Robert Reich says strengthen unions, inequality has skyrocketed as unions have weakened.

[mother earth]

Published on May 28, 2015


Robert Reich says inequality has skyrocketed as unions have weakened. That is no accident and it's why we have to strengthen unions now!

[KamaAina]

1. There has got to be a place for this man in the Sanders Administration.

[mother earth]

2. I agree.

[DJ13]

8. VP

[KamaAina]

9. Two New Englanders?

[mother earth]

14. Reich is from PA, Sanders is a NE'er originally hailing from NY. nt

[KamaAina]

15. Well, two northeasterners, at any rate.

[mother earth]

17. With Sanders and Reich, it's all good.

[Jefferson23]

3. Off topic, has he endorsed any candidate yet? n/t

[mother earth]

4. I've not seen any indication of that so far. He was encouraging a Warren run.

Reich served as labor secretary under Bill Clinton. He also worked in the administrations of Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter. He is a former Harvard University professor who now teaches at the University of California, Berkeley.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/02/27/robert-reich-says-he-could-run-for-president/

He endorses taking on big moneyed interests.
http://robertreich.org/post/112545018065

[Jefferson23]

5. Thank you..I hope he endorses Bernie. n/t

[mother earth]

6. I will add to that, as of June 7th, he recently refused to endorse Hillary.

http://redalertpolitics.com/2015/06/07/former-clinton-labor-secretary-robert-reich-hillary-faces-issue-disclosure/

Former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich, who refused to endorse Hillary during a recent conversation with ABC News, is particularly concerned about the former secretary of state’s lack of “disclosure.”

During a roundtable discussion on ABC News’ This Week Sunday, Reich addressed Clinton’s waning favorability and honesty ratings, suggesting that she will need to have “more disclosure than any other candidate” in 2016 in order to prove to the public that she isn’t hiding anything regarding her State Department emails or her foundation’s foreign money sources.

Read more at http://redalertpolitics.com/2015/06/07/former-clinton-labor-secretary-robert-reich-hillary-faces-issue-disclosure/#BH4KHdUm6xwwTDRh.99

[Jefferson23]

7. So perhaps he will endorse Bernie..thanks very much for that link. n/t

[mother earth]

11. Let's hope. :)

[The2ndWheel]

10. Unions have strength when place matters

I don't think it's just an accident that unions in the US were their strongest in the 50's and 60's. In an increasingly placeless world, unions aren't going to be what they used to be.

[mother earth]

12. You mean where people and labor law matter? Perhaps placeless should be replaced with

globalized? Our standard of living was higher back then, the good ole days when the head of the household could raise a family, today it takes two to try to make ends meet & is increasingly more difficult for families who struggle on a daily basis. Wasn't there a recent statement or study about the majority of people who if faced with an unforeseen $400 expense would have to sell something, or figure some other way of meeting that expense? Not a very good reflection on the state of the 99% in this country.

When I hear politicians speak about social and income inequality, I wonder about their base, I wonder why they don't want to end the revolving door, and reform campaign finance, or end this TPP corporate coup d'état that's on fast track. Actions speak loudly, and we shall remember those voting for TPP, and those publicly speaking for the people.

[The2ndWheel]

24. Placeless/Globalized, it's all the same

The world is far more open than it used to be. People around the world have increased expectations. There are only so many resources on a finite planet to go around. It's a difficult equation to try and even out.

Back in the day when union membership was highest, they couldn't move your job to China or India as easily. Back in the day, it was basically white men that got the benefits of that. But then society opens up(not just in the US, but the world), and now everyone needs and/or wants a job. The more people available for a job, the less you have to pay those people to do the job. Add in increasing automation, and you need people even less.

A simple college degree isn't worth what it used to be worth, because now more people have them. Now you have to go above and beyond it. If everyone goes to school to become an engineer or something, then engineers won't make as much money.

I know we're talking about people, but it's still supply and demand. It's no different in that regard than a TV or whatever. The more TV's out there, the less they cost. Since there are fewer and fewer alternatives to the dominant way of life, the more people you throw into the same system, the less you need any one of them for the system to function.

[mother earth]

25. Let's not forget the real cause of this drive to "globalize" is for one reason only, to escape labor

law & exploit. I would have zero issues with a globalized work force that is also globally protected by labor law & honors human rights.

The corporations don't need help in whitewashing their exploitation globally. The ONLY reason they go elsewhere are to cut costs & they don't give a damn who or what is hurt, killed or destroyed, including people, including the environment. Their crimes wreak havoc globally.

[hifiguy]

13. I wonder if the good professor

ever gets tired of being right about everything.

[mother earth]

16. One of the reasons I am a new found fan of economics...these brilliant men not only are right,

they bring new understanding to the morality of economics and the understanding of how it is tilted to the l%, how it affects the collective or society as a whole. Sorry to geek out, but these days, they really shine, and very definitely Robert Reich is one of those who are so deserving of much respect, admiration and gratitude.

[hifiguy]

18. Read Thomas Picketty's essential

Capital in the 21st Century. Quite readable and amazingly brilliant.

[mother earth]

26. I'll have to ck it out, though I've read that even Picketty downplays the depth of what we are up

against.

TY, hifiguy.

[lonestarnot]

19. I'm telling you DU people, unions are part of the answer.

[pampango]

20. No progressive country has anything like 'right-to-work' laws courtesy of Taft-Hartley.

It has got to go.

[Recursion]

23. Yep. But those interested in keeping RTW laws are very adept at focusing people on trade deals

and immigration, when the actual problem is the organization of the workforce.

The European (and South Asian, for that matter) left gets this. The American left doesn't.

[rhett o rick]

21. k & r. Thanks for posting. nm

[Recursion]

22. Yup. All the trade and/or protectionism in the world can't help us without stronger unions

We need to stop focusing on every single trade deal "shiny" that pops up, and concentrate on what actually matters: organizing more than 1/3rd of the US workforce.

Europe trades a shitload more than the US does, and their populations have better outcomes because their workers are organized much more than ours are.

Support unions. That's what actually matters.

[ananda]

27. If people organize and stay strong and determined...

... I don't see how anyone or anything can stop them.