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Forum Post: Robert Reich’s Plan for Fixing America’s Economy September 18, 2013 on Bill Moyers Journal

Posted 10 years ago on Sept. 22, 2013, 3:04 p.m. EST by gsw (3407) from Woodbridge Township, NJ
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Robert Reich’s Plan for Fixing America’s Economy September 18, 2013

http://billmoyers.com/episode/full-show-inequality-for-all/

Ahead of Bill’s interview with economic analyst Robert Reich about Inequality for All, his new documentary about America’s widening income gap, we asked our smart, engaged community on Facebook what they wanted Bill to ask Reich. We received many stellar questions including one that we’re guessing is on the minds of many of you: What specifically can we do to fix our economy?

Turns out, Reich has a clear plan of action — which he lays out in this video — to ensure there is “upward mobility again, in our society and in our economy.” He also believes that political engagement by all Americans will help “change the rules” that created the widening income gap between the top one percent and everyone else, and contributed to the Great Recession. Reich has set up a “take action” area on the film’s website, where he is promoting actions we can take to improve the future health of America’s economy.

Inequality for All opens on September 27, 2013. (See Bill’s interview with the film’s director, Jacob Kornbluth.)

And thank you to all our Facebook fans for the intelligent contribution you make to Bill’s on-going conversation about America’s democracy.

Be sure to tune in this weekend to Moyers & Company to see the entire interview with Robert Reich.

http://billmoyers.com/segment/robert-reich’s-plan-for-fixing-america’s-economy/

16 Comments

16 Comments


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[-] 2 points by factsrfun (8310) from Phoenix, AZ 10 years ago

I remember an exit poll from VA I think that had 54% of voters saying wealth inequality was the biggest problem in America. That was lost as there was no one willing to carry the message to every corner of the nation. OWS was more concerned with drones as I recall. The rich will not do this job for us.

[-] 1 points by WSmith (2698) from Cornelius, OR 10 years ago

OK, How can we make this LOUDER & CLEARER!!!!

Please see this excellent News-doc!!

[-] 1 points by factsrfun (8310) from Phoenix, AZ 10 years ago

I watched the hour long interview and look forward to the doc, in the beginning the focus was sort of there, then Tervon, then drones, then Syria and on and on I even post about climate change from time to time, there are many worthy causes, but the wealthy would rather talk about anything rather than wealth inequality and so they do. In the end the wealth inequality destroys everything else as the power becomes collected together and those that hold it place themselves above the rest, till we all die, even them.

[-] 2 points by gsw (3407) from Woodbridge Township, NJ 10 years ago

I agree. Also vegetarianism, and Internet privacy. Don't forget Monsanto, education. Gay rights.

i like all the issues. All important. But it a bit scattered for the average American citizen. Focus on a couple big issues. Others will have their own advocacy groups.

[-] 0 points by factsrfun (8310) from Phoenix, AZ 10 years ago

and so many of these issues really come back to money or those with money prevailing over the majority, oil profits trump environmental concerns, fertilizer profits over transitional family farming, when we reduce the power of money we reduce the imbalance that creates so many bad policies.

[-] 0 points by WSmith (2698) from Cornelius, OR 10 years ago

Not waiting around for that

[-] 1 points by factsrfun (8310) from Phoenix, AZ 10 years ago

If you didn't get in on the conference call it should be available here in a few days.

[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

Robert Reich's new documentary film exposing the inconvenient truth about income inequality won the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and now it hits theaters nationwide next weekend.

It's excellent.

It's fun. It's filled with facts and personal stories. It will make you angry and motivate you at the same time. So we asked the former Secretary of Labor to join Governor Howard Dean for a special preview of the movie just for DFA members.

Watch the trailer and RSVP for the call right now.

On the call this Wednesday night, Governor Dean and Robert Reich will discuss the history of income inequality in America and what it looks like today. You'll find out that we've been here as a country before and we overcame it through leadership, education, and action.

Now, it's up to us to do it again.

That's why, Wednesday night's live conference call won't just be a preview of this fantastic movie. We'll talk about what you can do and Democracy for America's ongoing campaigns fighting for an economy that works for everyone.

Watch and RSVP now.

Whether we are beating back Republican attacks on food stamps or Social Security or proactively fighting to increase wages of fast food workers, Democracy for America members are on the front lines of the biggest fight of our generation.

This is a battle we can win. Join us on the call to find out how.

-Jim

Jim Dean, Chair Democracy for America

[-] 1 points by nazihunter (215) 10 years ago

I like Robert Reich.. Now, let me tell you why he's wrong. First is his argument on inequality. The theory that inequality should exist because one person is lazy and another works hard to attain things is a malformed argument. Do you really think there's anyone who just says 'I want society to take care of me my whole life?' There probably is, though they'd be the few. To add to that, much worse than racial quotas in college admissions, is the well-to-do. Their kids don't work nearly as hard as some poor kid doing manual work all day and going to school by night. Though, in the minds of those who get to decide, the former is always the better suited. Anyone, regardless, who works all week should be afforded a living. If Reich had said a doctor should make more than a fireman and inequality should exist according to those standards would be a much more valid argument. But not everyone wants to be a doctor. They realize that and they accept it. At the same time, society acknowledges that firemen, (and women), are important. Calling someone lazy or hard-working is a judgement, and who gets to make that call? It's barely relative. Today's doctors care more about seeing as many as they can and promoting drugs than they do their patients. Several are passed off to a nursing assistant. The whole moral code is shot to hell from the get go. It has very little to do with hard work. One should be very careful in using those analogies. I would advise Mr. Reich of that. Next, he suggests returning to a system that, like he says, swings back when people fight back. In other words, it just gets corrupted again, the wealthy get even wealthier, millions of lives are destroyed in the meantime, and people who inundated with things to do as it is, (thanks in part to all the corruption), must find the time to fight back again and again. I don't call that a working system. The corruption is so vast and deeply-rooted in so many areas of capitalism that robbing people corroborating with other businesses, making it difficult to fight back, and abundance of resources against those with none, has created a system of wealth creation out of thin air by nasty bedfellows, who attain great heights in spite of their incompetence. No, no, no. Reich's plan isn't truly progressive. The system needs a COMPLETE OVERHAUL.

[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

I don't see where you come up with your analyses of Robert Reich. Certainly not from his movie trailer or from that short segment on Bill Moyers. On Moyers He was close to an actual minimum living wage amount - He said 15.00 an hour - I was thinking no less than 16.00 an hour. Anyway I have not heard his complete thoughts on the subject - so I can't argue for or against any of what he has to say - at this time.

[-] 1 points by nazihunter (215) 10 years ago

Appreciate the honest response. I've seen RR in several interviews. He's the most forthcoming of ex-politicians, more so than his boss. A lot of his concern is genuine and puts truth to power. However, there is still too much politician to the man, to the extend that he seeks not to offend. And if you don't want to even offend Rick Santorum, then that's when you start to lose candor. But, aside from all that, doing things 'incrementally' as he puts it, is opportunity for the opposition to make it less effective and later dismantle-that's what history has shown us. So what RR says about learning from history is wrong. He's, in totality, saying 'let's repeat it.' He won't admit it. But, that's what he's saying.

[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

He is right when he says Glass-Stegal needs to be reinstated. But that should be a no-brainer for everyone to see.

[-] 0 points by nazihunter (215) 10 years ago

Absolutely.

[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

Good short segment - He even mentioned the POOR. Don't find too many people speaking about the poor.

[-] 0 points by MyBrothersKeeper (-36) 10 years ago

A fundamental problem exists that nobody talks about. It does require a bit of thinking and understanding to see the crux of income inequality but as it stands now, that inequality will persist as a matter of policy until that policy is addressed.

  1. The 1% keep their wealth in the form of assets
  2. The 99% keep their wealth or the majority of it in the form of currency

The Federal Reserve has a zero deflationary policy. This means as a matter of preventing deflation, the Federal Reserve must perpetuate inflation. The Fed does try to regulate inflation in order to minimize the growth of inflation but the US currency will always experience inflation. This does two things.

  1. Keeps asset values high against the incrementally declining value of US currency
  2. Insures lost value of the wealth retained by the working class

The favoring of the wealthy over the poor is systematic. It is part of our country's economic policy, which falls under national security per EO12333(1981).

Unless there is a balance to allow for mild inflation and deflation, not just one or the other but both, the scales will remain tipped in favor of the wealthy. Nothing Reich said will change that very fundamental issue.

[-] 0 points by WSmith (2698) from Cornelius, OR 10 years ago

IT'S CLASS WAR ~ WE'RE LOSING, WAKE UP!!!

If Robert Reich makes it more accessible, believable, comprehensible, Please listen to him!!!!!

The enemy is against democracy, and according to our average turnout, WE ARE TOO!!

Wake Up! WE ARE OUR WORST ENEMY!!!