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PODCAST

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich

Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich exposes where power lies in our system — and how it"s used and abused. robertreich.substack.com

news politics

All Episodes

21:27

Trump, Big Tech, and the depths of inequality

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/06/25

Welcome back to our coffee klatch, where Heather and I discuss the lows and lowers of the previous week. Today we examine:— Inequality on the high seas. Billionaires’ yachts, unsafe submersibles, and dangerous crossings for migrants. Where will this end?— Inequality on the high court. Billionaires and the justices. Where will this end?— Inequality in Big Tech. Google, Facebook, and Twitter open for demagogues again. Where will this end? — How Republicans are undermining public trust in the Justice

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20:12

Could we really elect a president who’s in prison? Yes.

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/06/17

Friends,Welcome back to another Saturday coffee klatch, where Heather and I review the highs and lows (and even lowers) of the week. Today we focus on:— Trump’s arrest. Why was there no violence, as many had feared? Can we possibly elect a president who’s in prison? — Trump’s promise to appoint a special prosecutor to “go after Biden and the entire Biden crime family” if Trump is reelected president. Do we need to take Sam Ervin’s advice after Watergate? — The GOP House loonies. Is Kevin McCarthy

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22:27

Is this finally the end of Trump?

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/06/10

Friends,Welcome back to my Saturday coffee klatch with Heather Lofthouse (executive director of Inequality Media Civic Action, and my former student) where we discuss the highs and lows (and often, these days, even lowers) of the week. On tap for today:— The Justice Department’s momentous decision to indict Trump. What’s the likely political and legal fallout? — The Supreme Court’s decision to save Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Why did the court suddenly change direction?— CNN’s decision to

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21:40

The political and the personal: Bob and Heather...

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/06/04

Lots of news this week, but we thought it a good time to push the pause button for a moment. We get so much mail from so many of you who are curious about, well, us — especially how we got to political views and values we have, and how our stories compare to yours. So we thought we’d spend today’s klatch on the personal and political. Among the issues we talk about are: — Our political “awakenings.” What were the triggers and circumstances?— How our political views have evolved. — How and why we got

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16:30

Where have all the heroes gone?

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/05/21

Friends,Welcome back to my Saturday coffee klatch with Heather Lofthouse (executive director of Inequality Media Civic Action, and my former student), when we review the highs and lows (and sometimes very lows) of the week.Today we focus on:— Ron DeSantis will be announcing his run for the Republican nomination next week. Does he have a prayer?— Trump’s Georgia indictment will likely be announced in August. Will it make any difference?— Joe Manchin is causing trouble again. Will he make a

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3:48

What’s the opposite of Republican “law and order?”

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/05/18

Friends,While MAGA Republicans in the House attack and investigate what they dub Biden’s “weaponized” federal government and blast Democratic mayors for being “soft on crime,” they are blatantly ignoring the crimes of their allies in plain sight.After Rep. George Santos was arrested and charged with 13 federal crimes — seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making false statements to Congress — what did Speaker Kevin

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4:00

Meeting Justin Jones

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/05/16

Friends,On Sunday I experienced the perfect antidote to the resurgent Trump and Trumpism. I met with Tennessee Representative Justin Jones right after he gave an inspiring talk to our graduating UC Berkeley public policy students. As you may recall, Jones and another young Black Tennessee legislator, Justin Pearson, were expelled last month from the state’s General Assembly for protesting Tennessee’s failure to enact stronger gun controls after a shooting at a Christian school in Nashville took the

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17:25

Trump, Santos, Kevin McCarthy, and other loathsome...

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/05/14

Friends,Welcome back to my Saturday coffee klatch with Heather Lofthouse (executive director of Inequality Media Civic Action, and my former student), when we review the highs and lows (and sometimes very lows) of the week. This week we focus on:— Donald Trump’s horrible lie-fest on CNN. Why did CNN give him a full hour in front of a fawning audience of Trump fans? — E. Jean Carroll’s courtroom victory over Trump, as a Manhattan jury awards her $5 million in damages and finds him liable for sexually

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3:15

What the hell should I do with my Cabinet chair?

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/05/04

Friends, Retiring from the university means I have to vacate my office. The university has already scheduled a cleaning and new paint job (as if my years of habitation have somehow infested it). What to do with my books? I’ve accumulated several hundred over the years, now scrunched together on shelves running floor to ceiling. I’ve considered carting them to the student common room with a sign reading “free books” but can’t yet bring myself to part with them. Many are like old friends. They’re

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4:30

The Republican threat to our children

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/05/02

Friends, The same Republican state lawmakers who are prohibiting transgender care for young people and barring them from using school bathrooms or playing on sports teams according to their gender identity — all in the name of “protecting children” — are actively subjecting children to more gun violence and pushing younger children into more dangerous jobs.Consider Arkansas, which in April 2021 became the first state to outlaw transition-related medical treatment for minors. A few month ago, after

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23:05

The rise of Republican fascism

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/04/29

Friends,Welcome back to another Saturday coffee klatch with Heather Lofthouse (executive director of Inequality Media and my former student) where we look at the highs and lows and even lowers of the week. Today, we examine:— Joe Biden’s unsurprising announcement that he’s running for reelection. But what does it really mean, and what are his chances?— Kevin McCarthy and the radical House Republicans’ gonzo demands for raising the debt ceiling. What are Biden’s options?— Radical Republicans in

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2:56

My upcoming “retirement.”

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/04/20

Friends, Ever since word got out that I’ll be retiring from teaching at the end of this semester, people have been asking me what I’ll be doing next?I try to respond politely, but the question annoys the hell out of me. I’m reminded of singer-songwriter Willie Nelson’s response to a fan who asked him when he’ll be retiring: “Retiring from what?” Most people who “retire” usually stop what they call “working” and begin what they call “playing.” But what if your work is also your play? What if it’s

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22:05

Is the GOP turning into an anti-democracy movement?

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/04/16

Welcome back to my Saturday coffee klatch with Heather Lofthouse, when we consider the lows and lower points of the week. Today we look at:— The latest revelations about Clarence Thomas’s corruption — financial gifts from Harlan Crow that by law must be reported. Will Thomas finally be held accountable?— The district court ruling in Texas that overruled the FDA’s decision that a major abortion medication is safe and effective, which has gone to the Supreme Court. Why did the Supreme Court ever think

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2:01

Office Hours: Will Fox be detoxed?

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/04/12

Friends,The $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News — which starts Monday, with jury selection tomorrow — has uncovered a trove of damning text messages and emails showing that Fox News hosts like Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham knowingly lied to their viewers about false claims of voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election. A few weeks ago, Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis ruled that the evidence made it “CRYSTAL clear that none of the statements relating to Dominion about

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20:35

What happened to accountability?

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/04/08

Friends,Welcome back to my Saturday coffee klatch with Heather Lofthouse, executive director of Inequality Media Civic Action (and my former student), where we examine the lows and even lowers of the week. Today we look at:— Consequences of the Trump indictment: The Grifter-in-Chief rakes in more money and surges to the top of the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.— Tennessee’s return to Jim Crow: The legislature throws out two Black Democrats for protesting the state’s weak gun

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17:49

Trump’s April fools?

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/04/01

Friends,Welcome back to my Saturday coffee klatch with Heather Lofthouse (executive director of Inequality Media Civic Action, and my former student), where we examine the lows and even lowers of the preceding week. Today we talk about:— Trump’s indictment, and what it really means.— Starbucks’ anti-labor strategy, and what we should do about it.— The Gwyneth Paltrow case, and why it’s gotten so much attention.— My course, starting next Friday right here on this Substack.So grab a cup, pull up a

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16:04

Is the banking system safe?

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/03/19

Friends,Welcome back to my Saturday coffee klatch with Heather Lofthouse (executive director of Inequality Media Civic Action, and my former student), where we talk about the lows and the absurdities of the week. So grab a cup and pull up a chair.Today, we look at:— What really happened to Silicon Valley and the other small and medium-sized banks that got bailed out.— Whether this signals the beginning of a period of financial tumult and chaos on Wall Street, in the stock and bond markets, and for

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20:39

Want the good news or the bad news re: the economy?

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/03/12

Welcome back to today’s coffee klatch, where Heather Lofthouse (executive director of Inequality Media Civic Action and my former student) and I delve into the week’s highs and lows. So grab a cup, pull up a chair, and take our poll (if you wish). Today’s topics:— Friday’s jobs report, and why the big news is wages.— Thursday’s Biden budget, and why the big news is that it’s all a theatrical production designed to counter House Republicans.— Why Wall Street now regards good economic news as bad

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16:28

Murdaugh, Murdoch, and Trump’s loutishness

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/03/05

Friends,Welcome back to our Saturday coffee klatch with Heather Lofthouse (Executive Director of Inequality Media Civic Action, and my former student), as we plumb the depths of the past week. Grab a cup, pull up a chair, take our poll (if you wish), and join us. Today we explore:— Alex Murdaugh’s sentence for murder, and why the country is so fixated on this case.— The revolt of the citizens of East Palestine, Ohio, against the Norfolk Southern Railway, and how they exemplify what’s gone wrong in

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6:50

Republicans are right about E.S.G., but for the wrong...

The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich ·

2023/03/03

Friends,For nearly two decades, major corporations have touted principles known as E.S.G. (short for environmental, social, and governance factors), ostensibly by focusing their businesses on these concerns as well as on profits.But now Republicans are taking aim at this approach, calling it “woke capitalism” and using it to demonstrate that Democrats and progressives are trying to impose their views on the rest of society.In other words, the fight over E.S.G. is extending America’s culture war into

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