump Prison Wine (up & coming) that they wouldn't even notice
How can you respect someone who is so selfish … it’s always been about Trump and him only … it makes me sick
💯 agree
Why would a rich Narcissistic misogynistic billionaire give a damn about the lower and middle classes and any non wealthy Americans for that matter?
The basket of deplorables are suseptible to fear mongering. They are fearful and shame based.
Isn't that how it works with gods?
It makes me sick, too. And I have lost faith in half the American public.
Because they see what they want. Not what should be! Most of them don't know the issues Trump imposes.
I've always contended that it's the quarterly report that's ruining the world.
The attention to the "immediate bottom line" has hammered most Western businesses over the last 60+ years.
One reason Japan and more recently South Korea (among others) have been able to rise to the top of the heap - they still look at LONG term results.
As a retired 73 year old man I have been searching in vain for an account of why my country has taken this downward spiral for most of my life. I am not the brightest bulb on the planet and find politics generally confusing and rife with untruthful assumption. In 24 minutes this gentleman has brought into focus the understanding I need to believe in my own intuition and sense of place in this bizarre environment we live in. Thank you sir. You have a new student.
Exactly!
Don't be a sucker. This commie has been a master bullshatter for decades and has ruined many lives.
What a brave conclusion you make sir ; believe your own truth and never be to old to learn. I wish you all the best.
@@user-ji4yo9nn4c Thank you for your reply to my comment about Mr. Reich, however, my remark was more likely a need for self preservation than any sense of bravery. Be well!
See th v-docs > "The Secret of Oz" (on the history of money, banking, the Fed & gov. corruption) and "A History of Central Banking" on Goodson's book. They enable understanding the whole-system problem & the possible solution Reich never reveals.
Believing someone who has lied extensively is simply being gullible and stupid.
You have just described the republican base
Fool #MAGAts once, shame on #TheTrumper.
Fool #MAGAts twice shame on them.
@@adstryker5084trump has risen to power specifically by relentless and shamelessly slandering his opponents (anyone/everyone who stood in his way). He has mastered the power of lawlessness. Regardless of the sins of the democrats, the republicans have rationalized that the ends justify the means-fighting evil with evil.
@@adstryker5084 Let's make it simple for you. In 1970 the top tax bracket was 70%. Now, tax advantages go to the wealthy and to businesses. Were you not listening to the gentleman? Your anger and frustration is a direct result of you being manipulated by the wealthy and powerful. Being manipulated against your own best interests. But you can't even see it.
First you have to believe that the liar is telling lies. If you believe that the liar is telling the truth all the time then you will continue listening to him.
I am at the start of this conversation. In my 71 years, I have always seen Republicans as a group that wanted freedoms for their way of living and others would have to submit to that governance. Follow their religious and personal moral ways and if you don't or can't then consequences can happen. Their America Love it or Leave it. They scream about freedom, but not for those that don't fit their version of freedom. The very definition of Facism. Cheers
I love that this extremist group is being seen as they are, weird. Trump is The Wizard of Odd.
When companies started thinking of workers as cost/liability instead of value/asset, that was a big problem
When businesses all got on the bandwagon of outsourcing people were considered a cost versus an asset. CEO greed is a grave problem.
Thank you for your wise voice 💙💙💙💙💙🙏🙏🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸
Not to forget that in the 50ties and 60ties the tax-rates for top-incomes was up to 95 %. That helped America become that what the American Dream promised.
Sadly , this is what happened in Mexico and today its Democracy only has 35 days left to live
Because people have no idea what living under a Dictatorship is like.
I have always believed strongly in my heart one reason we should be grateful for immigrants, legal or illegal, is they are the only ones in this country who know what it is NOT to live in a Democracy.
We might well find out, if Trump actually gets elected. I truly believe that is his goal. He is so full of hate and vindictiveness towards people he believes have done him harm.
Fascism is a monster that eats its’ young. Some people won’t realize this until they find out the hard way and it’s NEVER pretty.
Ask David Hogg about that.
…night of the long knives. And that's amongst the psychopaths, not real people.
The support he has accrued, is a testament to how bad the education system is here in the US. Ever notice he has the most support in desolate, rural areas, where the education is not as proficient. When education lacks, critical thinking goes out the window. Why do you think they believe everything he says?
So true.
Bingo. I said the same thing. My only addition is that this has been in motion for decades. Look up Asimov's essay about the cult of ignorance.
This is why Republicans fight education funding so hard!
Yes it follows the old saying - keep them ignorant and keep them voting for you. Sadly it’s a repeat of the general situation that drove our ancestors to flee to the new world. Greed and indifference is lethal.
If you want education to be better you have to fund it. Teachers deserve your support.
Also, in terms of history and how it is taught, this is a hard problem to fix, because wonderful, responsible, conservative history teachers teach what they were taught. I'll give you an example. I once saw a high school handout about John D. Rockefeller, that showed how much money he gave to charities, but did not mention anything about wages or profit margins. The critical question of how he got "as rich as Rockefeller" was never raised. This was from a role-model teacher who deserved her teacher of the year award.
We can trace the ignorance concerning great wealth at least in part to the unions' decision to purge their socialist and communist members and buy into the capitalist system.
As a adult Norwegian who tries to understand whats going on i US, this is understanderable comparing to how our political situation is. Thank you for lightning me up🙏
Be a good democrat!
Stop buying Tesla cars!
”Those who don’t remember the past are condemed to repeat it.” George Santayana 1905
This is the best explanation of how we got from the 1970’s to today. But I don’t think most people understand it’s not Biden’s fault.
One of the many things I find frightening about all this? There are people on the right who are old enough to know that Biden simply *couldn’t* have caused a lot of the current problems. The border crisis is a case in point. Generally speaking, Trump is a symptom, not a cause, of a cancer that’s been growing for 40 years. Unfortunately, it has reached the brain.
Biden is complicit at best. He may have tried to do some good things in the past 3 years, but he also helped create this mess we are in...
Same here in Austria too, a majority of people always vote right wing parties since the eighties and there were a lot of scandals and corruption here too, but the right always blame the migrants for the problems and get reelected and can do politics for the rich. In the US also republicans made politics for the rich and massive tax cuts there, democrats were much more successful to reduce the deficit when they were in charge but republicans just lie and blame democrats for their poor economic performance without any facts behind these claims. So disgusting to see how this plays out and especially if you try to explain the facts to other people who are voting the political right, they don't even try to respond reasonable, they want to belief their claims and find the absurdest arguments to stay by these claims. I think we are mostly brainwashed by society and the corporations and media which influence it, to think in the way which is best suited for the people in power to become even more powerful, richer and criminal as they were.
He’s been a politician for what, 40 years? I don’t think did much to improve things. Problem is most federal politicians are bought and paid for. Look at some of their net worth on a government salary.
@@user-fe8yp1rb9m I “googled” Joe Biden’s net worth. According to Forbes, he owns two houses at a combined value of $10 million. He was elected to the Senate at age 29, so that gives him 52 years of unbroken government service. I agree that most of our “leaders” are corrupt as hell! That said, given that Comer (and anyone else) has spectacularly failed to tie him to anything, I have to conclude that Biden has done poor job of stealing and taking bribes…
The way you put everything into historical context and explain how we got to be is extremely valuable! Please keep doing this.
I have worked for government, small companies, and large ones. I have been working for over 40 years. No company seems to value their employees as you mentioned. Everything is about $. The concept grew & exploded from the ‘80’s.
I also see where pensions are generally not offered. At the same time the age for SS gets pushed up and cuts may be in our future. I was in my 40’s before I found a job with a 401k. I was lucky. Many don’t have this. Also, as a woman, I was paid 70% of what men were making in the same role (data shown in routine surveys of the industry). So, did not have the ability to save as much as a man in the same position. All to say….what happens on the other end of this mess that has built up over our lifetimes when we go to retire?
If we can retire…
This makes so much sense. I believe the same situation has been happening in other democracies around the world, and certainly has been in Australia.
❤Thank you Robert and Heather
That was the best explanation I've heard thus far on why there are voters for Trump. Still can't believe they believe it though. So sad.
In that musk/trump interview, I can't believe trump's disgusting laugh when he was giddy about musk laying off thousands of people and avoiding unionization.
I am not bothered by the fact that so many would vote for a wannabe dictator. That has happened before. What bugs me is that the wannabe dictator cannot string a sentence together
The problem with unfettered capitalism, in a nutshell. The income gap in the Western world is shameful. The myth of Reaganomics has bankrupted the middle class.
🤣
Reagan killed inflation and my income tripled in the 1980's. I became middle class due to Reagan. The left wants the middle class destroyed, as it's the only class that demand that laws be enforced fairly, and that's a big sticking point for the rich and poor, for whom laws are to be circumvented.
Another big problem is trolls on social media, amiright pete5668??
@@brettany_renee_blatchleyso I'm a troll if I disagree with you. Got it.
@@pete5668, no self-awareness - yeah, that's a troll characteristic.
Gov . Kemp signed a bill restricting unions . He stated that Georgia was a right to work state . (Which in my opinion, means a right to work for less ) the article implies that Georgia will discourage pro union business , because businesses want to move here to make money !..in other words all about business , not workers , as I see it .
And the poors will still vote him in just for his racist vitriol.
Duh
Unfortunately, corporate thinking divides humans into labor which is a cost to be cut, and executives which is a cost to be borne.
In reality, workers of all kinds (from janitors and semiskilled to boardroom managers and executives) are another kind of asset (or capital) to be valued and husbanded for their collective contribution to whatever it is that the corporations are making.
Kemp needs to be voted out.
That's the Republican way. Corporations with a fortune and all privileges will let some profit "trickle down" to workers.
The supporters of Trump need to open their eyes & read about how he didn’t pay ppl.
There were recently layoffs in Germany, despite companies making bigger profits. And no union or government saved them because people simply look away and think "thankfully its not me".
Split in society is biggest problem which is exploited by corporations
The investment funds drive this. Investors want their return on investment, they only want money. Workers add the value and the Investors extract the profits. Capitalism run wild, the poor and middle class get poorer and damn the environment. Greed.
This explains a lot, but it doesn’t explain the single-issue voters who are willing to throw democracy under the bus in support of their ideology.
The Trump supporters that I know weren't involved or all that interested in the political process before Trump. Most of them don't understand or care how the government operates - for instance how a bill becomes law. They certainly don't understand ideology. "Liberal" to them is nothing more than an insult they throw around like "snow flake". They don't know what fascism is I've heard them use fascist, Communist and socialist interchangeably. They support Trump simply because he told them it was okay to be an asshole. They don't have to be "politically correct" or "woke". He promised to protect them from "the blacks" and the scary LGBT community. He promised to build a wall to keep the brown people out and keep the white people safe.
We’ve single handedly destroyed our home off the backs of our children for bread and entertainment. Guess we will go to mars or pandora before we even reflect on what we have done to ourselves. That explains the throw out “democracy” vote. Democracy for what?
read my comment elsewhere on this video if you want the answer.....
Most supporters are religious fundamentalists and therefore like worshipping an authoritative figure. However, most of what they engage with is surface level and performative. Therefore, they often have no strong conviction to their principles so long as they feel it gives them a better position over others.
I saw a guy on the news say "banning abortion" was the most important issue. What do you do with a mind like that?
can't wait for more history and wisdom from you, Bob, who I see as a true American moderate! TY
I think Robert Reich is a very dapper, progressive fellow! We need young men to emulate his behavior.
Americans take everything we've been given for granted.
Thank you Robert Reich for your brilliant insight. Keep the videos coming. I do find it hard to believe that people still think Donald is a good candidate.
The idea that corporate greed would trickle down is crazy.
SOMETHING trickled down...
What's crazy is thinking that that explains the theocratic right, fascist right, and white nationalist right.
@@lonpollard902 What a loon
Yes. And we knew that in the 80s when we were first offered this trickle down nonsense.
Sound like Reagan.,,trickle down economics
Bad culture and poor education.
more like lack of both - culture and education
"Culture" doesn't even come close to the realization that Big Business was handed the keys, starting with Reagan tax cuts, and moving right on through Clinton's "age of Big Government is over" as government was slowly stripped of almost all power.
Especially poor education.
@@lindabalent2755 NEA and the devil who leads it.
And when you look at it, best foundation.😮
The answer is “Rupert Murdoch”
His words in 1994, prophetic! 😮
Thanks for being you, Robert. I enjoy your insight. I tell young people all the time about the wages and how they plummeted back in the early 80's..thanks to Ronnie. Trump has been a cancer for this country. I look forward to the day when he is out of the picture.
In 1979 the minimum wage in OH was $5.15/ hour. In 2019, the minimum wage in OH was $8.55/ hour. Barely a $3.00 increase in 40 years! You can totally thank Republicans for that; the party of greed and grievance. Under Fascism (Trump) this will only get worse!
in the 90'S in Ga. was $ 4.25/hrs!
Spot on! 👌
Kansas still uses the federal minimum wage of $7.25, which was established in 2009. I feel your pain!
No....The minimum wage was $3.30 an hour in Ohio. I know, I was a teen then and made that!
Adjust it for time, and it's even worse. If they had just adjusted for inflation, even $5 would now be $24.91 per hour. So that is not an increase but a $17 loss. You CANNOT forget to adjust.
MAIN REASON! PRESIDENT TRUMP ACTUALLY LOVES AMERICA 🇺🇸. WHAT A CONCEPT!
Bob, you are MUCH BETTER LOOKING now!
Please don’t forget that we are dealing with the fact that
MAGA appeals strongly to (the now very vocal) racist, misogynist, and homophobic elements of our nation. Thanks for this great content. Keep it up.
Considering that your comment describes 40-50% of the voting population (hopefully,less than that) what does that say about the U.S. ?
Keep calling me RACIST, MISOGYNIST and HOMOPHOBIC and know why I vote AGAINST YOU!
@@myleslong5584it doesn't say anything because it's a lie.
@@yourdaddy-mq4km you may believe it's a lie if you want but then you would be denying reality.
@@myleslong5584 Just ask Bill Maher about American intelligence.
The concentration of wealth, ownership,and power continues unabated while we ponder the causes of Fascism and the Cult of Personality that is today's GOP.
Financial deregulation.
It's a reflection of the uniparty that is trying to jail Trump
We've all played the Game of Monopoly and seen how it ends. America is getting to the end of the Monopoly game.
I can just imagine Gorbachev sitting and listening to Ronald Reagan's plan for the country and thinking "You mean all I have to do is sit here and do nothing and this fool will destroy his own country? This has to be too good to be true."
When an election turns into a movement, like MAGA, the propaganda keeps the movement afloat. People believe, because they want to believe. Truth is pushed to the side.
It was easier to not hear Nr. Reich when he was younger for some reason; he was one voice among many with no singularity. The gray hair and age have given him a patina of wisdom he didn’t have before. His actual contribution is not much different, but he is easier to hear now.
A voice of wisdom. Ignore at your (and our) peril! Excellent dialogue.