Smart and intelligent people often also have a shred of common sense and humility.
You are the kind of man who is a very valuable asset for the people who are made to run , the kind of man that works behind the scenes to bring forth the knowledge and the Truth... The kind of man that has no Vanity but is interested more in the common , universal good of the Human Race!
I find it so interesting that the qualities that make one good at running for office are often not the qualities that make one good at governing. Bill Clinton was a really good campaigner, but it seems to me he would have been a far better president if he hadn't been so eager to please everyone and get them to like him, even the rabid Republicans. He helped push us into welfare and prison hell and forgot that very little a president does remains unknown. I do not want someone governing who doesn't care what people think, though. I appreciate that Biden seems to acknowledge the people he is with, but does not demand they fawn over him as Trump does. Then there is the enigma of Ron DeSantis. He does not seem to care what anyone thinks, treats people like we are all ignorant and only he "knows" things" (. I wonder, do Harvard and Yale cultivate that or do people like that get drawn to those schools). DeSantis clings to the word "woke," undefined and spews it out as often as possible to try to force the masses to buy his generalized understanding of the word, if they hear it often enough, then stir his listeners to attack in some way the people DeSantis targets for them. He clearly learned that from someone. He is not very good at it, but for some vulnerable people, he doesn't have to be to get their support. Targeted hate is pretty powerful. Because I was so into politics when I was a kid, my friends used to call me "Madam President (that was more than a half-century ago). I found I, too, hated running for office, and I was just running for student government in high school and college. I learned that I'd rather support others who have the qualities I am looking for in a leader. Unfortunately, not a single Republican running now has any of those qualities, not that I'd vote for a Republican for president.
Beautifully and intelligently stated. I find Obama's imperviousness to the kind of crap thrown at him every moment of his campaigns and administrations to be superhuman. Very Jackie Robinson-like, no? Obama had that certain "something" that made him electable, a quality of leadership - charisma - that is essential in most races. Those who lack it most often lose, e.g., Martha Coakley vs. Charlie Baker in Democratic Mass. You can be incredibly smart and dedicated to public service, but perhaps your best role is as a counselor, administrator, or policy wonk. There's a life lesson, there. We need to find our best roles in life and embrace them, without regret that we don't win popularity contests.
If you were to run for president and become our 47th you would have the expertise to reduce all of our American Waste, and I’m not talking about the garbage disposal.
Starting with the Pentagon and defense contractors who are responsible for the biggest chunk of the Federal budget. In 2020, the Pentagon paid Boeing over $200,000 for 4 trash cans. In December of 2022 the Pentagon flunked its fifth consecutive audit, unable to account for more than 60% of its $3.5 trillion in total assets.
We all should demand that Congress create a committee dedicated to cleaning up the corruption in our country!
Tax The Rich (Share the Wealth)
The 20 richest Americans possess more wealth than the bottom half of the population. That’s 152 million people. And the wealth gap is growing. The so called American dream is a joke for the poverty stricken!
Take the time to watch Robert Reich’s videos on “Wealth and Poverty” to see how we got here. There are 14 videos of very interesting examples and facts.
Instead of taking money away from the elderly, (social security and Medicare), and the less fortunate, (Medicaid, SNAP, etc…), and allowing the wealthy and powerful to pay next to nothing in taxes, how about cleaning up the country’s corruption! If our elected officials want the respect of the American people they need to work for it!
They could find plenty of money to help the less fortunate find their American Dream. If they really want to reduce crime, their goal should be to make the American Dream more accessible for everyone. They have the power to be like Oprah, “you get a house and you get a house and you get a house”.
It’s obvious that members of Congress won’t raise taxes on their donors or corporations that contribute to them. It’s also obvious that they are bought and paid for, and the American people who are paying attention know it!
I’m a candidate in Massachusetts right now, so I read this with great interest. I loved the point about having a higher ambition for the greater good, which you clearly have as you continue to campaign, not for office but to persuade. I hope you know how good you are at that, and that it isn’t narcissistic to think that. You def need a thick skin to run for office, because no matter how much support you have you may have to deal with an opponent who lies about you. As for extroversion, Bill Clinton has to be the ultimate example. I’m an ambivert myself, extroverted at times but then needing to go inward to replenish and get back out there. But it’s like anything else. The more you do it, the better you get at it. Robert, you’re running. You’re just not running for office. You’re running to persuade, and it clearly energizes you a great deal. I love your work, and thank you for continuing to campaign. Like all the best candidates, you’re running on behalf of our country, and not for yourself.
Funnily enough, that introversion and that lack of narcissism, plus the overall mastery of progressive policy, was why I wrote Robert in for the last two California gubernatorial primaries.
"Trump is not a typical extrovert. He doesn’t get energized from just any contacts. He gets energized when he dominates and others are submissive."
This reminds me of a lesser episode of the original "Star Trek" series titled "Day of the Dove," in which an alien entity surreptitiously traps the Enterprise crew and a group of Klingons together in order to make them fight endlessly, because it physically feeds off hatred.
The cycle of endless warfare (the entity having the power to immediately heal the wounds the combatants inflict on each other) is broken only when Captain Kirk and Mr Spock determine that positive emotions will weaken the entity; they persuade the Klingons that it's humiliating and very un-Klingon-like not to fight their exploiters rather than the Federation, and the two sides join -- grudgingly -- in laughing at the alien till it's so weakened that it flees.
Laughter won't do it when it comes to Trump, of course; his is the face that's launched a thousand-thousand quips and counting, but still he infects our society like an antibiotic-resistant pathogen.
What can weaken Trump, then? Not his support, but HIM? WE know by now that he cannot be humbled or humiliated. He is without shame, scruples, regret, remorse or compassion. In the face of his lawyers' advice that to pursue the path he was on will likely lead to prison time and the inevitable loss of his tangible assets, he ignored them and plowed ahead, which more than suggests that he is even impervious to fear.
But what if that imperviousness is a product of his having an apparently limitless capacity to rationalize his predicament and assume that his is such a charmed life that things will, must, inevitable resolve themselves in his favor? The world saw it with Hitler who, almost up to the moment he bit down on a cyanide capsule as Russian troops had advance to within a few hundred meters of the Führerbunker during the last days of World War II, believed that German engineers (engineers -- the Nazis had about as much faith in science as modern Republicans) would provide him with one or more wunderwaffen -- wonder weapons -- that would magically turn the tide of the war in Germany's favor.
Had Hitler been even the slightest bit analytical as to his and Germany's plight, he would have seen that, to a large extent, it was the consequence of the Nazis' single-mindedly pouring of money, resources and manpower into their system of concentration camps and campaign of exterminating Jews that was of absolutely no military value -- resources they desperately needed to fight a war that was turning against them more badly with every passing day.
While I think that there's a lesson to be learned here, there seems to be no immediate, magical answer that will reveal Trump's fatal weakness, though Republicans' reliance on social wedge issues to lire voters may be somewhat analogous to the Nazis' Final Solution. In the end, it's still the economy, stupid.
Secondly, I do have to dispute Secretary Reich's use of the term "method actor" (he uses it five times). Besides its being upper-case Method Actor; though not officially copyrighted or trademarked, refers to a technique taught in its earliest days by Sanford Meisner, Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg and is actually relevant to political topics in that the Method teaches its students to internalize their characters, i.e. make themselves believe what they characters are supposed to believe, as opposed to earlier and other schools of acting that an actor must merely give the appearance and illusion of what's demanded of the character -- they needn't feel it at all.
It's very relevant because the names that Secretary Reich attaches to the worlds "method acting" are the antithesis of the Method: they do NOT internalize, they do not believe. The words from Republicans' mouths and the posturing in which they engage are, simply, an ACT designed to elicit a certain response from the segments of the voting public to which they pander. In fact, when it comes to single issue voters, those fixated on anti-abortion being a prime example -- it's a terrible shame that those voters cannot hear how Republican politicians speak about them behind closed doors. Like Mitt Romney's infamous comments about the "47 percent," the Republicans have nothing but contempt for any voters who can give them ONLY votes (however much they need them) because such voters send them relatively little campaign money, and none after they retire. Their only true allegiance and subservience is to the billionaires and corporations who send them millions for their campaigns and, after they retire, shower them with rewards -- lobbying jobs, consultancies, seats on corporate boards and deals with conservative publishers to write books no one will ever read -- for looking after their welfare.
Republicans DO have a lower-case method, but its only to their madness, because it's a long-game madness designed to make them rich. They automatically fight every Democratic policy tooth and nail specifically because they see them as impediments to their getting rich.
Robert, as always your insight is so authentic and brutally honest! I always wondered about what kind of personality could withstand the extreme scrutiny in politics! I consider myself an extrovert but I require lots of down time too. I’m in specialty retail sales and often some people drive me nuts! I’m far too sensitive to handle lots of criticism on a regular basis! I admire the decent politicians although they’re very rare! Thanks for educating us naive citizens and helping us try to comprehend what’s happening behind the scenes! CT
Wow! Thank you for this honest, informative and entertaining account of a candidate’s experience. Wish it weren’t true. America’s system means we lose a lot of good people.
I wonder what would happen if 'election reform' could happen that allows candidates to get their message out without having to raise millions of dollars? With a 'press' or media that focuses on the facts, and doesn't try to make the whole thing a comedy or horse race or tabloid scandal/fight? Citizens United guarantees that our country is for sale to the obscenely wealthiest!
Well said Robert! Being honest and knowing one's comfort zone is crucial. Thank you for your take on the "human condition" and how this plays in leadership!
As vertically challenged myself, I applaud you, Dr. Reich, with or without self-deprecating jokes. In fact, it should be someone who doesn't have any of the traits that you mention that should be the President or be in the position to contribute to the society. Public office used to be a service one performs for the greater good and goes back home when the duties are done, and as such, career politician should never be an accepted term.
Dear Mr. Reich
Smart and intelligent people often also have a shred of common sense and humility.
You are the kind of man who is a very valuable asset for the people who are made to run , the kind of man that works behind the scenes to bring forth the knowledge and the Truth... The kind of man that has no Vanity but is interested more in the common , universal good of the Human Race!
And for that, I bow to you 🙏❤️
Please keep up the good work!
This is a wonderfully insightful piece about human behavior and observations about society.
I find it so interesting that the qualities that make one good at running for office are often not the qualities that make one good at governing. Bill Clinton was a really good campaigner, but it seems to me he would have been a far better president if he hadn't been so eager to please everyone and get them to like him, even the rabid Republicans. He helped push us into welfare and prison hell and forgot that very little a president does remains unknown. I do not want someone governing who doesn't care what people think, though. I appreciate that Biden seems to acknowledge the people he is with, but does not demand they fawn over him as Trump does. Then there is the enigma of Ron DeSantis. He does not seem to care what anyone thinks, treats people like we are all ignorant and only he "knows" things" (. I wonder, do Harvard and Yale cultivate that or do people like that get drawn to those schools). DeSantis clings to the word "woke," undefined and spews it out as often as possible to try to force the masses to buy his generalized understanding of the word, if they hear it often enough, then stir his listeners to attack in some way the people DeSantis targets for them. He clearly learned that from someone. He is not very good at it, but for some vulnerable people, he doesn't have to be to get their support. Targeted hate is pretty powerful. Because I was so into politics when I was a kid, my friends used to call me "Madam President (that was more than a half-century ago). I found I, too, hated running for office, and I was just running for student government in high school and college. I learned that I'd rather support others who have the qualities I am looking for in a leader. Unfortunately, not a single Republican running now has any of those qualities, not that I'd vote for a Republican for president.
Beautifully and intelligently stated. I find Obama's imperviousness to the kind of crap thrown at him every moment of his campaigns and administrations to be superhuman. Very Jackie Robinson-like, no? Obama had that certain "something" that made him electable, a quality of leadership - charisma - that is essential in most races. Those who lack it most often lose, e.g., Martha Coakley vs. Charlie Baker in Democratic Mass. You can be incredibly smart and dedicated to public service, but perhaps your best role is as a counselor, administrator, or policy wonk. There's a life lesson, there. We need to find our best roles in life and embrace them, without regret that we don't win popularity contests.
Mr. Reich,
If you were to run for president and become our 47th you would have the expertise to reduce all of our American Waste, and I’m not talking about the garbage disposal.
Starting with the Pentagon and defense contractors who are responsible for the biggest chunk of the Federal budget. In 2020, the Pentagon paid Boeing over $200,000 for 4 trash cans. In December of 2022 the Pentagon flunked its fifth consecutive audit, unable to account for more than 60% of its $3.5 trillion in total assets.
We all should demand that Congress create a committee dedicated to cleaning up the corruption in our country!
Tax The Rich (Share the Wealth)
The 20 richest Americans possess more wealth than the bottom half of the population. That’s 152 million people. And the wealth gap is growing. The so called American dream is a joke for the poverty stricken!
Take the time to watch Robert Reich’s videos on “Wealth and Poverty” to see how we got here. There are 14 videos of very interesting examples and facts.
Instead of taking money away from the elderly, (social security and Medicare), and the less fortunate, (Medicaid, SNAP, etc…), and allowing the wealthy and powerful to pay next to nothing in taxes, how about cleaning up the country’s corruption! If our elected officials want the respect of the American people they need to work for it!
They could find plenty of money to help the less fortunate find their American Dream. If they really want to reduce crime, their goal should be to make the American Dream more accessible for everyone. They have the power to be like Oprah, “you get a house and you get a house and you get a house”.
It’s obvious that members of Congress won’t raise taxes on their donors or corporations that contribute to them. It’s also obvious that they are bought and paid for, and the American people who are paying attention know it!
I’m a candidate in Massachusetts right now, so I read this with great interest. I loved the point about having a higher ambition for the greater good, which you clearly have as you continue to campaign, not for office but to persuade. I hope you know how good you are at that, and that it isn’t narcissistic to think that. You def need a thick skin to run for office, because no matter how much support you have you may have to deal with an opponent who lies about you. As for extroversion, Bill Clinton has to be the ultimate example. I’m an ambivert myself, extroverted at times but then needing to go inward to replenish and get back out there. But it’s like anything else. The more you do it, the better you get at it. Robert, you’re running. You’re just not running for office. You’re running to persuade, and it clearly energizes you a great deal. I love your work, and thank you for continuing to campaign. Like all the best candidates, you’re running on behalf of our country, and not for yourself.
Funnily enough, that introversion and that lack of narcissism, plus the overall mastery of progressive policy, was why I wrote Robert in for the last two California gubernatorial primaries.
"Trump is not a typical extrovert. He doesn’t get energized from just any contacts. He gets energized when he dominates and others are submissive."
This reminds me of a lesser episode of the original "Star Trek" series titled "Day of the Dove," in which an alien entity surreptitiously traps the Enterprise crew and a group of Klingons together in order to make them fight endlessly, because it physically feeds off hatred.
The cycle of endless warfare (the entity having the power to immediately heal the wounds the combatants inflict on each other) is broken only when Captain Kirk and Mr Spock determine that positive emotions will weaken the entity; they persuade the Klingons that it's humiliating and very un-Klingon-like not to fight their exploiters rather than the Federation, and the two sides join -- grudgingly -- in laughing at the alien till it's so weakened that it flees.
Laughter won't do it when it comes to Trump, of course; his is the face that's launched a thousand-thousand quips and counting, but still he infects our society like an antibiotic-resistant pathogen.
What can weaken Trump, then? Not his support, but HIM? WE know by now that he cannot be humbled or humiliated. He is without shame, scruples, regret, remorse or compassion. In the face of his lawyers' advice that to pursue the path he was on will likely lead to prison time and the inevitable loss of his tangible assets, he ignored them and plowed ahead, which more than suggests that he is even impervious to fear.
But what if that imperviousness is a product of his having an apparently limitless capacity to rationalize his predicament and assume that his is such a charmed life that things will, must, inevitable resolve themselves in his favor? The world saw it with Hitler who, almost up to the moment he bit down on a cyanide capsule as Russian troops had advance to within a few hundred meters of the Führerbunker during the last days of World War II, believed that German engineers (engineers -- the Nazis had about as much faith in science as modern Republicans) would provide him with one or more wunderwaffen -- wonder weapons -- that would magically turn the tide of the war in Germany's favor.
Had Hitler been even the slightest bit analytical as to his and Germany's plight, he would have seen that, to a large extent, it was the consequence of the Nazis' single-mindedly pouring of money, resources and manpower into their system of concentration camps and campaign of exterminating Jews that was of absolutely no military value -- resources they desperately needed to fight a war that was turning against them more badly with every passing day.
While I think that there's a lesson to be learned here, there seems to be no immediate, magical answer that will reveal Trump's fatal weakness, though Republicans' reliance on social wedge issues to lire voters may be somewhat analogous to the Nazis' Final Solution. In the end, it's still the economy, stupid.
Secondly, I do have to dispute Secretary Reich's use of the term "method actor" (he uses it five times). Besides its being upper-case Method Actor; though not officially copyrighted or trademarked, refers to a technique taught in its earliest days by Sanford Meisner, Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg and is actually relevant to political topics in that the Method teaches its students to internalize their characters, i.e. make themselves believe what they characters are supposed to believe, as opposed to earlier and other schools of acting that an actor must merely give the appearance and illusion of what's demanded of the character -- they needn't feel it at all.
It's very relevant because the names that Secretary Reich attaches to the worlds "method acting" are the antithesis of the Method: they do NOT internalize, they do not believe. The words from Republicans' mouths and the posturing in which they engage are, simply, an ACT designed to elicit a certain response from the segments of the voting public to which they pander. In fact, when it comes to single issue voters, those fixated on anti-abortion being a prime example -- it's a terrible shame that those voters cannot hear how Republican politicians speak about them behind closed doors. Like Mitt Romney's infamous comments about the "47 percent," the Republicans have nothing but contempt for any voters who can give them ONLY votes (however much they need them) because such voters send them relatively little campaign money, and none after they retire. Their only true allegiance and subservience is to the billionaires and corporations who send them millions for their campaigns and, after they retire, shower them with rewards -- lobbying jobs, consultancies, seats on corporate boards and deals with conservative publishers to write books no one will ever read -- for looking after their welfare.
Republicans DO have a lower-case method, but its only to their madness, because it's a long-game madness designed to make them rich. They automatically fight every Democratic policy tooth and nail specifically because they see them as impediments to their getting rich.
Robert, as always your insight is so authentic and brutally honest! I always wondered about what kind of personality could withstand the extreme scrutiny in politics! I consider myself an extrovert but I require lots of down time too. I’m in specialty retail sales and often some people drive me nuts! I’m far too sensitive to handle lots of criticism on a regular basis! I admire the decent politicians although they’re very rare! Thanks for educating us naive citizens and helping us try to comprehend what’s happening behind the scenes! CT
A breath of fresh air just blew all the papers off my desk! Thank you for sharing.
Wow! Thank you for this honest, informative and entertaining account of a candidate’s experience. Wish it weren’t true. America’s system means we lose a lot of good people.
Very useful analysis of what it takes to be a politician - or not!
I would have voted for you!
I wonder what would happen if 'election reform' could happen that allows candidates to get their message out without having to raise millions of dollars? With a 'press' or media that focuses on the facts, and doesn't try to make the whole thing a comedy or horse race or tabloid scandal/fight? Citizens United guarantees that our country is for sale to the obscenely wealthiest!
Well said Robert! Being honest and knowing one's comfort zone is crucial. Thank you for your take on the "human condition" and how this plays in leadership!
As vertically challenged myself, I applaud you, Dr. Reich, with or without self-deprecating jokes. In fact, it should be someone who doesn't have any of the traits that you mention that should be the President or be in the position to contribute to the society. Public office used to be a service one performs for the greater good and goes back home when the duties are done, and as such, career politician should never be an accepted term.