Robert Reich 'If Nobody Else Runs To Get Big $$$ Out Of Politics+Restore Prosperity For All -I WILL'

[kpete]

Reich says if nobody runs for president with the goals of “broad-based prosperity” and “big money out of politics” then he will




https://www.facebook.com/RBReich/posts/764361606909771
via: http://www.bluecheddar.net/?p=38550&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reich-says-if-nobody-runs-for-president-with-the-goals-of-broad-based-prosperity-and-big-money-out-of-politics-then-he-will

[immoderate]

1. Bob would have my vote!

--imm

[brooklynboy49]

114. He'd get my vote, too

This is what I thought we were getting from the disappointment-in-chief.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

2. WHOA! Remember when it was Hillary vs the Republican nominee?

Getting exciting, now!

[cui bono]

12. Exactly what we need to get out the vote!

Some excitement!

And something to vote FOR. If Hillary gets the nom it's just business as usual. He's right, first thing we need is money out of politics.

[Ikonoklast]

51. Hmmmm.

I'm fairly certain the Republicans would still field a candidate

Remember when it was Hillary vs the Republican nominee?

Although the Republicans could save lots of time and money and just let Hillary run against herself, they would end up the real winners if Hillary won anyway.

[roguevalley]

64. he gets mine. :D

[beerandjesus]

102. Yeah... back when that Republican nominee was Chris Christie!

:gloat: :gloat:

[LiberalAndProud]

3. Run, Robert, run.

[Xyzse]

4. Yep, he'll get my vote.

In fact, I want him to run.

I'd be excited about it. This Independent might have to even register as a Democrat if he by chance wins the primary.

I generally stay away from 2016 topics, but hell, for Robert Reich, I am all for it.

[polichick]

5. Bernie, and Bob too!? We might actually have a choice!

[Purveyor]

8. Sounds like a ticket to me... Bernie & Bob.

[polichick]

9. Wouldn't that be fun! :)

[newfie11]

49. My dream team. Nt

[go west young man]

60. They'd have my vote.

Throw in Alan Greyson as Chief of Staff and Elizabeth Warren crunching the numbers.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

63. I'd vote for that in a heartbeat.

[adirondacker]

87. :)

Thanks I needed that after reading the vitriol threads that are plaguing GD.

[dotymed]

88. I second that.

It looks like 2016 is shaping up to be a REAL NATION CHANGER. It is time and possibly our last peaceful chance.
We are in the GREATEST DEPRESSION ever, it is just lied about by our government. They change the way things are counted..

DU will have to change some TOS if they want real debate, not party squabbles.
If we 90% Unite and basically already know the type of changes we must have, we will have to realize that a political party cannot change it's spots overnight and we do not want any party wonks in our revolution.

This hopefully will introduce, and be won by a third "populist" party if we mean to keep the money out of politics. And the thieves out of our govt.
I hope Ernie, Skinner and the guys/girls are flexible, especially if they want to see real, positive Progressive changes in America.
I hope so, as I have seen a big changes here since the appointed one served 2 terms.

[KatyaR]

142. From your mouth to the universe.

We need HELP.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. The trouble is that the people who could do that benefit the most from not doing it.

"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress."

"I think I can say, and say with pride, that we have some legislatures that bring in higher prices than any in the world."

"Senator: Person who makes laws in Washington when not doing time."

Mark Twain

[sabrina 1]

7. I would support him in a heartbeat. He is a true Democrat. Run Bob, Run! Please!

Give us something to vote FOR!

[Adrahil]

10. Bob is a great guy and scary smart.

[bvar22]

11. Reich is RIGHT.

Great minds think alike.

<from July, 2013>
The Downward Trend for America's Working Class continues, unchecked.

The organized STEALING of the last bits of wealth from America's Working Class continues.
In fact, it IS accelerating.

50% of Working Americans NOW make less than $27,000/Yr.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023308914

Right now, forty percent of Americans make less than the minimum wage from 1968.
http://pac.petitions.moveon.org/sign/raise-the-minimum-wage-19/?source=search


Daily CEO Pay Now Exceeds the Average Worker's Annual Salary –
http://thecontributor.com/daily-ceo-pay-now-exceeds-us-workers-annual-salary




76% of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck
http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/24/pf/emergency-savings/index.html


New Rule (Passed by Congress and signed by President Obama) signals Kiss of Death for Pensions
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100694955

Wealthy win lion's share of major tax breaks
http://www.boston.com/business/news/2013/05/29/wealthy-win-lion-share-major-tax-breaks/Ua0UyYle21EUXub7g1suCI/story.html

Half of America is in poverty, and its creeping toward 75%
http://www.alternet.org/economy/real-numbers-half-america-poverty-and-its-creeping-toward-75-0

Wealth gap widens as labor's share of income falls
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/wealth-gap-widens-labors-share-income-falls-1B6097385

As the Economy Recovers, the Wealth Gap Widens
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/rick-newman/2013/03/11/as-the-economy-recovers-the-wealth-gap-widens

Top One Percent Captured 121 Percent Of All Income Gains
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/12/top-one-percent-income-gains_n_2670455.html

Corporate Profits Hit Record High While Worker Wages Hit Record Low
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/12/03/1270541/corporate-profits-wages-record/?mobile=nc


These things ^ do NOT happen by accident.
They take careful planning, preparation, marketing, buying the right politicians, message control, courts packed with Corporate Rights Judges, and the marginalization and suppression of any opposition or dissent.
(SEE: OWS)

This trend is also unsustainable.
That is WHY the 1% is urgently building the Surveillance/Security State,
and changing the laws to make "dissidents" (those who challenge Government Authority) the same as "terrorists",
because when the Working Class & The Poor realize how badly they have been screwed by BOTH Political parties,
they are going to need it.

<snip>


Raising the Minimum Wage is a laughable (in a sick sense) Token gesture,
as are the claims of creating new jobs (low wage, no benefits McJobs).
Despite the claims coming out of Washington, there IS NO "RECOVERY" for those of us who live on Main Street.
The Fast Tracked TPP (NAFTA on Steroids) will make it WORSE,
and those pushing it KNOW THAT,
and apparently do NOT care.
(Well, they "care" enough to try to keep the Working Class from finding out the depth of this betrayal by keeping it "secret&quot


But... Wall Street breaks RECORDS,
so



You will know them by their [font size=3]WORKS.[/font]

[font size=5 color=firebrick]Solidarity99%![/font]

[kpete]

13. we need to be able to

K&R replies

You will know them by their WORKS.

peace, kp

[Enthusiast]

97. We can "Plus One" them a shit load. An entire shit load.

[cui bono]

18. Sing it bvar!

[zeemike]

23. ^^^this^^^

[rhett o rick]

65. You're right. Er, I mean Reich is Right. No, I mean, you are right that Reich is right but not

right wing right. Maybe we should say "Reich is Correct". Naw, it's missing something.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

93. Bookmarking. Thanks for another great reply with facts, data, and links!

[bvar22]

135. Those are old links from 2013.

The new ones are even worse.

Retirement: A third have less than $1,000 put away
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2014/03/18/retirement-confidence-survey-savings/6432241/

65 percent of working families are living from paycheck to paycheck.
http://billmoyers.com/2014/01/10/why-conservatives-old-divide-and-conquer-strategy-%E2%80%94-setting-working-class-against-the-poor-%E2%80%94-is-backfiring/

"Obama Admin’s TPP Trade Officials Received Hefty Bonuses From Big Banks"
http://billmoyers.com/2014/02/20/obama-admin%E2%80%99s-tpp-trade-officials-received-hefty-bonuses-from-big-banks/

95 percent of the economy’s gains have gone to the top 1 percent
http://billmoyers.com/2014/01/10/why-conservatives-old-divide-and-conquer-strategy-%E2%80%94-setting-working-class-against-the-poor-%E2%80%94-is-backfiring/

Billionaire wealth doubles since financial crisis
http://www.upi.com/blog/2013/11/12/Billionaire-wealth-doubles-since-financial-crisis/5011384268135/?spt=hts&or=12

US Wealthy Have Biggest Piece of Pie Ever Recorded
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/09/11-6

Rates of unemployment for families earning less than $20,000 - have topped 21 percent
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_JOBS_GAP_RICH_AND_POOR?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-09-16-08-11-23

Study: "Trade" Deal Would Mean a Pay Cut for 90% of U.S. Workers
http://citizen.typepad.com/eyesontrade/2013/09/the-verdict-is-in-the-trans-pacific-partnership-tpp-a-sweeping-free-trade-deal-under-negotiation-with-11-pacific-rim-coun.html

The Totally Unfair And Bitterly Uneven 'Recovery,' In 12 Charts – HuffPo
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023662029

Wall Street will get away with massive wave of criminality of 2008 - Statute of Limitations
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022516719

Income gap widest ever: 95 Percent of Recovery Income Gains Have Gone to the Top 1 Percent
http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2013/09/10/one_percent_recovery_95_percent_of_gains_have_gone_to_the_top_one_percent.html

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

143. Wow. Thanks. If the Democratic Party really cared about income equity they would be shouting

this info from the rooftops. The public needs to be informed and a lot of people don't have the time, energy, skill, or inclination to adequately inform themselves. It's got to be in their face. Which is why the RW message is so well disseminated and accepted by far too many.

[Enthusiast]

98. PLUS A BRAZILLION!

[blackspade]

106. +1000

[redqueen]

14. Wouldn't that be nice.

Someone I could support wholeheartedly.

[Hoyt]

15. Hope he runs. I would really like to hear his views in the debates, etc.

[7wo7rees]

16. Oh Hell Yes!!! Run, Bob, Run!!!

Declare it to be so today!

[Schema Thing]

17. oh hell yeah.

You won't win, but you'll get my support as you try to keep the eventual democratic nominee honest!

[sabrina 1]

35. Why couldn't he win? We ARE still a democracy aren't we? I believe he COULD win, he is more

qualified than most of those planning to run, he is honest, has never wavered in his views according to party politics, cares about PEOPLE, is one of the most intelligent people in the country today. So why should not think that he could win? That's up to us, no?

We can't be pessimistic about this democracy. I know that powerful forces would be aligned against him, Wall St especially and the MIC, but there are more of us than of them and if we don't give up, we CAN win. Just my opinion of course.

[Enthusiast]

99. The electorate is starving for a candidate with a populist message.

Most of the nation is completely sick of corporate rule. The rest are idiots.

[Ed Suspicious]

57. Why? Why will he not win? Why are you so confident a real populist progressive is unable to win

the presidency? Not bluedog enough?

[Schema Thing]

62. I'd love to be proved wrong.

[quakerboy]

75. Money.

$$$

[Maedhros]

19. Robert Reich has been a strong voice for Liberalism.

I would welcome his candidacy.

[zeemike]

20. He would have my support.

and I would even scrap together some money to send him if he did...even if I had to eat beans for a while.

[sendero]

21. I would vote for Reich..

.... with a big smile.

[NightWatcher]

22. Smart People For President

As the repukes sort out which mouth-breather will get the support of the Flat Earthers, we have another smart person contemplating the office and the run for office. It's nice to not have to cater to crazy people.

[hedgehog]

24. A President who inderstands economics and has a sense of humor!

Where do I sign up!

[ReRe]

89. Plus...

... a President who is a former Labor Secretary!

[polichick]

25. A shot across the bow?

[deedawning]

26. I like them all

Including Paul Krugman. But, let's not forget former Montana Gov Brian Sweitzer. He's folksy like Huckabee and twice as smart!

[Le Taz Hot]

38. And just LOVES the XL pipeline.

No thanks. The last thing we need is another DINO.

Oh yeah, and welcome to DU.

[ProSense]

27. He supports free trade

and they don't like him over at Naked Capitalism.

The Emerging Anti-Trade Coalition, and Its Dangers
http://robertreich.org/post/1254390108

Robert Reich, Inequality’s Intellectual Fraudster
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/09/robert-reich-inequalitys-intellectual-fraudster.html

Still, the Democratic field is deep, including Reich, Sanders (if he runs as a Democrat) and Warren.

[rhett o rick]

69. Thanks for the innuendo. Does this mean you dont like him? nm

[blackspade]

109. And so does the DLC, Clinton, Obama.....

and all the rest.
Naked Capitalism makes some nice points, but I think they draw some inaccurate conclusions about him.
The first link is about Tea-bagger isolationism and income inequity.

But at least Reich seems to have seen the light.

Were these the first two links that came up on a google search?
Why are you trying to undercut a potential Democratic candidate?
Where does your support stand at this point?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

28. I'm all for his idea of getting $ out of govt, but HOW will he do it,

particularly since there is no support unless the president conforms to right wing ideology? How would he do it with corporations having their tentacles everywhere to sabotage a president that tried to go it all alone?

[blackspade]

110. Wolf.pac.com

A convention of the states.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

112. Ok - I want you to know I'm signing and looking into volunteering, and sending this to others nt

[blackspade]

120. Sweet!

[AzDar]

29. He'd get my vote!

[Democracyinkind]

30. From what I know about him, and have read from him, I'd take him over Hillary any day. nt

[WillyT]

31. HUGE K & R !!!

[RufusTFirefly]

32. Noooo! If he doesn't shut up, it will spoil the coronation!!!

[woo me with science]

33. Hallelujah! The floodgates are opening!

THIS IS A GOOD THING!

[mother earth]

34. Just do it, Robert Reich. We get the problem, we need the solution & there are few

voices we trust to get it done, you of course, Warren & Sanders, absolutely! Just do it. K & R

[Le Taz Hot]

36. Excellent!

I would LOVE to vote FOR someone this time.

[tridim]

37. Love it, but it brings up a real nasty catch-22. nt

[Sherman A1]

39. Works for me.

He will have my vote.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

40. Shit or get off the fucking pot! nt

[polichick]

127. Maybe he just wants HRC to take on inequality...

He probably doesn't really want to run - who would?

[Squinch]

41. At least primary to push the party a little leftward. He has some rightist positions, but if

he makes this his bullhorn, it can only benefit most of us.

[TRoN33]

42. If he's running for President...

He will have my vote in Democratic primary.

[moondust]

43. Nails it.

Big time!

Would definitely vote for.

[KamaAina]

44. He's way too short.

[Jack Rabbit]

47. Hey, tall people have screwed up enough

It's time we vertically challenged folk had our shot.

-- JR (5'3&quot

[KamaAina]

48. Oh yeah?

[ReRe]

90. James Madison was short too.

[truebluegreen]

45. I hope Hillary is listening.

[rhett o rick]

66. I doubt if she really cares. She has Corp-America, Citizens United, and the Carlyle Group

in her corner. She is busy depositing the checks for $400,000 from Goldman-Sachs.

[truebluegreen]

80. True enough.

Even if she did run to the left to gain the nomination and win the election, she wouldn't end up governing that way.

[Jack Rabbit]

46. He''l have my support

I would have recommended Reich to be key member of Obama's economic team. But of course, it would have looked a lot different if I had my druthers.

[ymetca]

50. Not a snowball's chance in hell...

... has this man of becoming president. That High Priest position has been pre-selected by the global monied elites since long before I was born, way back when in the dead-end Sixties. Like it or not, we now live in a planet-wide kleptocracy, something akin to Philip K. Dick's Solar Lottery.

The corporate-nation-state model is dying, and killing the planet, along with millions of us peons at the bottoms of our atavistic pyramid dreams. We don't need another Pharoah. We need all the Pharoah-wannabes to jump into a volcano instead.

Unless and until we establish a global one-person, one-vote Democracy, we cannot fully implement SMI2LE and provide escape velocity for enough individuals to experience zero-G, and thus free our collective mindset of the primitive impulses that propel us toward (yet still another) collapse of human civilization. We have to stop playing King of the Hill.

Having said all that, of course I would vote for Mr. Reich if he wanted to pour all our trillions of military bucks into building a space elevator...

As for the whole "jobs = success" bullshit, I side with Bob Black on that one.

[LiberalAndProud]

70. Do you also agree with Bob Black and the joking *and* serious thing?

Escape velocity. Campaign on that. I want.

[JackInGreen]

52. I'll stop myself from getting too excited...

but only because I don't want to make an ass out of myself fawning.

[joshcryer]

53. About fucking time!

Hopefully this isn't bluster.

[colsohlibgal]

54. We Need A Reboot

The system is broken, big money has taken over. It's legalized bribery. Huge corporations have deeper pockets than almost all of us, so they get what they want a lot more than we do. Corruption rules, D.C and many statehouses are cesspools.

Right now republicans have gone maxi right wing, the democrats have morphed into what the republicans were. We do have real progressive democrats in congress, just not enough of them to influence much of where the DCCC lands politically, which tends to be republican lite.

Facilitating all this is a consolidated media and a public with way too many people misinformed or uninformed. Fox News, Limbaugh, etc. flat out lie and many people buy it.

Money needs to be eradicated from policy, public financing of elections is the way to go so nobody can buy their way into office, and no Koch head can spend billions to sway the less than correctly informed public.

Until that happens we should have legislators wear patches like Nascar drivers, showing the companies who they are beholden to.

[Ed Suspicious]

55. I would vote for Mr. Reich in a heartbeat. I'd cast it today if I could.

[ProSense]

56. Robert Reich on Obamacare:

Robert Reich on Obamacare: It’s Working Despite Misinformation
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024699353

[rhett o rick]

67. Glad to see you support Robert Reich for president. nm

[Bernie2016]

58. Bernie will run.

But Reich would be a good second choice if he doesn't...

[ReRe]

92. The debates would be exciting and informative again!

[bvar22]

136. I hope so, but we haven't had "debates" since the LWV refused to host them in 1987.

Control of the presidential debates has been a ground of struggle for more than two decades. The role was filled by the nonpartisan League of Women Voters (LWV) civic organization in 1976, 1980 and 1984. In 1987, the LWV withdrew from debate sponsorship, in protest of the major party candidates attempting to dictate nearly every aspect of how the debates were conducted. On October 2, 1988, the LWV's 14 trustees voted unanimously to pull out of the debates, and on October 3 they issued a press release:

"The League of Women Voters is withdrawing sponsorship of the presidential debates...because the demands of the two campaign organizations would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter. It has become clear to us that the candidates' organizations aim to add debates to their list of campaign-trail charades devoid of substance, spontaneity and answers to tough questions. The League has no intention of becoming an accessory to the hoodwinking of the American public."

Anybody who has watched the "Debates", including the Primary Debates, since the LMV refused to host them
has become aware of this charade.
The Corporate Backed Big Money Candidates can be sure that anybody offering anything different
will be pushed off the stage and asked questions about Flying Saucers while the cameras stay focused on their pre-selected candidates.

[ReRe]

148. Yeah, and ever since they pulled out from handling the debates....

... it's more or less been two-party rule, or two-party unification. Followed by the creation of the Democratic (Corporate) Leadership Conference (the DLC). I describe what has happened to this country since at least the early to mid '70s as nothing but diabolic. The experiment called "Democracy" seems to have failed, what with the constant devoted cudgeling by the right. The fraud seems to be complete.

I so wish they had not given it up. They could have taken their plight to the Election Commission or the Supreme Court, or to the American People (because back in 1988, the media fix wasn't totally complete yet.)

[polichick]

134. Can't wait to hear Bernie's plan for the "political revolution" he's mentioned.

[belltower]

61. Its TV, not so much the funders

My belief is that if you get teevee campaign expenses under control -- stop the madness of it all and get something for our public ownership of the airwaves -- the revenue side of campaigns will sort itself out very quickly.

RR is wrong to focus on the revenue side, about as sensical it is to reform health care insurance industry. You can't contol them, so abolish or at least seriously discount them.

[quinnox]

68. Wow, cool! I love the guy, he always seems to say intelligent things about the way the system works

And even if his candidacy just accomplished to pull all the other candidates to the left, that would be good enough in my book.

[grasswire]

71. If you like this idea, FOLLOW him on facebook now.

That will send the message to him.

[grasswire]

72. I'm dreaming of an administration.....

....with Reich, Sanders, Wes Clark, Howard Dean, Brian Schweitzer.....WOW!

We have some great Democratic leaders.

[kpete]

77. here:

https://www.facebook.com/RBReich/posts/764361606909771

[IDemo]

73. Watch Reich speak on inequality (well worth the hour):

Reich: How Unequal Can America Get?

[reformist2]

74. Amen! Even most Hillary supporters would have to admit (at least to themselves) he'd be better.

[PATRICK]

76. During the last(many) election cycles

Huge critical issues went begging even for bare attention or got shallow servicing. This not rocking the corporate orgy cruise has created a huge gap between the permitted candidates(they don't vet, they anoint them on Wall Street) and really vital things that could sway tremendous blocks of voters over real outrage and needs for once.

Seeing these issues get short-handed in big party debates and ignored in Third parties in the media I just have to wish Reich good luck with that. I guess it is too far left and automatically of no interest to mention the possibility of taking back our economic future from lawless crooks.

[pffshht]

78. I could totally see someone running on this platform and winning.

Actually following through on it once elected? Not so much.

They'd either break their campaign promises like everyone else, or get assassinated.

[DirkGently]

79. Whoa. n/t

[Beacool]

81. Ahhh, the parallel world of DU where Sanders and Reich are viable presidential candidates.

[Raksha]

85. They are viable candidates.

Nobody BUT a real progressive stands a chance of winning in 2016, unless the election gets stolen as it was in 2004. I will not vote for another neocon "centrist" DINO. Period. 2008 was the last time I fell for that "lesser of two evils" bullshit. From the responses on this thread, it seems a lot of people are coming to the same conclusion.

[Beacool]

107. No, they are not.

Only in the rarefied world of online LW sites are Sanders and Reich viable nominees for 2016.

You can vote for anyone you want, but neither one of these two people will be the nominee. "A lot of people" here are not enough to counter the millions who will not vote for them.

Wishful thinking is one thing, reality is another altogether different story.

[Caretha]

108. You must have forgotten

the DU TOS. If Robert Reich or Bernie Sanders throw their hats in the ring and run on the Democratic ticket - then they are part of our Democratic parties choice.

This isn't PUMA Underground you know.

[Beacool]

116. Oh, aren't you sweet?

That's your retort, the PUMA B.S. from 2008? How predictable and funny!!!

I don't care if 20 people run for the presidency in 2016. My point is that neither Sanders nor Reich are viable candidates who could win the presidency. Reality is far removed from DU.

[polichick]

123. Right, but HRC is "viable" - only corporate candidates are "viable."

[Beacool]

124. Did I say "only"?

Did I even mention Hillary? I said that that these two people (Reich and Sanders) are not viable. My educated opinion. Those who disagree are entitled to their opinion too. In two years we'll see who is correct.

[polichick]

126. Yeah, because "her viability is not in dispute" - too much!

[Beacool]

129. You keep repeating yourself.

And I've already answered you.

[polichick]

131. You've repeated the idea that "Clinton is viable, nobody else is" ad nauseam.

[Caretha]

145. I'm pragmatic

not sweet.

You said:

"I don't care if 20 people run for the presidency in 2016. My point is that neither Sanders nor Reich are viable candidates who could win the presidency. Reality is far removed from DU."

Says you? Barrack Obama was a long shot. I remember hearing the same BS you are spouting now when he was running. You may have a short term memory problem but I don't. Things don't go down the 'rabbit hole' with everyone - no matter how much you might wish that.

The truth is you do not own "reality", although you seem egotistical enough to think so. Thank God reality doesn't depend on you.

[Beacool]

146. No one owns reality, but people seem to choose to ignore it.

In what world do Reich and Sanders have a chance in hell of winning the presidency? There's no comparison to them and the charismatic Obama. Please..........

[blackspade]

111. So who is the viable candidate?

And what makes them viable?

[Beacool]

117. Viable candidates are those who people could actually see as president.

It's what in a bygone era would have been called "it". Do they have the "it" factor?

There are some Democrats who, if given the proper conditions, could be seen as president by voters. People such as O'Malley, Cuomo, Warren, Gillibrand, Schweitzer and some others. I neither see Reich, who is not even a politician, or Sanders, a Socialist in his mid 70s, as viable candidates.

I deliberately left Hillary out of the list because her viability is not in dispute. I didn't include Biden because I think that his age, and public perception of him, would be a liability.

[blackspade]

121. So your not going to answer beyond...

a viable candidate has 'it?' Really?

So we are now nominating candidates based in 'it' rather than actual platforms?
Anyone that you mentioned, even Reich and Sanders could be viable candidates given the proper conditions.
But what are the conditions? Are they different for each one? If so, how do we as a party create these conditions?

[Beacool]

122. Look, I'm not going to spend the day arguing with you.

You think that Reich and Sanders are people who could possibly win the WH in 2016. I think that they have a zero to none chance of ever becoming president. Furthermore, I think that these two very smart men are aware of it. If they do choose to enter the fray, they'll do so to try to veer the eventual nominee leftward.

Let's just agree to disagree.

[polichick]

125. "her viability is not in dispute" - lol, of course not.

[Beacool]

128. No, it isn't.

In the real world, she happens to be the person who has consistently had the highest polls in the history of the Democratic party.

Hillary Clinton is the biggest frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination ever. Yes, ever.

Hillary Rodham Clinton's 61-point edge over Joe Biden in new Washington Post-ABC News polling makes her the single biggest frontrunner for a Democratic presidential nomination in the history of the poll, an affirmation of the conventional wisdom that the nomination is hers for the taking.

Clinton stands at an eye-popping 73 percent in a hypothetical 2016 primary race with Biden, the sitting vice president, who is the only other candidate in double digits at 12 percent. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who has signed a letter along with a handful of other Democratic senators urging Clinton to run, is at 8 percent. And that's it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/01/30/hillary-clinton-is-the-biggest-frontrunner-for-the-democratic-presidential-nomination-ever-yes-ever/

BTW, this is not the only poll that reflects similar findings. I live in a reality based world, not in a pie in the sky world where purists win elections. In this world, Hillary is the most viable candidate we have had in many years. Should other people be in the running? Of course, no one is asking or expecting a coronation. There will be a contested primary, and that's as it should be in a democracy.

[polichick]

130. For a lot of us, corporate servants are NOT viable...

But you shoot down anyone who isn't a corporate servant.

[joshcryer]

149. Viability is BS.

It should never be a metric to choose your candidates. Never. Clinton will not go unchallenged.

[Beacool]

151. Of course she will not go unchallenged, this is not a monarchy.

I seem to be repeating myself. My only point about this whole thread is that neither Reich nor Sanders could ever be elected president. It's not going to happen, no matter how much the Left wishes it to be so.

[rhett o rick]

82. k&r thanks for posting. nm

[nikto]

83. He has my vote

Bigtime.

[tclambert]

84. Rich people are a bad investment.

For the price of one billionaire we could have thousands of middle class working stiffs. Our society benefits far more from the thousands of little people.

[DebJ]

86. I love him!

[red dog 1]

91. K&R...Thanks for posting

Reich has my vote, unless he runs against Warren....or Bernie.

[madokie]

94. You run on that platform and I'll vote for you

I want better for our country and until we get the big money our of our politics we can't get there. Same with our press, if we don't get big corporations ownership out of it we lose.

[JDPriestly]

95. He would be a great candidate.

He would get the liberal alternative message out there. I will back him or any other really liberal well-spoken candidate with good ideas who is willing to stick his/her neck out and run.

The American people deserve to have choices other than corporate candidate number 1 and crazy corporate candidate number 2.

Robert Reich could really wake our country up. That's how change can be achieved.

The primaries are about listening to new ideas within our party and choosing the candidate whose ideas are likely to win. The primaries are the place to introduce to the broad citizenry the winning ideas of Robert Reich, Bernie Sanders and/or Elizabeth Warren. At least one of them should stand up to the plate and educate the American people about the fact that there are alternatives to corporate fascism.

[Enthusiast]

100. Yup. The American people have had about enough of corporate fascism.

[Enthusiast]

96. One thing for certain, this huge money must be separated from the political process.

It.Is.Ruining.The.Nation.

[IrishAyes]

101. If it's done w/o a DOOMED splinter party, I'd vote for him.

The primaries will tell. Perhaps our best case scenario would be a Clinton/Reich ticket. Hillary couldn't afford a female VP candidate, but there are plenty of good Dem male candidates. The Castro twins, Reich, etc.

But I beg everyone to remember this unchanged (and probably unchangeable) political truism of all times: no third party succeeds to the oval office, much less wins the Hill. The only practical use of a third party is to convince the opponents to split. I do everything I can to encourage various shades of Repukes to bolt. What makes anyone think they're not working the same way against us? For the exact same reason.

[mmonk]

103. I'll vote for anyone who runs directly against trickle down.

[Jefferson23]

104. The elephant that is ever present in the room, the poison of lobby money. K&R

He is a good man to frame his concerns in this manner..it is important.

[blackspade]

105. He should start now.

[jwirr]

113. As I said about Bernie Saunders: Even if he does not win, he can call Hillary out during the primary

She needs to be pushed on where she stands on the issues because she has not shown herself to be a progressive. More power to Bernie and Robert. I would vote for either of them if they won the primary.

[kiawah]

115. He's right, but he's too short and weird looking to get elected.

He'd never pass the "American Idol" test....

[JNelson6563]

118. I love this kind of stirring the pot!

Wouldn't this make things far more interesting? Wow!



Julie

[paleotn]

119. Fantastic....

...I would add to that...

Kill the TPP. No ifs, ands or buts. It's dead.

Revise, renegotiate or just dump NAFTA, CAFTA, etc. Virtually all our trade agreements in the last 40 years are based on making it easier for what are essentially American corporations to take advantage of cheap labor and materials from overseas and resell those products in the US. That is at the heart of the hollowing out of the US industrial base. If members of the WTO don't like it, they can pound sand. You want access to the US market? (who the hell doesn't?) Then you play by our rules. Period. End of story. The Chinese don't seem to have a problem executing this policy to their advantage. We shouldn't either.

Develop a national industrial policy and damn it, stick to it. Every other industrialized nation does this with the goal of benefiting their home country first and foremost, NOT simply to make corporate shareholders rich.

Incentivize industrial investment in the US and the US only. Penalties for off shoring and that includes US territories such as the Marianas.

[closeupready]

138. LOL good luck with THAT - Reich helped get NAFTA passed

as Bill Clinton's Secretary of Labor.

[Whisp]

132. hmmm, I think I'd like that very much.

yeh, run robert run
the more the better

[Courtesy Flush]

133. He's a brilliant man!

I follow him on facebook, and his insights are consistently on target and, dare I say it, brave.

[cantbeserious]

137. Bob - You Have My Support

eom

[closeupready]

139. No thanks.

[Aerows]

140. He'd have my vote in a heartbeat

That's the only thing that will turn our country around to prosperity for all.

[KatyaR]

141. OMG, YES!!!

I'd vote for him in a flash! My only fear would be that he would be attacked as "too educated."

BOB FOR PRES!!!

[JCMach1]

144. The BIGGEST guy in the room... so, HELL YES

but, he won't run against Hillary...

[tnlefty]

147. He's gonna be speaking at a Union Hall near me

on April 4th, and I'll be there to hear what he has to say!! I've mentioned it to the older 'union thug' that I'm married to, and to the younger 'union thug' (one of my sons), who has the 'union thug' gear and I need to mention this to many others.

I'm looking forward to listening to him!

[yellowwoodII]

150. Amen, Amen

I, personally, cannot vote for Hillary with any enthusiasm. She supported the Iraq War.