Ralph welcomes former Labor Secretary and Chairman of Common Cause, Robert Reich, to talk about how to fight back in Donald Trump’s America. And children’s studies scholar, Heidi Tilney Kramer, talks about her book Media Monsters: Militarism, Violence, and Cruelty in Children’s Culture.
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Robert Reich is Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley and Senior Fellow at the Blum Center for Developing Economies. He served as Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration, for which Time Magazine named him one of the ten most effective cabinet secretaries of the twentieth century. He has written fourteen books, including the best sellers Aftershock, The Work of Nations, and Beyond Outrage, and his most recent, Saving Capitalism. He is also a founding editor of the American Prospect magazine, chairman of Common Cause, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and co-creator of the award-winning documentary, “Inequality For All”.
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Someone making a billion dollars makes as much as 66,000 minimum wage workers.
How can we help people to see that stopping just one billionaire from gaming the system could lead to doubling tens of thousands of the poor’s yearly income?
How do we get past the “job creator” myths?
How do we change the false story of poor people on welfare “taking our hard earned dollars”, and reveal the fact that the rich as stealing us blind as they weaken democracy, justice, and the viability of the human race?
I think of Ralph Nader is a national treasure. We need to align to bring around many of the well-meaning Trump supporters. They’ve been told their cousins have has stolen from them as the real thieves get away unnoticed.
Great conversation … it is about time to see some of the greats of the Left talking and working together … in fact very long past time.
Has anyone considered that there is massive election fraud on the part of the system, i.e. the Republicans/Corporatists? I do not believe what I see in the media any longer, nor what I see in the elections. I think the elections are “tweaked” at multiple levels in multiple places.
Thank you for the opportunity to communicate with you both. I admire and respect you both and your perseverance and historic work on behalf of our democratic republic. I am overwhelmed by the entire trump nightmare. One story scares me particularly. A MN Congressman, Mr. Wells visited the Minneapolis airport while the travel ban was still in place to speak with those working security. He was told they could not speak to anyone. This, as you know came from the executive branch. Then last Sun. On Fox, trump said 109 people were affected by his travel order. This is my fear. Dishonest POTUS. Please reassure me there are hundreds of lawyers working on the case to impeach trump.
I am a 60 year old teacher in a thriving charter school in MN, a mother, grandmother, wife, voter, etc..
Thanks for your work.
The outpouring of resistance as shown by demonstrations nationwide is falling on deaf ears in Trump’s administration because Trump, and his followers in the Congress, believe that such demonstrations are organized by “professional protesters” — not real people.
Great interviews both. After hearing Robert again he’s much better the 2d time. I dont see the mainstream parties reforming nor Trump changing much. As Ralph and Robert etc say, its increasingly up to the People to watchdog and nudge Congress, but even then it is not a sure thing. I’m not advocating violence but maybe thats necessary to get on the evening news? Or as Jefferson said, a little blood is sometimes necessary to ‘water the Tree of Liberty’.
Love your show and most of your guests. I think Robert Reich is a problem who does not give The President of the United States a fair chance. He ended TPP, something that Hillary Clinton would never do. He’s shaking up the pro Democratic, Hillary Clinton Media – NPR, NYTimes, CNN, and MSNBC. Networks that do not have your guests on except for Robert Reich. Also would like to see a conservative Guest. Maybe someone who is PRO TPP. Also would like you to invite Tulsi Gabbard on your show, one of the the few Democrats who actually mention the word Peace.
In regards to the segment about militarism in our media, I’m glad this is being discussed and hope it’ll happen more. However, I’ve encountered quite a few people who act utterly clueless when I bring it up and even argue on behalf of the “fun” violence in Star Wars, Star Trek, etc., etc., etc. (When Star Wars first came out in 1977, there was least discussion in my family about the violence. Albeit, the conclusion was it was okay because Star Wars was “make-believe.”)
In ’06 I visited the set of the first Transformers movie as a reporter, and co-producer Ian Bryce was quite upfront that the U.S. Military saw Transformers as being a recruiting tool. When asked about Military co-operation and support for the movie, he said they very eagerly helped. He told a room full of journalists: “[G]enerally, they were extremely enthusiastic and supportive to the project. For them it’s all about showcasing the Military in an appropriate and positive light, and is it going to have a positive impact on recruitment, which they feel that this one does.” Yet, even though he was so transparent, few seemed to care at all. The link I provide leads to my full report from the set and an audio recording of Bryce’s statement.
All this leads me to the disturbing conclusion that militarism is profoundly ingrained in American culture. Perhaps increased emphasis on critical thinking in k-12 education can help. (Critical thinking caused me to question the pervasive “fun” violence in Star Wars, etc,).
I’m looking forward to reading the book you’ve discussed, Media Monsters: Militarism, Violence, and Cruelty in Children’s Culture.
Do you happen to still have that link? It doesn’t look like you posted it when you first made this comment. I would be very interested in reading it!
Hi! This is Heidi Kramer. At present, the free PDF of my book can be found on the World Beyond War website and also on filmmaker, Jordan Brown’s, website at https://jore.cc/mediamonsters. Thanks, Heidi
Hi! This is Heidi Kramer. At present, the free PDF of my book can be found on the World Beyond War website and also on filmmaker, Jordan Brown’s, website at https://jore.cc/mediamonsters. Thanks, Heidi
I normally love your show, but apparently it isn’t enough to fight Trump on the issues, you feel the need to repeat the baseless Russia hacked the election allegation. Do Democratic leaders believe this stuff or do they think the ends justify the means? Repeating the lies of the warmongering deep state is not ok in my book. You and Robert Reich should both be ashamed to be repeating this stuff while you complain about Trump lying.
https://theintercept.com/2017/01/11/the-deep-state-goes-to-war-with-president-elect-using-unverified-claims-as-dems-cheer/
https://consortiumnews.com/2017/01/06/the-dubious-case-on-russian-hacking/
https://theintercept.com/2017/03/16/key-democratic-officials-now-warning-base-not-to-expect-evidence-of-trumprussia-collusion/
hear hear! I agree. Russia conspiracy theories was something concocted by Clinton’s spindoctor Robby Mook and former CNN and DNC hack Donna Braville and John Podesta to discredit WikiLeaks with the help of their allies in congress, the corporate media that supported Clinton and the deep state the elements that supported her. Its complete bullshit and its sad to see Sanders supporters, Bernie himself! and people like The Young Turks, Democracy Now, and now even The Intercept jumping the shark on this and Syria as well.