Thank you, former Secretary Reich, for reminding us of a time when sanity was expected in Congress. Then Gingrich, Rove, and GW Bush changed the playing field, recognizing that if you lie, demonize, and forget all integrity you effectively get to shoot at a basket 2 inches wider than the one you have to defend.
And after all the horrid paths from those days that have led us here, thank you for giving us all hope based on truth, humanity, and an eye on how youth and Black women are bringing forth a better future as the current facade of #RepubloFascism starts to implode.
Nixon and Reagan helped change the playing field. When Republicans are elected, things get worse for ordinary folks. Professor, you were spot on with your predictions 30 years ago. What I find hard to understand is that the Republicans often, especially now, intentionally set out to hurt others.
Jen Baron, I have posted about that as have others here. It seems that Democrats do these things to be able to 'win'. It's the 'price of admission' .Seemingly.
Anyone who doubts the existence of a 'soul' only need look at the rabid dog Republicans who've traded theirs for the 'reward' of sociopathy; the mindless annihilation of hard-won democracy and feelings for their fellow human beings.
Dr. Reich has called that out, and recently. He did not win everything he wanted in the Clinton administration. His Berkeley lectures go into greater detail.
Nixon's administration was so odd: it was both THE most progressive, as he created "The Environmental Protection Agency," AND the most corrupt as his resignation showed.
Yes, it’s difficult to imagine that adult members of congress are so wedded to 18th Century free-market thinking that they’re willing to sacrifice the quality of life of others in favor of their ideological dedication. If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend a video called “The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology” by Slavoj Zizek.
The primary ideological straitjacket that Zizek rebelled against is Marxism as was practiced in Yugoslavia during his youth. The ideological target of many young Americans today is 18th - 19th century capitalism and of course the terrible financialization of the capitalist economy.
Love of money is the root of all evil. This is true of lack of money also. The only people who think more about money than the rich are the poor; they can think of nothing else. That is the misery of being poor.
Excellent comment echoing my sentiments. That speech, how prescient, to see the future with such clarity required a brilliant insight that RR share with us in these regular terrific emails. RR Thank you!!!!
Thank you so much for all that you have done for the American people! You have an amazing legacy that shares the truth and gives me historical perspective and guidance that we can get back to the common good I grew up with. Thank you 🙏
I'm glad that you recovered from your bout with Covid and were able to gather with your Dream Team. They look like a fine bunch of folks.
I appreciate all that the whole group of you tried to do way back then, and all that you succeeded at doing. You and your efforts stand as exemplars and examples of priorities that represent high ideals that won't be forgotten, even if we have backslipped in more recent times. If enough of We the People will do our parts as engaged citizens, we will be able to reclaim OUR government and get OUR elected and appointed representatives to again work for all of us, for the greater good. Then we will be able to recover lost ground and perhaps even make more progress to help OUR democracy and OUR country evolve towards even higher ideals that will hopefully be harder to slip back from.
And after all this time, I appreciate your continued dedication to and involvement in helping inspire and guide We the People onward.
Likes always seem to benefit from mutual cooperation and understanding, Ham'as in Gaza, one hand washing the other. However, it isn't until the Jewish religion is added to the mix that violence becomes an active part of the mayhem. President Biden's cooler heads approach is very significant because it calls for a pause in hostilities in order to reassess the situation when it comes to innocent civilians and the real possibility of significant collateral damage to the indigenous population. The social backlash from the Muslim world concerning a full incursion into Gaza itself would be something the ghost of Custer would strongly advise against. The Jewish population in that area stands in at roughly 7,000,000 while the Muslim population contains a staggering 1.5 billion. Any ensuing confrontation would result in a level of human carnage not seen since the time of Hitler, and I have my doubts as to who would come out on top if there would even be a victor. Take a deep breath, step outside of the fighting, and visualize the battlefield for what it really is, a quagmire that will drown all those who dare to enter. It will be a second battle of "Greasy Grass." It will stand in history as the point in the Middle East when humans lost their minds and their lives all over the idea of religious superiority. Let the trucks carrying vast amounts of necessary supplies to enter the city and give the people what they need in order to survive then let's see where things stand. We are at a point where burning bridges might not be the best idea.
I've been advocating that Arabs form a peace corps, should go to Gaza. Save innocents. But the Arab leaders generally hate Hamas more than Israel.
According to estimates from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, more than 600,000 people have been killed since the start of the war. In its 2023 Global Appeal, the UN reported that more than 6.9 million are currently internally displaced, with more than 5.4 million living as refugees abroad. Where are the demonstrations at every Syrian embassy?
How many Arabs or Muslims must be murdered for there to be global demonstrations against any regime?
In my mind the real main enemy of the Jews, Arabs, and practically everyone else, is Iran! Russia is a close second. Israel is not perfect, but not the bad guy in this war. A̵l̵m̵o̵s̵t̵ ̵h̵a̵l̵f̵ ̵ 41% of the world's Jews live in Israel, and Iran sees destruction of Israel as its "Final Solution" to the 'Jewish Problem".
Tim Baldwin not more than half thought a large number: 41%. Another 41% live in the US, and the rest are scattered in much smaller percentages around Europe, Russia, Africa, Argentina.
Donald, your call for sanity is right on the mark. Unfortunately, when ego and as you say, "religious superiority" get in the way, sanity can be lost in the whine that we have been hurt so badly there is nothing we shouldn't do to THOSE people to make them pay for it. What! The vast majority of the people of Gaza have nothing to do with Hamas or any other political group, just trying to survive and give their kids a future. They do not deserve to be wiped out if they don't move out of the area Israel wants to bomb. We all knew something like what has happened could happen for years as the Israelis became more and more "conservative" (although, I don't consider what they have become conservative, I find it hateful, paranoid, and unthinking). The wrongs against the Palestinians have been piling up for years and Hamas and other groups of crazies have been looking for just the right opportunity to cause havoc because that is all they have, weapons and vulnerable young men. Throw in religion and it is a deadly mix that scared authoritarian leaders such as the Iranian old men can unleash on others. This time it's Israel, but it has been so many others at different times. Pausing is a really good idea and the rest of the world stepping back except for providing supplies for the people of Gaza is critical too.
Ruth, I agree, and as I keep asking - how many future "terrorists" are we creating?
when there is justice denied, retribution and vengeance follow. also, where are the Hamas weapons that you mentioned coming from? I've been asking this question since the war started and no one will address the issue. Hamas has thousands of missles. How did they get them or manufacture them? Where did they get their small arms?
Isn't israeli intelligence good enough to detect tunnels and close them? y'know, ground penetrating radar? high tech listening and seismic devices? this isn't rocket surgery.
also which arms manufacturers are benefitting from the sale of these weapons? oh wait, never mind, my pension is vested in that. as I was saying those awful hamas should just eat dirt and be glad they have it.
Paul, I, too am wondering about the weapons. I am suspecting there are a lot of folks who want to make and sell arms to whoever wants to buy them. The arms manufacturers all over the world are doing just fine, OK, better than fine. I suspect there are a few crazy members of Israeli intelligence who know exactly what is going on, but have their own reasons for keeping things going. They want to drive the Palestinians out of Gaza and the West Bank so it will all belong to Israel. The world, or at least the thinking part of the world, needs to come together to demand the fighting stop. We need to find ways to stop one nation from invading another, one religious group from attempting genocide against another, etc. There need to be penalties, possibly trade, taking the wealth from the rich who are orchestrating this insanity, etc. How we get that to happen, I do not know. We need to do something, though.
Ruth--I agree, the Palestinian people are just as innocent as the Israelis, the problem lies in the players in the region vying for power and religious superiority who see civilians as pawns to be used in anyway that will improve their strategic positions. To these war mongering social outcasts human blood is the grease that keeps their war machines running smoothly. Bullets hold more significance than people's lives. A bur under a horse's saddle will continue to irritate until the saddle is removed and the bur disposed of. In the Middle East the bur is Israel.
Replying to Donald, Ruth, and Paul (apologies to anyone I am leaving out). I may need more hands as I think in terms of “on the other hand” …. So, just some not quite random thoughts here. The needless and catastrophic deaths on both sides are beyond horrific. Any demand for the fighting to stop is wishful thinking, since that is woven into the very being of Hamas and others. How could a “pause” work even if it is agreed to? I can’t see Hamas abiding by any such agreement but I would expect them to use any pause to regroup and plan for further attacks. I understand Israel’s goal of destroying Hamas, and/but don’t see how that could even be possible without destroying Gaza and killing countless civilians, leaving a hellscape behind. If there’s anything I’m thankful for it’s that I’m not responsible for coming up with a solution here. While I’m drawn to learning what is happening there, I am also aware of a growing sense of vicarious trauma, and I’m not sure that the tools and strategies for dealing with that as a psychotherapist are sufficient for me here.
Harry--Hate is something we haven't found an answer fore. It hangs heavy in the air, which holds a lingering stench of death provided by both sides of the confrontation. How do we reach the intelligent minds on both sides to cease and desist all forms of hostilities, and let things settle down for the moment. Human life has lost it's sense of value. To reach this point reflects the mentality of everyone involved. The situation has regressed emotionally and the players have done the same leaving things chaotic and out of control. Its like the old Chinese finger trap. Once engaged the harder you struggle the tighter it becomes, leaving virtually no avenue for escape. People make mistakes, that negative is an integral part of our personal makeup. What and how the region's actors conduct themselves in the coming days will determine the future of the entire area. I'm an eternal optimist but I can see nothing but blood flowing from the Gaza Strip. They have a choice, but hatred seldom makes sense, on either side, especially when the smell of death is still fresh in the nostrils of men that see nothing but death through the sights of their guns. The battle of the "Greasy Sand" is at hand.
It is almost as if the IDF generals, and NetanYEEEHAAAW want to make ALL of Gaza look like Dresden after the Allied bombings there during WW2, in order to 'make up for' (and distract from) their TOTAL FAILURE and neglect, intelligence-wise to forewarn about the attack.
Being born a 'member of the tribe' I FULLY understand and 'get' the whole NEVER AGAIN thing, 2000%, but turning into genocidal fascists is ABSOLUTELY NOT the way.
Having 41% of the whole world's Jews in ONE small area is practically begging the world's most vehement HATERS of Jews to do their worst.
Just imagine if that were the case during WW2; Hitler and his evil minions salivation about the ease of their obliteration alone would have drowned out all of Israel, before the bombings and butchering invasion started.
The diaspora, as much maligned as it's causes are (rightfully), may have been the only thing that has saved the Jewish people throughout their historical persecution/genocides.
It is way too late now (the state of Israel is not going to 'go away', as much as Hamas, Iran, or any other Muslim nations want/demand it to) and the issue of Palestinian sovereignty should have been FULLY addressed in the late 1940s.
But Israel's very existence could almost be viewed as an invasion on a people already living there (just like the Anglo-European invasion of THIS land did to the Indigenous Peoples HERE), especially if one either disregards, or disbelieves any 'biblical claims' to any holy land.
Myself and many others were fighting alongside you. But we failed big time. We will be remembered as generation F. We failed democracy and we failed our planet, but mostly we failed future generations. They will never forget and likely never forgive us.
But there is road back to redemption. We can unrig our system by overturning Citizens United and the ending corporate personhood and money as speech SCOTUS nightmare that gave away our Constitution and power to the super rich to use against us.
the 7 strategic objectives are great as a template. Must now be translated into specifics, usually numeric goals. This is an effort I can support. Should combine with other grops who have this goal like We the People, or maybe they are the same group.
Your speech that upset the WH was being honest and forthcoming. It accurately warned us of dark days to come. Now that we are here where the sun shines for some, and it is perpetual darkness for many, can we get back to seeing some cooperative light at the tunnel’s end in our government? Congrats on all you and your colleagues achieved back then and for your Substack reminding all to keep talking, read and revisit references, the Berkley course and common good gifts. Fingers crossed and nose to the grindstone to you and those of us trying to make sense of it all, as well as progress and hope for the future.
Yesterday, I watched two recent interviews of Joseph Stiglitz. I like to watch such interviews on YouTube because I can pause it and look up terms I don't know, like Paul Samuelson's theories concerning what free trade and outsourcing would do to American wages and loss of jobs. Stiglitz said that while policy makers in the white house didn't know of the theory, Clinton had an intuitive understanding. They convinced themselves that lifelong welfare wouldn't be necessary for the workers who were "displaced," that job training was the answer. It wasn't. Did anybody consider the collateral damage that would be caused by the loss of workers wages and employment-based health insurance? The rust belt was gutted of small businesses, big box stores, auto sales, and my area, healthcare, became a nightmare of trying to provide care to workers and families with no health insurance. Most doctors at the time thought that if you couldn't pay, you didn't deserve care unless you were actively bleeding out at the moment. And don't get me started on the nightmare of long-term-care or inadequate staffing as healthcare tried to cope. Stiglitz and Krugman both say mistakes were made. Unfettered Capitalism works for the few. Stiglitz used an analogy that I will remember: "freedom for the wolves means death for the sheep." I am very angry at the callous policy makers and believe what they did was intentionally meant to take power from the working and middle classes. They were becoming too educated and strong through the unions. It was becoming harder to exploit them. Ok, I admit I hate them. But what do we do now? The Biden administration let the cat out of the bag that we can afford to take care of our own people by asking for so many billions for Ukraine, and Israel, that the administration said we can afford. We passed two elderly gray-haired men at different stop signs yesterday, begging for money.
Thanks for helping us understand what happened Dr. Reich. I read your educational videos and recommendations about a wealth tax and what we can do to remedy the mess we're in.
For every dollar spent on vocational rehabilitation, the government gets $7 (seven) in return. In most Republican states NO money is spent on vocational rehabilitation.
During Hillarycare, Clinton opposed Medicare for all became he had Big Pharma and insurance company donors.
This is water under the dam. We have the capacity, with a Democratic Congress to remedy all of it. Eliminate the collateral sources rule and the cost of most insurance will drop like a rock.
At the bottom is Medicaid. Republican states need to brought to par. In some. like mine, most medical providers either will not accept the rates, or prioritize their patients. There used to be free healthcare clinics, statewide, eliminated by Republicans.
In the main, Obamacare has saved millions of lives. As the age requirement for Medicare is reduced, premiums for Part B should drop.
Zeke Emmanuel was involved in creating healthcare policy and Obamacare. I took an online course from him. Zeke has a distorted sense of morality. If you remember, he is the guy that emphasizes that we "waste" healthcare dollars on the last year of life, and states he will refuse any medical care at all, including vaccines after he turns 75. Now we have for-profit hospice care and families are protesting that their loved ones are being euthanized with Ativan and liquid morphine. I saw this first hand and have seen enough as a nurse to know that we have a system of profits over people. Matt Gaetz was in the hospice business with his father until the business received a large fine and he sold it. We don't have moral agents making the decisions about healthcare and our lives. I hope voting makes a difference, but I'm not feeling confident.
A nice cascade of comments. With the situation in the house the way it is and the divided nation and government entrenchment, continuing for now, perhaps in the end, it’s a slow burn for humanity. Hopefully, those now who have taken up a life of public service in their mid-thirties can head to a reunion where by then the political forces that run the country have reconciled and things are better, not worse.
'FREEDOM FOR THE WOLVES MEANS DEATH FOR THE SHEEP'
and you wonder why US citizens are angry and becoming unwilling more and more to tolerate economic migrants flooding us with cheap and child labor after the past 40 years. stop your naivety!
This was in response to another writer's comments, but is now placed on its own.. Lack of regulations, lack of enforcement of regulations, and lack of updating immigration policies, is in fact doing what you state. What I think is new, is drawing the connection that since Richy Rich and the Corporations have not been paying their fair share for US common good for the past 45 years, those of us against this current overflow on a daily basis into our country of mostly economic migrants, (while US citizens receive so little and are paying for these migrants out of our measly tax dollars), are not prejudiced or hateful, but think that US economics needs to benefit our own citizens FIRST.... and Richy Rich and the corporations need to pay their fair share again of US common good, like the 1950s... they are the ones truly benefitting. Our overwhelmed schools, overwhelmed adult disability programs, no long term or health care with any decent standard, our obligation to assimilate all these folk from varied cultures, many of which are more fundamentalist, like the christian fundamentalists destroying US social progress. Further, many of these folks are coming from highly traumatic backgrounds, which may not manifest for 5-20 years. And, how will we, who decimated mental health in the US and pretend it does not exist as a science now since the mid 1990s, deal with this. More guns, more hidden faces, more separatists calling us, US citizens hateful ( as in France, where angry, traumatized Muslims are causing sporadic shootings), when we are only trying to protect our own way of life.
I am more deeply convicted that what must be kept alive is the basis for hope. Hope itself is neither a strategy or policy. Hope without a basis for it is simply wishful thinking.
Interesting that Clinton was upset with a prescient speech. He must have known it was true. We can infer that he was already under the influence of corporate donors, and in that light, NAFTA and Chinese accession to the WTO was no surprise, nor was his failure to stand firm on Glass-Steagall.
Bill Clinton was a member of the DLC, the Democratic Leadership Council which represented the more corporate side of the party. Biden and Obama were members too, as was Hillary.
Thankfully, Biden has understood the necessity of edging away from corporatism for the sake of the species.
At the time, I worked at SSA. One of our staff attorneys had been the co-chair of the Clinton campaign. However, my colleagues and I were "super-hatched, meaning that we had pretty much given up our First Amendment rights to take the position.
As lawyers, the Clintons practiced, among others, disability and poverty law. Bill had been a governor and therefore was responsible for state agency disability decisions. When a claimant for disability or SSI prevailed, the beneficiary was often state welfare programs that could recoup past due benefits.
Where I was, Baghdad By the Sea, the AIDS epidemic kicked in. In 1993, I often had huge numbers of dead claimants in my dockets. At one-point SSA had not determined exactly how to diagnose AIDS. We did not know whether it could be contagious. Staff refused to show the files to the claimants. The medical records were often not well developed. Claimants would show me and my medical advisors oral thrush. open sores. One physician would say," I don't know what (s)he has, but let's get the hell out of the room."
As an officer of a judicial organization, and as a member of an ABA committee, I was in touch with the SSA administration and with the White House. We had a "corps bill" that we were monitoring.
Although they were supposed to be claimant oriented as candidates, they decided to steal the Republicans' thunder by offering "an end to welfare as we knew it."
I can list a myriad of mistakes, but I highlight the elimination of alcoholism from the SSA listing of impairments. Hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries lost their benefits. Beneficiaries sometimes became homicidal/suicidal, threatened SSA staff, even their own lawyers. One lawyer who appeared in mt cases was murdered. The murderer was not caught, but very well could have been one of her clients.
I had threats. One social worker advised us that a claimant planned a murder/suicide at one of my hearings. One beneficiary cut from the rolls appeared in our waiting room waiving a morningstar – a mace on a tether.
I passed all of this on. In one meeting with Abner Mikva, then advisor to Clinton, former chief judge of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, we were told our Corps Bill would be a “done deal.”
We had bipartisan support. It had passed both houses of Congress, but not simultaneously. We found out the administration opposed it.
My theory is that the Clintons had checked out the registrations of my colleagues and discovered they were registered Republicans.
Alcohol is cheap pain medication. Medical professionals often label patients who don't have healthcare as being an alcoholic or mentally ill. It is supposed to absolve them of liability. I understand the desperation of person who needed the benefits to survive. We're cogs in this system that works for the few but not the many. The Clintons are heartless opportunists as are most of those who rise to the top like scum on pond water. BTW, bacteria from pond water scum was used to create the "milk like" substance used to suspend five or so almonds in a quart of almond "milk."
Re: "Putting an end to welfare as we know it." You will know more about this, but a story told by Christopher Hitchens relates to Bill Clinton during his run for POTUS against George HW Bush in 1992.
Apparently, Clinton took the time out from campaigning to go back to Arkansas to sign the Governor's order for the execution of a black man who was said to be incapable of comprehending the charges against him, whose sentence was in any case highly controversial, and whose execution could have waited.
The message was clear: "You're not gonna Willie Horton me."
"Edging away" isn't enough. We're going to need some major changes like universal basic income and single-payer universal health care. But how do we get there from here? Do we stimulate the economy by selling weapons and supporting wars?
Gloria, those are some difficult questions you pose and I am not sure if enough people are interested in finding the answers. We need to be pondering those questions, though.
People will be more interested as AI takes their jobs. Or would we rather see jobless people die deaths of despair like those who lost their jobs due to jobs sent overseas.
Michael, you are probably right about Clinton. The challenge is that money is a very powerful persuader, particularly for people who grew up thinking it was the answer to everything. I was a supporter of NAFTA. I thought if handled well, it could raise the living standards of everyone involved with it, that is if the standards for production, wages, benefits, etc. had been met and enforced; they weren't. It turned out to be just another way for rich white men to get richer while keeping down everyone else. When Congress saw it wasn't working, it could have been modified to correct some of the shortcomings, but by then, Republicans had taken over and there is no way they wanted any repairs or anything to help workers. Gingrich despised the working people despite the fact that his donors were making big bucks off the backs of those workers. What amazes me is that working people, particularly white ones, still vote for Republicans when it has been evident for decades Republicans care nothing for working people. That's a crazy disconnect!
Ruth, it's all about racism. Republicans have carefully crafted an image of the Real American, based on southern rage over Civil Rights. The Real American is part Marlboro Man, part cowboy, a truck-driving, plaid-wearing, beer chugging, gun-owning white man who keeps his woman in line, and disdains the effete liberals, Jews and queers who shoved Civil Rights down his throat. He's an independent man who lives in Real America, who despises the authority figures who want to take away his independence, and therefore hates vaccines, Anthony Fauci and the experts on global warming.
Michael, so what you're saying, the real American is an ignorant macho fool who cares for nothing and no one except what works for him, a guy who is so scared of his manhood he wants to make everyone bow to it, and will want everyone to take care of him as he suffers from lung cancer, heart disease, or whatever other disease comes his way due to his ridiculous life style filled with cigarettes, stress, hatred, feelings of superiority, whiny toddlerism. How sad for all of us!
I voted for him only because I LOATHED 'big Shrubbie' sooooo much (and would NEVER EVER vote Repugnaf**k anyway) but did NOT feel very good about it! ;)
I never voted for Clinton. Too slick for me. Never voted for a Republican in the general election, either. Always voted 3rd party in those cases (although I did switch to Republican so I could vote for Dick Lugar in the 1996 GOP primary, since he had a lot more integrity than any other candidate, which meant he had no chance in the Republican primary).
Booth Clintons went to Yale and attend the WEF at DEvos. That sholuld tell you everything you need to know! They are New World Order who think the world is overpopulated and everyone should be slaves of the State run by the Oligarches.
You are a beacon on light, an inspiration. Because of you I have been “sounding the alarms” and trying to remind those of consequence of the “common good” and how important their actions are for our democracy and our country.
Thank you for your brilliant thoughts and taking the time to share them.
Any big changes we are likely to make are to be "long games." One does not shift institutions overnight. And the erosion of sanity makes for a shapeshifting challenge; when wild leaps of imagination replace the hard-scape reality of living our lives, what is it we respond to?
30 years is a handsome amount of time for your team to be associated. It makes me think of some of my colleagues with whom I count the time associated in decades.
Your fighting the Good Fight is immensely encouraging me to fight the same fight. (Remembering to dance along the way.)
We no longer have 30 years for the 'long game'. WE had that in the 1960s. This mechanism is for those who mourn how we self destructed to comfort each other in their efforts.
We are up against the wall on climate change right now in terms of unavoidable terrible consequences that will happen. The lead time in climate change impacts are really the problem from hell. A society that knows the urgency of the situation would not behave as our does.
steveandjanereed, climate catastrophe is happening right now. I think the public especially the Third World knows it. If only the lamestream deniers and equivocators in the Congress, media and universities everywhere would just go away. See, eg, Naughten, K.A., Holland, P.R. & De Rydt, J. Unavoidable future increase in West Antarctic ice-shelf melting over the twenty-first century. Nat. Clim. Chang. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01818-x
Agree with all. There is no catastophic metric like tornados or hurricanes. It all gets lumped together under "catastophe". This is a big shortcoming of the climate communication community. Talk to leaders on this if you can.
i have seen more on the "3 of 9 thresholds have been passed" pointing to, what, the mother catastrophe. Runaway climate change ?
Even at that time, contemporaneously, I was thinking to myself, "WHAT TF is he doing?!?!" with all of those trade agreements, and U.S. job destruction. :( :(
Our policy of kowtowing to China's every wish so that our businesses could get more sales had its rewards, but they weren't positive for our country or the world.
Thank you Mr Reich, for your great work - past, present, and future. I am an old fogey like you and many who are responding to you. May you live a much longer and even more productive life so you my continue to hold up the light for young
Thank you. To you and your team, past present and future. A million times, thank you. We trust, respect and honor your efforts, on behalf of us all. We've all done our various versions of walking the walk and talking the talk, but you (all of you) have been at the forefront and cutting edge. Hats off. Much appreciation. What a journey......
Once upon a time in America when civility reigned and common was the cause. I’m afraid we can never return to a time when community included all members not just those who are like us. The splintering of our country continues to drive a wedge into the heart of our democracy. Community can only exist when we are alike or in proximity. Because of the internet, we are splintered even further into evermore specific groups. The concept of community is becoming obsolete and as a consequence we must be ever vigilant against media manipulation of our thought processes. We must adapt and adjust lest we perish in a sea of misinformation and disinformation. Our decision making processes have been corrupted and co-opted to fit the power elites agenda. Our vision has been blurred. Our voices have been muted by noise deliberately placed to interfere with our perceptions of power. In a sense, we are living in a pseudo reality created by elites.
To a large extent the people have long lived in a pseudo reality created by elites. But today, it really matters since these illusions threaten all. The concept of community remains important.
I advocate dimishment of media manipulation at the source along with individual vigilance.
It doesn't have to be that way. We have the opportunity to connect with people from all over the world, different nationalities, cultures, ethnicities, languages, ages, etc. It can be very positive if we make the attempt.
I certainly agree! I’m following several Iranian nomad families. Some are Kurds or Lots but, they are oppressed people. They are genetically more Jewish than Iranian. It seems to me that if only the Israelis and Palestinians realized they are 80% the same genetically, they would have a reason for peace. Yemeni are almost identical to Jews. In this case I would say that remembering lineage is a good thing.
"The storm I warned of is now upon us.” Yes, and it has been building for some time. But now that it is here and shows no sign of abatement, what can be done?
The current captain of our ship is a man who is exhibiting good judgement and actions, but one half of his crew not only refuses to work, but they wish to accuse the captain as the source of the storm rather than work together towards solutions.
I am not being a pessimist when I say that now is the time to prepare for the storm we are now in to intensify. It is possible that our vessel that has been adequate for over 200 years might need to radically changed to keep us afloat during times of dramatic change. The time to plan for that change is now. We all need to be willing to have our “I Have a Dream” moment and be willing to dream, design and build a socio-economic system to replace a system that is now designed to serve the wealthy. Certain rules of civility of human behavior were assumed at the time of the creation of the Constitution. These rules of civility have been torn to shreds by the politicians who no longer serve their voters nor the Common Good.
If the House of Representatives cannot function at a time of crisis, the functionality of our form of Democracy must be questioned. We are facing a series of planetary conflicts that could lead to world war and yet we have a government that is currently unable to legislate. We are the wealthiest country in the world yet we cannot provide the most basic of necessities of food, clothing, appropriate housing, education and medical care for a growing percentage of the population.If we continue to react to the dangerous antics of the radical Republicans we lose precious time and attention to creating a new blueprint for our society and our government.
It is time for the best and brightest, most ethical to begin the process of designing an ideal governance and economic system for the benefit of our children and generations to come. Currently poisoned politics leading to a planet poisoned also by a collapsing climate is not a viable option. We must envision and implement a better system now. The consequences of inaction must not be permitted. So for the moment, yes we must vote Blue, but that is not the solution, it only buys us a few more years. We must lay the foundation for a better society now. It was done over 200 years ago, it can be done again.
The Constitution is pretty good -- and we were headed in the right direction after the passage of the Voting Rights Act and the Great Society, but the Republicans have been working, especially since the Nixon southern strategy to undermine it.
The government that is currently unable to legislate, may be an emergency situation that requires Biden to step in.
But again it is a temporary solution and if used, it could in the future “bite us in the ass,” particularly if at some time we get an ass as President.
The Red Cross plans for disastrous events before they occur so if something happens they have a plan. The Northridge Hospital in SoCal had just completed a plan in case they had to cope with an earthquake caused disaster and they were flooded with patients. An earthquake actually occurred shortly after and they were up and running based on their planning almost immediately.
I propose we have our own "Plan 2025” so if we have a Blue Wave, we have a plan to either fix our democracy or make significant changes that would last. If we have a Red Wave we will probably have a rebellion and we should already have a new vision worked out. Karl Marx created his idea of Communism (of which I am NOT a fan) in 1846 but it did not begin to get implemented until 1917. It was a flawed ideology but someone was thinking ahead!
Noble, but pie in the sky distraction Marc. There is no time to design a new political economy. We are going to climate war largely with the one we've got- although certainly "we" can make changes to the economy as was done in WW II.
Voting blue and getting others to do the same is much part of the solution.The vessel is still sound enough but we need to get the crazies out of the pilothouse ASAP.
I’ll take a “pie in the sky” particularly if it has a gluten free crust. Seriously, we must be willing to think and envision outside the box if we want to bring the whole of society forward. Catherine O’Kelly has put forward a good start.
The rules must change: anyone in congress (house and senate) must have to sign a LOYALTY OATH to the president and to our constitution, and if they don't--forced OUT. No more filibuster! No more power that ONE person can have to halt all military and judicial appointments! And no more Electoral "College," a misnomer if there ever was one!
And while we're at it, why does Rhode Island and California have the same number of senators? That is sheer insanity! OK, not exactly viable solutions, but geez, we have to start somewhere! How about we concentrate on just the first suggestion for starters? Can't wait for us Dems to take back the House and secure the presidency and then let's see what we can do to make things right!!!!!
Mr. Reich, thank you for the photo and note about your reunion! What an inspiration you are and I can't thank you enough for your optimism!
Leaders like Robert Reich and other economists need to get together and prepare for a Constitutional Convention. If Koch wants a Constitutional Convention, there is a good chance it will happen.
Thank you, former Secretary Reich, for reminding us of a time when sanity was expected in Congress. Then Gingrich, Rove, and GW Bush changed the playing field, recognizing that if you lie, demonize, and forget all integrity you effectively get to shoot at a basket 2 inches wider than the one you have to defend.
And after all the horrid paths from those days that have led us here, thank you for giving us all hope based on truth, humanity, and an eye on how youth and Black women are bringing forth a better future as the current facade of #RepubloFascism starts to implode.
Nixon and Reagan helped change the playing field. When Republicans are elected, things get worse for ordinary folks. Professor, you were spot on with your predictions 30 years ago. What I find hard to understand is that the Republicans often, especially now, intentionally set out to hurt others.
Yet, Clinton was the one who deregulated Wall Street, how is that not ever called out?
It's skimmed over, as if it had nothing to do with the greed on Wall Street crushing the middle class.
I have a rainbow flag teeshirt that says: We the People means everyone.
This one: https://urlis.net/ceo890ep
That's a great message. Enjoy wearing it in front of republicans!
Thanks for the information. I just purchased 2 shirts with the rainbow flag. 🤗
You're welcome Betty! 🙂
Hope you enjoy them! 😉
Jen Baron, I have posted about that as have others here. It seems that Democrats do these things to be able to 'win'. It's the 'price of admission' .Seemingly.
Anyone who doubts the existence of a 'soul' only need look at the rabid dog Republicans who've traded theirs for the 'reward' of sociopathy; the mindless annihilation of hard-won democracy and feelings for their fellow human beings.
Dr. Reich has called that out, and recently. He did not win everything he wanted in the Clinton administration. His Berkeley lectures go into greater detail.
Thanks.
30 years ago folks strived to achieve the American dream. Now it seems that people work to be the richest person on a sinking ship.
Nixon's administration was so odd: it was both THE most progressive, as he created "The Environmental Protection Agency," AND the most corrupt as his resignation showed.
Only to be 'topped' by tfg.in lowering ethics
Yes, it’s difficult to imagine that adult members of congress are so wedded to 18th Century free-market thinking that they’re willing to sacrifice the quality of life of others in favor of their ideological dedication. If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend a video called “The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology” by Slavoj Zizek.
Slavoj Zizek is wildly thought-provoking.
The primary ideological straitjacket that Zizek rebelled against is Marxism as was practiced in Yugoslavia during his youth. The ideological target of many young Americans today is 18th - 19th century capitalism and of course the terrible financialization of the capitalist economy.
Love of money is the root of all evil. This is true of lack of money also. The only people who think more about money than the rich are the poor; they can think of nothing else. That is the misery of being poor.
It is carefully taught ... Let that sink in
Life after Hate.org- rehab for violent far right extremists
Excellent comment echoing my sentiments. That speech, how prescient, to see the future with such clarity required a brilliant insight that RR share with us in these regular terrific emails. RR Thank you!!!!
Thank you so much for all that you have done for the American people! You have an amazing legacy that shares the truth and gives me historical perspective and guidance that we can get back to the common good I grew up with. Thank you 🙏
I'm glad that you recovered from your bout with Covid and were able to gather with your Dream Team. They look like a fine bunch of folks.
I appreciate all that the whole group of you tried to do way back then, and all that you succeeded at doing. You and your efforts stand as exemplars and examples of priorities that represent high ideals that won't be forgotten, even if we have backslipped in more recent times. If enough of We the People will do our parts as engaged citizens, we will be able to reclaim OUR government and get OUR elected and appointed representatives to again work for all of us, for the greater good. Then we will be able to recover lost ground and perhaps even make more progress to help OUR democracy and OUR country evolve towards even higher ideals that will hopefully be harder to slip back from.
And after all this time, I appreciate your continued dedication to and involvement in helping inspire and guide We the People onward.
From one old fogey to another!
Likes always seem to benefit from mutual cooperation and understanding, Ham'as in Gaza, one hand washing the other. However, it isn't until the Jewish religion is added to the mix that violence becomes an active part of the mayhem. President Biden's cooler heads approach is very significant because it calls for a pause in hostilities in order to reassess the situation when it comes to innocent civilians and the real possibility of significant collateral damage to the indigenous population. The social backlash from the Muslim world concerning a full incursion into Gaza itself would be something the ghost of Custer would strongly advise against. The Jewish population in that area stands in at roughly 7,000,000 while the Muslim population contains a staggering 1.5 billion. Any ensuing confrontation would result in a level of human carnage not seen since the time of Hitler, and I have my doubts as to who would come out on top if there would even be a victor. Take a deep breath, step outside of the fighting, and visualize the battlefield for what it really is, a quagmire that will drown all those who dare to enter. It will be a second battle of "Greasy Grass." It will stand in history as the point in the Middle East when humans lost their minds and their lives all over the idea of religious superiority. Let the trucks carrying vast amounts of necessary supplies to enter the city and give the people what they need in order to survive then let's see where things stand. We are at a point where burning bridges might not be the best idea.
I've been advocating that Arabs form a peace corps, should go to Gaza. Save innocents. But the Arab leaders generally hate Hamas more than Israel.
According to estimates from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, more than 600,000 people have been killed since the start of the war. In its 2023 Global Appeal, the UN reported that more than 6.9 million are currently internally displaced, with more than 5.4 million living as refugees abroad. Where are the demonstrations at every Syrian embassy?
How many Arabs or Muslims must be murdered for there to be global demonstrations against any regime?
Only Jews get this honor!
Meanwhile 30 Americans were murdered. 11 missing.
In my mind the real main enemy of the Jews, Arabs, and practically everyone else, is Iran! Russia is a close second. Israel is not perfect, but not the bad guy in this war. A̵l̵m̵o̵s̵t̵ ̵h̵a̵l̵f̵ ̵ 41% of the world's Jews live in Israel, and Iran sees destruction of Israel as its "Final Solution" to the 'Jewish Problem".
Israeli intelligence -> US intelligence -> Trump -> Russia -> Iran -> Hamas -> attack on Israel
By the way, Netanyahu is also to blame for either his negligence or complicity.
Tim Baldwin not more than half thought a large number: 41%. Another 41% live in the US, and the rest are scattered in much smaller percentages around Europe, Russia, Africa, Argentina.
Iphone changed “though” to “thought.”
Australia, too. We have the survivors of Lodz and others as well.
Thanks. I will correct my comment when I get a chance.
I’m confused. There are only 2.3 million Gazans. How can 6 million be displaced?
Syrians.
Oh, thanks—must have missed a step in this conversation.
Donald, your call for sanity is right on the mark. Unfortunately, when ego and as you say, "religious superiority" get in the way, sanity can be lost in the whine that we have been hurt so badly there is nothing we shouldn't do to THOSE people to make them pay for it. What! The vast majority of the people of Gaza have nothing to do with Hamas or any other political group, just trying to survive and give their kids a future. They do not deserve to be wiped out if they don't move out of the area Israel wants to bomb. We all knew something like what has happened could happen for years as the Israelis became more and more "conservative" (although, I don't consider what they have become conservative, I find it hateful, paranoid, and unthinking). The wrongs against the Palestinians have been piling up for years and Hamas and other groups of crazies have been looking for just the right opportunity to cause havoc because that is all they have, weapons and vulnerable young men. Throw in religion and it is a deadly mix that scared authoritarian leaders such as the Iranian old men can unleash on others. This time it's Israel, but it has been so many others at different times. Pausing is a really good idea and the rest of the world stepping back except for providing supplies for the people of Gaza is critical too.
Ruth, I agree, and as I keep asking - how many future "terrorists" are we creating?
when there is justice denied, retribution and vengeance follow. also, where are the Hamas weapons that you mentioned coming from? I've been asking this question since the war started and no one will address the issue. Hamas has thousands of missles. How did they get them or manufacture them? Where did they get their small arms?
Isn't israeli intelligence good enough to detect tunnels and close them? y'know, ground penetrating radar? high tech listening and seismic devices? this isn't rocket surgery.
also which arms manufacturers are benefitting from the sale of these weapons? oh wait, never mind, my pension is vested in that. as I was saying those awful hamas should just eat dirt and be glad they have it.
Paul, I, too am wondering about the weapons. I am suspecting there are a lot of folks who want to make and sell arms to whoever wants to buy them. The arms manufacturers all over the world are doing just fine, OK, better than fine. I suspect there are a few crazy members of Israeli intelligence who know exactly what is going on, but have their own reasons for keeping things going. They want to drive the Palestinians out of Gaza and the West Bank so it will all belong to Israel. The world, or at least the thinking part of the world, needs to come together to demand the fighting stop. We need to find ways to stop one nation from invading another, one religious group from attempting genocide against another, etc. There need to be penalties, possibly trade, taking the wealth from the rich who are orchestrating this insanity, etc. How we get that to happen, I do not know. We need to do something, though.
Ruth, newyorktimes article about weapons profits:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/17/us/politics/israel-gaza-global-arms-sales.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20231023&instance_id=105869&nl=the-morning®i_id=64474915&segment_id=148052&te=1&user_id=a29855b98e235a0c098ba833afbcc02c
Ruth Sheets: Your comments are spot on, as usual.
Ruth--I agree, the Palestinian people are just as innocent as the Israelis, the problem lies in the players in the region vying for power and religious superiority who see civilians as pawns to be used in anyway that will improve their strategic positions. To these war mongering social outcasts human blood is the grease that keeps their war machines running smoothly. Bullets hold more significance than people's lives. A bur under a horse's saddle will continue to irritate until the saddle is removed and the bur disposed of. In the Middle East the bur is Israel.
Replying to Donald, Ruth, and Paul (apologies to anyone I am leaving out). I may need more hands as I think in terms of “on the other hand” …. So, just some not quite random thoughts here. The needless and catastrophic deaths on both sides are beyond horrific. Any demand for the fighting to stop is wishful thinking, since that is woven into the very being of Hamas and others. How could a “pause” work even if it is agreed to? I can’t see Hamas abiding by any such agreement but I would expect them to use any pause to regroup and plan for further attacks. I understand Israel’s goal of destroying Hamas, and/but don’t see how that could even be possible without destroying Gaza and killing countless civilians, leaving a hellscape behind. If there’s anything I’m thankful for it’s that I’m not responsible for coming up with a solution here. While I’m drawn to learning what is happening there, I am also aware of a growing sense of vicarious trauma, and I’m not sure that the tools and strategies for dealing with that as a psychotherapist are sufficient for me here.
Harry--Hate is something we haven't found an answer fore. It hangs heavy in the air, which holds a lingering stench of death provided by both sides of the confrontation. How do we reach the intelligent minds on both sides to cease and desist all forms of hostilities, and let things settle down for the moment. Human life has lost it's sense of value. To reach this point reflects the mentality of everyone involved. The situation has regressed emotionally and the players have done the same leaving things chaotic and out of control. Its like the old Chinese finger trap. Once engaged the harder you struggle the tighter it becomes, leaving virtually no avenue for escape. People make mistakes, that negative is an integral part of our personal makeup. What and how the region's actors conduct themselves in the coming days will determine the future of the entire area. I'm an eternal optimist but I can see nothing but blood flowing from the Gaza Strip. They have a choice, but hatred seldom makes sense, on either side, especially when the smell of death is still fresh in the nostrils of men that see nothing but death through the sights of their guns. The battle of the "Greasy Sand" is at hand.
It is almost as if the IDF generals, and NetanYEEEHAAAW want to make ALL of Gaza look like Dresden after the Allied bombings there during WW2, in order to 'make up for' (and distract from) their TOTAL FAILURE and neglect, intelligence-wise to forewarn about the attack.
Being born a 'member of the tribe' I FULLY understand and 'get' the whole NEVER AGAIN thing, 2000%, but turning into genocidal fascists is ABSOLUTELY NOT the way.
Having 41% of the whole world's Jews in ONE small area is practically begging the world's most vehement HATERS of Jews to do their worst.
Just imagine if that were the case during WW2; Hitler and his evil minions salivation about the ease of their obliteration alone would have drowned out all of Israel, before the bombings and butchering invasion started.
The diaspora, as much maligned as it's causes are (rightfully), may have been the only thing that has saved the Jewish people throughout their historical persecution/genocides.
It is way too late now (the state of Israel is not going to 'go away', as much as Hamas, Iran, or any other Muslim nations want/demand it to) and the issue of Palestinian sovereignty should have been FULLY addressed in the late 1940s.
But Israel's very existence could almost be viewed as an invasion on a people already living there (just like the Anglo-European invasion of THIS land did to the Indigenous Peoples HERE), especially if one either disregards, or disbelieves any 'biblical claims' to any holy land.
The only two liquids that hold any significance in the Middle East are oil and blood.
Myself and many others were fighting alongside you. But we failed big time. We will be remembered as generation F. We failed democracy and we failed our planet, but mostly we failed future generations. They will never forget and likely never forgive us.
But there is road back to redemption. We can unrig our system by overturning Citizens United and the ending corporate personhood and money as speech SCOTUS nightmare that gave away our Constitution and power to the super rich to use against us.
Fight like never before for the We the People Amendment with movetoamend.org and for AB83 with moneyoutvotersin.org
Let’s save democracy just in time to save our planet and our legacy
the 7 strategic objectives are great as a template. Must now be translated into specifics, usually numeric goals. This is an effort I can support. Should combine with other grops who have this goal like We the People, or maybe they are the same group.
Your speech that upset the WH was being honest and forthcoming. It accurately warned us of dark days to come. Now that we are here where the sun shines for some, and it is perpetual darkness for many, can we get back to seeing some cooperative light at the tunnel’s end in our government? Congrats on all you and your colleagues achieved back then and for your Substack reminding all to keep talking, read and revisit references, the Berkley course and common good gifts. Fingers crossed and nose to the grindstone to you and those of us trying to make sense of it all, as well as progress and hope for the future.
Yesterday, I watched two recent interviews of Joseph Stiglitz. I like to watch such interviews on YouTube because I can pause it and look up terms I don't know, like Paul Samuelson's theories concerning what free trade and outsourcing would do to American wages and loss of jobs. Stiglitz said that while policy makers in the white house didn't know of the theory, Clinton had an intuitive understanding. They convinced themselves that lifelong welfare wouldn't be necessary for the workers who were "displaced," that job training was the answer. It wasn't. Did anybody consider the collateral damage that would be caused by the loss of workers wages and employment-based health insurance? The rust belt was gutted of small businesses, big box stores, auto sales, and my area, healthcare, became a nightmare of trying to provide care to workers and families with no health insurance. Most doctors at the time thought that if you couldn't pay, you didn't deserve care unless you were actively bleeding out at the moment. And don't get me started on the nightmare of long-term-care or inadequate staffing as healthcare tried to cope. Stiglitz and Krugman both say mistakes were made. Unfettered Capitalism works for the few. Stiglitz used an analogy that I will remember: "freedom for the wolves means death for the sheep." I am very angry at the callous policy makers and believe what they did was intentionally meant to take power from the working and middle classes. They were becoming too educated and strong through the unions. It was becoming harder to exploit them. Ok, I admit I hate them. But what do we do now? The Biden administration let the cat out of the bag that we can afford to take care of our own people by asking for so many billions for Ukraine, and Israel, that the administration said we can afford. We passed two elderly gray-haired men at different stop signs yesterday, begging for money.
Thanks for helping us understand what happened Dr. Reich. I read your educational videos and recommendations about a wealth tax and what we can do to remedy the mess we're in.
Joseph Stiglitz is a good person to read indeed. I recommend The Price of Inequality.
Like Reich, very prescient and warned leaderships about going down the neo-liberal road.
I find myself quoting Stiglitz more and more.
shared your write up on Medicare advantage to others
For every dollar spent on vocational rehabilitation, the government gets $7 (seven) in return. In most Republican states NO money is spent on vocational rehabilitation.
During Hillarycare, Clinton opposed Medicare for all became he had Big Pharma and insurance company donors.
This is water under the dam. We have the capacity, with a Democratic Congress to remedy all of it. Eliminate the collateral sources rule and the cost of most insurance will drop like a rock.
Any cost of insurance, no matter how low, eliminates many people from the market.
At the bottom is Medicaid. Republican states need to brought to par. In some. like mine, most medical providers either will not accept the rates, or prioritize their patients. There used to be free healthcare clinics, statewide, eliminated by Republicans.
In the main, Obamacare has saved millions of lives. As the age requirement for Medicare is reduced, premiums for Part B should drop.
Zeke Emmanuel was involved in creating healthcare policy and Obamacare. I took an online course from him. Zeke has a distorted sense of morality. If you remember, he is the guy that emphasizes that we "waste" healthcare dollars on the last year of life, and states he will refuse any medical care at all, including vaccines after he turns 75. Now we have for-profit hospice care and families are protesting that their loved ones are being euthanized with Ativan and liquid morphine. I saw this first hand and have seen enough as a nurse to know that we have a system of profits over people. Matt Gaetz was in the hospice business with his father until the business received a large fine and he sold it. We don't have moral agents making the decisions about healthcare and our lives. I hope voting makes a difference, but I'm not feeling confident.
A nice cascade of comments. With the situation in the house the way it is and the divided nation and government entrenchment, continuing for now, perhaps in the end, it’s a slow burn for humanity. Hopefully, those now who have taken up a life of public service in their mid-thirties can head to a reunion where by then the political forces that run the country have reconciled and things are better, not worse.
'FREEDOM FOR THE WOLVES MEANS DEATH FOR THE SHEEP'
and you wonder why US citizens are angry and becoming unwilling more and more to tolerate economic migrants flooding us with cheap and child labor after the past 40 years. stop your naivety!
I don't understand your point. Please explain. Wouldn't lack of regulations allow cheap labor?
This was in response to another writer's comments, but is now placed on its own.. Lack of regulations, lack of enforcement of regulations, and lack of updating immigration policies, is in fact doing what you state. What I think is new, is drawing the connection that since Richy Rich and the Corporations have not been paying their fair share for US common good for the past 45 years, those of us against this current overflow on a daily basis into our country of mostly economic migrants, (while US citizens receive so little and are paying for these migrants out of our measly tax dollars), are not prejudiced or hateful, but think that US economics needs to benefit our own citizens FIRST.... and Richy Rich and the corporations need to pay their fair share again of US common good, like the 1950s... they are the ones truly benefitting. Our overwhelmed schools, overwhelmed adult disability programs, no long term or health care with any decent standard, our obligation to assimilate all these folk from varied cultures, many of which are more fundamentalist, like the christian fundamentalists destroying US social progress. Further, many of these folks are coming from highly traumatic backgrounds, which may not manifest for 5-20 years. And, how will we, who decimated mental health in the US and pretend it does not exist as a science now since the mid 1990s, deal with this. More guns, more hidden faces, more separatists calling us, US citizens hateful ( as in France, where angry, traumatized Muslims are causing sporadic shootings), when we are only trying to protect our own way of life.
Bravo Dream Team
Keep hope Alive.
There is no night for the brightness of peace and love.
I am more deeply convicted that what must be kept alive is the basis for hope. Hope itself is neither a strategy or policy. Hope without a basis for it is simply wishful thinking.
RFK Jr is the biggest hope I've seen since January 16 1991
You have my deepest sympathy.
RFK can start the purging of the swamp.
LOL... Lotsa luck, chum.
Caption for the Dream Team photo:
Danger! Critical mass of intelligence, compassion, and dedication to justice.
Interesting that Clinton was upset with a prescient speech. He must have known it was true. We can infer that he was already under the influence of corporate donors, and in that light, NAFTA and Chinese accession to the WTO was no surprise, nor was his failure to stand firm on Glass-Steagall.
Bill Clinton was a member of the DLC, the Democratic Leadership Council which represented the more corporate side of the party. Biden and Obama were members too, as was Hillary.
Thankfully, Biden has understood the necessity of edging away from corporatism for the sake of the species.
At the time, I worked at SSA. One of our staff attorneys had been the co-chair of the Clinton campaign. However, my colleagues and I were "super-hatched, meaning that we had pretty much given up our First Amendment rights to take the position.
As lawyers, the Clintons practiced, among others, disability and poverty law. Bill had been a governor and therefore was responsible for state agency disability decisions. When a claimant for disability or SSI prevailed, the beneficiary was often state welfare programs that could recoup past due benefits.
Where I was, Baghdad By the Sea, the AIDS epidemic kicked in. In 1993, I often had huge numbers of dead claimants in my dockets. At one-point SSA had not determined exactly how to diagnose AIDS. We did not know whether it could be contagious. Staff refused to show the files to the claimants. The medical records were often not well developed. Claimants would show me and my medical advisors oral thrush. open sores. One physician would say," I don't know what (s)he has, but let's get the hell out of the room."
As an officer of a judicial organization, and as a member of an ABA committee, I was in touch with the SSA administration and with the White House. We had a "corps bill" that we were monitoring.
Although they were supposed to be claimant oriented as candidates, they decided to steal the Republicans' thunder by offering "an end to welfare as we knew it."
I can list a myriad of mistakes, but I highlight the elimination of alcoholism from the SSA listing of impairments. Hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries lost their benefits. Beneficiaries sometimes became homicidal/suicidal, threatened SSA staff, even their own lawyers. One lawyer who appeared in mt cases was murdered. The murderer was not caught, but very well could have been one of her clients.
I had threats. One social worker advised us that a claimant planned a murder/suicide at one of my hearings. One beneficiary cut from the rolls appeared in our waiting room waiving a morningstar – a mace on a tether.
I passed all of this on. In one meeting with Abner Mikva, then advisor to Clinton, former chief judge of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, we were told our Corps Bill would be a “done deal.”
We had bipartisan support. It had passed both houses of Congress, but not simultaneously. We found out the administration opposed it.
My theory is that the Clintons had checked out the registrations of my colleagues and discovered they were registered Republicans.
Alcohol is cheap pain medication. Medical professionals often label patients who don't have healthcare as being an alcoholic or mentally ill. It is supposed to absolve them of liability. I understand the desperation of person who needed the benefits to survive. We're cogs in this system that works for the few but not the many. The Clintons are heartless opportunists as are most of those who rise to the top like scum on pond water. BTW, bacteria from pond water scum was used to create the "milk like" substance used to suspend five or so almonds in a quart of almond "milk."
Re: "Putting an end to welfare as we know it." You will know more about this, but a story told by Christopher Hitchens relates to Bill Clinton during his run for POTUS against George HW Bush in 1992.
Apparently, Clinton took the time out from campaigning to go back to Arkansas to sign the Governor's order for the execution of a black man who was said to be incapable of comprehending the charges against him, whose sentence was in any case highly controversial, and whose execution could have waited.
The message was clear: "You're not gonna Willie Horton me."
"Edging away" isn't enough. We're going to need some major changes like universal basic income and single-payer universal health care. But how do we get there from here? Do we stimulate the economy by selling weapons and supporting wars?
Gloria, those are some difficult questions you pose and I am not sure if enough people are interested in finding the answers. We need to be pondering those questions, though.
People will be more interested as AI takes their jobs. Or would we rather see jobless people die deaths of despair like those who lost their jobs due to jobs sent overseas.
Michael, you are probably right about Clinton. The challenge is that money is a very powerful persuader, particularly for people who grew up thinking it was the answer to everything. I was a supporter of NAFTA. I thought if handled well, it could raise the living standards of everyone involved with it, that is if the standards for production, wages, benefits, etc. had been met and enforced; they weren't. It turned out to be just another way for rich white men to get richer while keeping down everyone else. When Congress saw it wasn't working, it could have been modified to correct some of the shortcomings, but by then, Republicans had taken over and there is no way they wanted any repairs or anything to help workers. Gingrich despised the working people despite the fact that his donors were making big bucks off the backs of those workers. What amazes me is that working people, particularly white ones, still vote for Republicans when it has been evident for decades Republicans care nothing for working people. That's a crazy disconnect!
Ruth, it's all about racism. Republicans have carefully crafted an image of the Real American, based on southern rage over Civil Rights. The Real American is part Marlboro Man, part cowboy, a truck-driving, plaid-wearing, beer chugging, gun-owning white man who keeps his woman in line, and disdains the effete liberals, Jews and queers who shoved Civil Rights down his throat. He's an independent man who lives in Real America, who despises the authority figures who want to take away his independence, and therefore hates vaccines, Anthony Fauci and the experts on global warming.
Freedom!
Michael, so what you're saying, the real American is an ignorant macho fool who cares for nothing and no one except what works for him, a guy who is so scared of his manhood he wants to make everyone bow to it, and will want everyone to take care of him as he suffers from lung cancer, heart disease, or whatever other disease comes his way due to his ridiculous life style filled with cigarettes, stress, hatred, feelings of superiority, whiny toddlerism. How sad for all of us!
Yup, pretty much!
I voted for him only because I LOATHED 'big Shrubbie' sooooo much (and would NEVER EVER vote Repugnaf**k anyway) but did NOT feel very good about it! ;)
I never voted for Clinton. Too slick for me. Never voted for a Republican in the general election, either. Always voted 3rd party in those cases (although I did switch to Republican so I could vote for Dick Lugar in the 1996 GOP primary, since he had a lot more integrity than any other candidate, which meant he had no chance in the Republican primary).
Booth Clintons went to Yale and attend the WEF at DEvos. That sholuld tell you everything you need to know! They are New World Order who think the world is overpopulated and everyone should be slaves of the State run by the Oligarches.
You are a beacon on light, an inspiration. Because of you I have been “sounding the alarms” and trying to remind those of consequence of the “common good” and how important their actions are for our democracy and our country.
Thank you for your brilliant thoughts and taking the time to share them.
And we must value Professor Reich’s ability to render disturbing truths as caricatures!
Very talented and spot on!
Any big changes we are likely to make are to be "long games." One does not shift institutions overnight. And the erosion of sanity makes for a shapeshifting challenge; when wild leaps of imagination replace the hard-scape reality of living our lives, what is it we respond to?
30 years is a handsome amount of time for your team to be associated. It makes me think of some of my colleagues with whom I count the time associated in decades.
Your fighting the Good Fight is immensely encouraging me to fight the same fight. (Remembering to dance along the way.)
We no longer have 30 years for the 'long game'. WE had that in the 1960s. This mechanism is for those who mourn how we self destructed to comfort each other in their efforts.
We are up against the wall on climate change right now in terms of unavoidable terrible consequences that will happen. The lead time in climate change impacts are really the problem from hell. A society that knows the urgency of the situation would not behave as our does.
steveandjanereed, climate catastrophe is happening right now. I think the public especially the Third World knows it. If only the lamestream deniers and equivocators in the Congress, media and universities everywhere would just go away. See, eg, Naughten, K.A., Holland, P.R. & De Rydt, J. Unavoidable future increase in West Antarctic ice-shelf melting over the twenty-first century. Nat. Clim. Chang. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01818-x
Agree with all. There is no catastophic metric like tornados or hurricanes. It all gets lumped together under "catastophe". This is a big shortcoming of the climate communication community. Talk to leaders on this if you can.
i have seen more on the "3 of 9 thresholds have been passed" pointing to, what, the mother catastrophe. Runaway climate change ?
You were prescient. NAFTA, as it was constructed, and allowing China into the WTO had adverse consequences to labor which were easily foreseeable.
Even at that time, contemporaneously, I was thinking to myself, "WHAT TF is he doing?!?!" with all of those trade agreements, and U.S. job destruction. :( :(
Our policy of kowtowing to China's every wish so that our businesses could get more sales had its rewards, but they weren't positive for our country or the world.
Thank you Mr Reich, for your great work - past, present, and future. I am an old fogey like you and many who are responding to you. May you live a much longer and even more productive life so you my continue to hold up the light for young
Thank you. To you and your team, past present and future. A million times, thank you. We trust, respect and honor your efforts, on behalf of us all. We've all done our various versions of walking the walk and talking the talk, but you (all of you) have been at the forefront and cutting edge. Hats off. Much appreciation. What a journey......
You tried. That is more than most, even if you did not accomplish as much as you hoped to.
Admirable !!
Once upon a time in America when civility reigned and common was the cause. I’m afraid we can never return to a time when community included all members not just those who are like us. The splintering of our country continues to drive a wedge into the heart of our democracy. Community can only exist when we are alike or in proximity. Because of the internet, we are splintered even further into evermore specific groups. The concept of community is becoming obsolete and as a consequence we must be ever vigilant against media manipulation of our thought processes. We must adapt and adjust lest we perish in a sea of misinformation and disinformation. Our decision making processes have been corrupted and co-opted to fit the power elites agenda. Our vision has been blurred. Our voices have been muted by noise deliberately placed to interfere with our perceptions of power. In a sense, we are living in a pseudo reality created by elites.
To a large extent the people have long lived in a pseudo reality created by elites. But today, it really matters since these illusions threaten all. The concept of community remains important.
I advocate dimishment of media manipulation at the source along with individual vigilance.
It doesn't have to be that way. We have the opportunity to connect with people from all over the world, different nationalities, cultures, ethnicities, languages, ages, etc. It can be very positive if we make the attempt.
I certainly agree! I’m following several Iranian nomad families. Some are Kurds or Lots but, they are oppressed people. They are genetically more Jewish than Iranian. It seems to me that if only the Israelis and Palestinians realized they are 80% the same genetically, they would have a reason for peace. Yemeni are almost identical to Jews. In this case I would say that remembering lineage is a good thing.
Well said.
"The storm I warned of is now upon us.” Yes, and it has been building for some time. But now that it is here and shows no sign of abatement, what can be done?
The current captain of our ship is a man who is exhibiting good judgement and actions, but one half of his crew not only refuses to work, but they wish to accuse the captain as the source of the storm rather than work together towards solutions.
I am not being a pessimist when I say that now is the time to prepare for the storm we are now in to intensify. It is possible that our vessel that has been adequate for over 200 years might need to radically changed to keep us afloat during times of dramatic change. The time to plan for that change is now. We all need to be willing to have our “I Have a Dream” moment and be willing to dream, design and build a socio-economic system to replace a system that is now designed to serve the wealthy. Certain rules of civility of human behavior were assumed at the time of the creation of the Constitution. These rules of civility have been torn to shreds by the politicians who no longer serve their voters nor the Common Good.
If the House of Representatives cannot function at a time of crisis, the functionality of our form of Democracy must be questioned. We are facing a series of planetary conflicts that could lead to world war and yet we have a government that is currently unable to legislate. We are the wealthiest country in the world yet we cannot provide the most basic of necessities of food, clothing, appropriate housing, education and medical care for a growing percentage of the population.If we continue to react to the dangerous antics of the radical Republicans we lose precious time and attention to creating a new blueprint for our society and our government.
It is time for the best and brightest, most ethical to begin the process of designing an ideal governance and economic system for the benefit of our children and generations to come. Currently poisoned politics leading to a planet poisoned also by a collapsing climate is not a viable option. We must envision and implement a better system now. The consequences of inaction must not be permitted. So for the moment, yes we must vote Blue, but that is not the solution, it only buys us a few more years. We must lay the foundation for a better society now. It was done over 200 years ago, it can be done again.
The Constitution is pretty good -- and we were headed in the right direction after the passage of the Voting Rights Act and the Great Society, but the Republicans have been working, especially since the Nixon southern strategy to undermine it.
The government that is currently unable to legislate, may be an emergency situation that requires Biden to step in.
IMHO Garland has the power and authority to stop the BS today. Trump is directing Gym Jordan who is obstructing the government at multiple levels. I am no fan of the unitary executive theory, but the Republicans should be made aware that they have defecated where they eat. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitary_executive_theory#:~:text=The%20unitary%20executive%20theory%20is,the%20entire%20federal%20executive%20branch.
Threaten the Republicans with a Biden unitary government.
But again it is a temporary solution and if used, it could in the future “bite us in the ass,” particularly if at some time we get an ass as President.
The Red Cross plans for disastrous events before they occur so if something happens they have a plan. The Northridge Hospital in SoCal had just completed a plan in case they had to cope with an earthquake caused disaster and they were flooded with patients. An earthquake actually occurred shortly after and they were up and running based on their planning almost immediately.
I propose we have our own "Plan 2025” so if we have a Blue Wave, we have a plan to either fix our democracy or make significant changes that would last. If we have a Red Wave we will probably have a rebellion and we should already have a new vision worked out. Karl Marx created his idea of Communism (of which I am NOT a fan) in 1846 but it did not begin to get implemented until 1917. It was a flawed ideology but someone was thinking ahead!
My last name is Solomon. Threats to cut the kid in half work
Noble, but pie in the sky distraction Marc. There is no time to design a new political economy. We are going to climate war largely with the one we've got- although certainly "we" can make changes to the economy as was done in WW II.
Voting blue and getting others to do the same is much part of the solution.The vessel is still sound enough but we need to get the crazies out of the pilothouse ASAP.
I’ll take a “pie in the sky” particularly if it has a gluten free crust. Seriously, we must be willing to think and envision outside the box if we want to bring the whole of society forward. Catherine O’Kelly has put forward a good start.
The rules must change: anyone in congress (house and senate) must have to sign a LOYALTY OATH to the president and to our constitution, and if they don't--forced OUT. No more filibuster! No more power that ONE person can have to halt all military and judicial appointments! And no more Electoral "College," a misnomer if there ever was one!
And while we're at it, why does Rhode Island and California have the same number of senators? That is sheer insanity! OK, not exactly viable solutions, but geez, we have to start somewhere! How about we concentrate on just the first suggestion for starters? Can't wait for us Dems to take back the House and secure the presidency and then let's see what we can do to make things right!!!!!
Mr. Reich, thank you for the photo and note about your reunion! What an inspiration you are and I can't thank you enough for your optimism!
Yes to all the above, and there is more. but these suggestions are a good start.
Leaders like Robert Reich and other economists need to get together and prepare for a Constitutional Convention. If Koch wants a Constitutional Convention, there is a good chance it will happen.
Thank you for everything you do. I feel so energized to work for the good you espouse in your writings.