Robert Reich

The Robert Reich Substack centers on dissecting the dynamics of power and its misuse in the political and corporate spheres, focusing on critiques of the Trump administration, the Republican Party's strategies, media integrity, and the influence of corporations and billionaires on democracy and public policy.

Political Analysis Media Critique Corporate Governance Election Dynamics Social Justice Democracy and Governance Legal Accountability Personal Perspectives

Top posts of the year

And their main takeaways

Why I preach to the choir

37815 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Opinion
  1. The writer believes in reaching out to people with open minds.
  2. Providing data, arguments, and logic helps in spreading truth.
  3. Feeling confident in your thoughts is important, especially in challenging times.

Biden’s brain, Trump’s brain

36282 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Election Policy Scandal Justice
  1. Special counsel Hur cleared Biden of any criminality due to memory lapses, sparking concerns about Biden's aging brain.
  2. Hur's lack of medical background and Trump's own memory issues bring into question the validity of his assessment.
  3. The focus in electing a president should be on knowledge, temperament, and judgment, qualities where Biden stands out compared to Trump.
  4. The issue of Biden's memory should not overshadow Trump's indictments and lack of cooperation with investigators.
  5. Hur's previous affiliations with Trump raise suspicions about the political motivations behind his statements.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

The freeze

35928 implied HN points • 27 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Figures Health Events
  1. Mitch McConnell froze during a news conference, highlighting the fragility of the human mind.
  2. Robert Reich shared a personal experience of freezing due to a petit mal seizure while giving a speech 35 years ago.
  3. The fear of losing control of one's mind can be a terrifying experience, emphasizing the vulnerability of all humans.

Why is Boeing such a shitty corporation?

33589 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
💼 Business Outsourcing Ownership
  1. Airbus has taken the lead over Boeing in manufacturing and sales of commercial aircraft
  2. Boeing's commitment to safety has been doubted by the public and airlines, affecting its reputation
  3. Airbus and Boeing differ in ownership and worker power, which impacts their approach to manufacturing and safety

Citizen Musk

32331 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Political Rhetoric Media influence Wealth Inequality Democracy
  1. Elon Musk has been spreading misinformation about immigration and voting laws, similar to Trump's tactics.
  2. Musk's massive influence and control over Twitter (X) pose a threat to democracy and accountability.
  3. The concentration of wealth in individuals like Musk can be dangerous for democracy by allowing them to evade consequences and manipulate public opinion.

Will Trump go to jail before his trial even begins?

30287 implied HN points • 07 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legal Trial Trump Court Justice
  1. Trump violated a key condition of his release pending trial by making statements that could be seen as attempts to influence jurors or intimidate witnesses.
  2. Prosecutors requested a protective order to stop Trump from sharing information about the upcoming trial after he made threatening posts on social media.
  3. The court must assert the rule of law and be prepared to take action, potentially including revoking Trump's release pending trial or putting him in jail, to ensure he is treated like any other criminal defendant.

Why did CNN do it?

30051 implied HN points • 12 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Republicans Democracy Journalism
  1. CNN's decision to give Donald Trump an hour of prime-time television was criticized for promoting lies and insults.
  2. The shift in CNN's news coverage towards more conservative guests and avoiding certain terms was linked to corporate interests and right-wing billionaire influence.
  3. Criticism of CNN's decisions highlights the importance of maintaining journalistic integrity and not giving a platform to misinformation and demagoguery.

The demise of CNN

29167 implied HN points • 06 Jun 23
📰 News Media Politics Journalism Television
  1. CNN underwent significant changes under Chris Licht's leadership.
  2. There was a shift towards aligning CNN more with Trump and right-wing views.
  3. Despite the changes, CNN's viewership declined rather than attracting new audiences.

No immunity for Trump

28735 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legal Supreme Court Justice System
  1. A federal appeals court rejected Trump's claim of immunity for charges related to the 2020 election.
  2. Trump's legal delays may allow him to postpone a trial until after the presidential election.
  3. The court system should set tighter deadlines to prevent Trump from running out the clock on accountability.

Please stop congratulating me on my retirement

27103 implied HN points • 24 May 23
🎭️ Culture Retirement
  1. Retirement doesn't mean the end of productivity, just a shift in focus.
  2. Expressing praise for someone's accomplishments while they are still alive can be more impactful.
  3. Retirement can bring a sense of urgency to accomplish more rather than having extra time.

Biden should IGNORE the debt ceiling: Don't declare an X-date. Keep paying the bills. Don't default.

27025 implied HN points • 22 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Debt Ceiling Biden administration Legal Challenges Economic Impact
  1. Debt ceiling standoffs have a long history and often involve high national debts from tax cuts.
  2. Treasury secretaries resort to extreme measures to keep paying bills during debt ceiling conflicts.
  3. Biden should continue paying bills, avoid declaring an 'X-date' or defaulting, despite escalating demands.

Let the final battle begin

26612 implied HN points • 24 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Democracy Trump Election Rule of Law Authoritarianism
  1. Donald Trump is gearing up for a final battle against democracy and the rule of law.
  2. A potential indictment against Trump will shift focus to him in the 2024 election, making it a referendum on him rather than Biden.
  3. Defending democracy and the rule of law is crucial in the face of authoritarian impulses and the threat posed by Trump and his supporters.

George Takei posed 5 important questions to me. Here are my answers

26297 implied HN points • 13 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Wealth Inequality
  1. The system of wealth allocation and generation is broken but can be fixed by learning from history and creating new political alliances.
  2. Creating a social safety net to eliminate poverty is possible through policies like universal basic income and wealth tax on the super-rich.
  3. America is experiencing parallels to the Gilded Age with the billionaire class amassing wealth and power, but potential for change lies in building the political will for progress.

What Trump's lawyer was really advocating

26140 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government History Policy Democracy Leadership
  1. Trump's lawyer argued for immunity from criminal trial through impeachment, resembling the 1933 Enabling Law in Germany.
  2. American democracy is stronger than Weimar Republic's but caution is needed to protect it.
  3. Author highlights the importance of upholding democratic norms, media truth-telling, and citizen participation for safeguarding democracy.

The danger is now

25000 implied HN points • 15 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Media Democracy Accountability
  1. Trump's recent actions and statements are alarming, signaling a dangerous shift toward authoritarianism.
  2. There is concern about the lack of accountability for Trump's actions, particularly related to the Capitol riot and ongoing lies.
  3. Calls for action include holding Trump accountable, condemning media complicity, and mobilizing to protect democracy and equal rights.

Why Bidenomics will get Joe another term and give the Democrats control over Congress

24391 implied HN points • 31 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Economic Policy Legislation Political parties Labor Unions
  1. Bidenomics is proving to be successful in boosting the economy and lowering inflation.
  2. The Biden administration is focused on restructuring the economy to benefit the bottom 90 percent.
  3. Bidenomics could lead to shared prosperity, potentially securing another term for Biden and control of Congress for Democrats.

BS on the border

23998 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Border Security Election Policy Reform
  1. The bipartisan Senate deal on immigration focuses on border security and lacks real reforms like a pathway to citizenship.
  2. Political posturing over border security has intensified as a key issue for the 2024 election.
  3. Trump's rhetoric on immigration, laden with false claims, is evocative of neofascist language and a troubling historical parallel.

What’s the “Chevron doctrine,” and why should you want to preserve it?

21187 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulations Supreme Court Presidency Government Agencies
  1. The Chevron doctrine allows agencies to interpret laws to protect the public, but it's under threat
  2. Challenges to the Chevron doctrine could give judges, not experts, power to invalidate regulations
  3. Corporate interests are pushing to end the Chevron doctrine to increase profits and reduce public protections