Robert Reich Quotes

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In a world where routine production is footloose ... competitive advantage lies not in one-time breakthroughs but in continual improvements. Stable technologies get away.
Robert Reich Quotes: In a world where routine
You might say those who can't repay their student debts shouldn't have borrowed in the first place. But they had no way of knowing just how bad the jobs market would become.
Robert Reich Quotes: You might say those who
The job creators are members of America's vast middle class and the poor, whose purchases cause businesses to expand and invest.
Robert Reich Quotes: The job creators are members
We don't have to sit by and watch our meritocracy be replaced by a permanent aristocracy, and our democracy be undermined by dynastic wealth.
Robert Reich Quotes: We don't have to sit
The presidency is probably the loneliest office in America. Regardless of your friends, regardless of how good your marriage is, regardless of anything, you are alone there at the top.
Robert Reich Quotes: The presidency is probably the
You can't create a political movement out of pabulum.
Robert Reich Quotes: You can't create a political
Terrorism itself is not the greatest danger we face,
Robert Reich Quotes: Terrorism itself is not the
I knew Hillary Clinton from undergraduate days and was enormously impressed with her. She was a terrific energy and enthusiasm, and a great organizer. And I knew that she was going to have a political future.
Robert Reich Quotes: I knew Hillary Clinton from
Those at the top would do better with a smaller share of a booming economy that elicits a positive politics than they will do with an ever-larger share of an anemic economy that fuels the politics of anger.
Robert Reich Quotes: Those at the top would
As to the meaning of "corporate social responsibility," Friedman and I would agree: If a certain action improves the corporation's bottom line, there's no point in labeling it "socially responsible." It's just good business.
Robert Reich Quotes: As to the meaning of
It is hard to bite the hands that feed you, especially when you are competing for food.
Robert Reich Quotes: It is hard to bite
In journalism, there are only two stories - "Oh, the wonder of it," and "Oh, the shame of it."
Robert Reich Quotes: In journalism, there are only
America spends a fortune on drugs: more per person than any other nation on earth, even though Americans are no healthier than the citizens of other advanced nations.
Robert Reich Quotes: America spends a fortune on
To be a skilled politician, you have to be genuine. To really make it work, you have to love people. You have to love the contact, you have to love the energy, you've gotta love inspiring people and getting their adulation in return. You can't separate what's genuine from what is necessary.
Robert Reich Quotes: To be a skilled politician,
The largest party in America, by the way, is neither the Democrats nor the Republicans. It's the party of non-voters.
Robert Reich Quotes: The largest party in America,
Tea Partiers hate government more than they hate the national debt. They refuse to reduce that debt with tax increases, even with tax increases on the wealthy, because a tax increase doesn't reduce the size of government.
Robert Reich Quotes: Tea Partiers hate government more
And now we're suffering the logical culmination of all this: the largest group of government-hati ng, racist, homophobic, misogynistic know-nothing, climate-change denying, evolution-denyi ng, science-denying , anti-immigrant House Republicans in history, bent on taking America back to the 19th century.
Robert Reich Quotes: And now we're suffering the
As digital equipment replaces the jobs of routine workers and lower-level professionals, technicians are needed to install, monitor, repair, test, and upgrade all the equipment.
Robert Reich Quotes: As digital equipment replaces the
Over the long term, the only way we're going to raise wages, grow the economy, and improve American competitiveness is by investing in our people - especially their educations.
Robert Reich Quotes: Over the long term, the
No economy can continue to function when the vast middle class and everybody else don't have enough purchasing power to buy what the economy is capable of producing without going deeper and deeper into debt.
Robert Reich Quotes: No economy can continue to
There are party leaders, big corporation, Wall Street. There are very wealthy individuals who kind of represent where the Democratic Party, the official Democratic Party was and to some extent still is.
Robert Reich Quotes: There are party leaders, big
When I was a small boy, I was bullied more than most, mainly because I was a foot shorter than everyone else.
Robert Reich Quotes: When I was a small
Cynicism is the last refuge of those who don't want to do the work of creating a better society.
Robert Reich Quotes: Cynicism is the last refuge
You can't inspire people if you are going to be uninspiring.
Robert Reich Quotes: You can't inspire people if
Official boundaries are often hard to see. If you head north on Woodward Avenue, away from downtown Detroit, you wouldn't know exactly when you left the city and crossed over into Oakland County - except for a small sign that tells you.
Robert Reich Quotes: Official boundaries are often hard
It is impossible to fight bullies merely by saying they're going too far.
Robert Reich Quotes: It is impossible to fight
Centrism is bogus.
Robert Reich Quotes: Centrism is bogus.
Corporations are not people, despite what the Supreme Court says, and they don't need or deserve handouts.
Robert Reich Quotes: Corporations are not people, despite
Public fear isn't something to be played with.
Robert Reich Quotes: Public fear isn't something to
The liberal ideal is that everyone should have fair access and fair opportunity. This is not equality of result. It's equality of opportunity. There's a fundamental difference.
Robert Reich Quotes: The liberal ideal is that
In America, people with lots of money can easily avoid the consequences of bad bets and big losses by cashing out at the first sign of trouble.
Robert Reich Quotes: In America, people with lots
Rather than subsidize 'American' exporters, it makes more sense to subsidize any global company - to the extent it's adding to its exports from the United States.
Robert Reich Quotes: Rather than subsidize 'American' exporters,
The rich would do better with a smaller share of a rapidly growing economy then they're doing now with a large share of an economy that is barely growing at all.
Robert Reich Quotes: The rich would do better
When times are tough, public employees should have to make the same sacrifices as everyone else.
Robert Reich Quotes: When times are tough, public
Walmart isn't your average mom-and-pop operation. It's the largest employer in America. As such, it's the trendsetter for millions of other employers of low-wage workers.
Robert Reich Quotes: Walmart isn't your average mom-and-pop
Britain's is traditionally a rigid class society.
Robert Reich Quotes: Britain's is traditionally a rigid
A leader is someone who steps back from the entire system and tries to build a more collaborative, more innovative system that will work over the long term.
Robert Reich Quotes: A leader is someone who
Anyone believing the TPP is good for Americans take note: The foreign subsidiaries of U.S.-based corporations could just as easily challenge any U.S. government regulation they claim unfairly diminishes their profits - say, a regulation protecting American consumers from unsafe products or unhealthy foods, investors from fraudulent securities or predatory lending, workers from unsafe working conditions, taxpayers from another bailout of Wall Street, or the environment from toxic emissions.
Robert Reich Quotes: Anyone believing the TPP is
Teachers, social workers, public lawyers who bring companies to justice, government accountants who try to make sure money is spent as it should be - all need at least four years of college.
Robert Reich Quotes: Teachers, social workers, public lawyers
Most Americans are on a downward escalator. Median wage in the United States, adjusted for inflation, keeps on dropping.
Robert Reich Quotes: Most Americans are on a
Government subsidies to elite private universities take the form of tax deductions for people who make charitable contributions to them.
Robert Reich Quotes: Government subsidies to elite private
Sugary drinks are blamed for increasing the rates of chronic disease and obesity in America. Yet efforts to reduce their consumption through taxes or other measures have gone nowhere. The beverage industry has spent millions defeating them.
Robert Reich Quotes: Sugary drinks are blamed for
I grew up poor. My mother raised a family of four on between $9,000 and $15,000 a year.
Robert Reich Quotes: I grew up poor. My
I wish it were simply a nightmare, but I think that any reasonable person watching American politics would come to the conclusion that a second Bush administration would in fact incorporate a more radicalized version of what we've seen in the first administration.
Robert Reich Quotes: I wish it were simply
I think that in politics, when people want to discredit a particular position, they say, "Oh, they are liberals," or "They are conservatives; we are centrists." Everybody wants to be a centrist.
Robert Reich Quotes: I think that in politics,
Corporations don't create jobs, customers do. So when all the economic gains go to the top, as they're doing now, the vast majority of Americans don't have enough purchasing power to buy the things corporations want to sell - which means businesses stop creating enough jobs.
Robert Reich Quotes: Corporations don't create jobs, customers
I have found over the years that the most important way of getting people to relax is self-deprecating humor.
Robert Reich Quotes: I have found over the
Even if there's no way to stop U.S. corporations from shedding their U.S. identities and becoming foreign corporations, there's no reason they should retain the privileges of U.S. citizenship.
Robert Reich Quotes: Even if there's no way
As public schools deteriorate, the upper-middle class and wealthy send their kids to private ones. As public pools and playgrounds decay, the better-off buy memberships in private tennis and swimming clubs. As public hospitals decline, the well-off pay premium rates for private care.
Robert Reich Quotes: As public schools deteriorate, the
Globalization and free trade do spur economic growth, and they lead to lower prices on many goods.
Robert Reich Quotes: Globalization and free trade do
The only way America can reduce the long-term budget deficit, maintain vital services, protect Social Security and Medicare, invest more in education and infrastructure, and not raise taxes on the working middle class is by raising taxes on the super rich.
Robert Reich Quotes: The only way America can
Median wages of production workers, who comprise 80 percent of the workforce, haven't risen in 30 years, adjusted for inflation.
Robert Reich Quotes: Median wages of production workers,
Universities have to tame their budgets, especially for student amenities that have nothing to do with education.
Robert Reich Quotes: Universities have to tame their
America's real business leaders understand unless or until the middle class regains its footing and its faith, capitalism remains vulnerable.
Robert Reich Quotes: America's real business leaders understand
Those who analogize the federal budget to a family's budget must know nothing about either.
Robert Reich Quotes: Those who analogize the federal
Most financiers, corporate lawyers, lobbyists, and management consultants are competing with other financiers, lawyers, lobbyists, and management consultants in zero-sum games that take money out of one set of pockets and put it into another.
Robert Reich Quotes: Most financiers, corporate lawyers, lobbyists,
We are paying teachers who are in charge of our human capital, arguably more important than our financial capital, a very tiny fraction of what Wall Streeters are paid.
Robert Reich Quotes: We are paying teachers who
If we want corporations to act differently, we have to force them to do so through laws that are fully enforced and through penalties higher than the economic benefits of thwarting the laws.
Robert Reich Quotes: If we want corporations to
As long as the big banks are allowed to remain big, their political leverage over Washington will remain big. And as long as their political leverage remains big, the taxpayer and economic tab for the next mess they create will be big.
Robert Reich Quotes: As long as the big
The 'free market' is the product of laws and rules continuously emanating from legislatures, executive departments, and courts.
Robert Reich Quotes: The 'free market' is the
We are creating a one size fits all system that needlessly brands many young people as failures, when they might thrive if offered a different education whose progress was measured differently. Paradoxically we're embracing standardized tests just when the economy is eliminating standardized jobs.
Robert Reich Quotes: We are creating a one
Corporations aren't people. They have no brains, no consciences, no capacity for intent or guilt.
Robert Reich Quotes: Corporations aren't people. They have
We used to be so proud that our country offered far more economic opportunities than the feudal system in Great Britain, with its royal family, princesses and dukes. But social mobility in the UK is higher than in the US. Our social rift is as big as it was in the 1920s.
Robert Reich Quotes: We used to be so
Average working people need more fresh starts. Big corporations, banks, and Donald Trump need fewer.
Robert Reich Quotes: Average working people need more
We're the richest economy in the history of the world. For the majority of Americans not to get the benefits of this extraordinarily prosperous economy, there's something fundamentally wrong.
Robert Reich Quotes: We're the richest economy in
Look, any cut in greenhouse gases is going to be expensive for American consumers, who are in no mood to bear additional costs.
Robert Reich Quotes: Look, any cut in greenhouse
Medical costs are soaring because our health-care system is totally screwed up. Doctors and hospitals have every incentive to spend on unnecessary tests, drugs, and procedures.
Robert Reich Quotes: Medical costs are soaring because
One of the things I tell my students is that if you want to understand what's been going on and also what needs to be done, you've got to get out of the blame game. Some people on the left want to blame the rich and corporations. Some people on the right want to blame the poor and government. Either of those frames of reference gets you nowhere and they aren't even truthful. You've got to understand the dynamic itself.
Robert Reich Quotes: One of the things I
If leadership is about anything, it's about leading. Not leading people back to where they already are, because they don't need that. They're already there.
Robert Reich Quotes: If leadership is about anything,
The Tea Party is but one manifestation of a widening perception that the game is rigged in favor of the rich and powerful.
Robert Reich Quotes: The Tea Party is but
It is a myth that higher taxes lead to less demand and slower growth. In the first three decades after World War II, US top tax rates on the wealthy were never below 70 percent.
Robert Reich Quotes: It is a myth that
Political scientists after World War II hypothesized that even though the voices of individual Americans counted for little, most people belonged to a variety of interest groups and membership organizations - clubs, associations, political parties, unions - to which politicians were responsive.
Robert Reich Quotes: Political scientists after World War
Tax laws favor capital over labor, giving capital gains a lower rate than ordinary income. The rich get humongous mortgage interest deductions while renters get no deduction at all.
Robert Reich Quotes: Tax laws favor capital over
Increasingly, corporate nationality is whatever a corporation decides it is.
Robert Reich Quotes: Increasingly, corporate nationality is whatever
Freedom is the one value conservatives place above all others, yet time and again, their ideal of freedom ignores the growing imbalance of power in our society that's eroding the freedoms of most people.
Robert Reich Quotes: Freedom is the one value
Money buys the most experienced teachers, less-crowded classrooms, high-quality teaching materials, and after-school programs.
Robert Reich Quotes: Money buys the most experienced
Detroit is really a model for how wealthier and whiter Americans escape the costs of public goods they'd otherwise share with poorer and darker Americans.
Robert Reich Quotes: Detroit is really a model
To get back to the kind of shared prosperity and upward mobility we once considered normal will require another era of fundamental reform, of both our economy and our democracy.
Robert Reich Quotes: To get back to the
The generosity of the super-rich is sometimes proffered as evidence they're contributing as much to the nation's well-being as they did decades ago when they paid a much larger share of their earnings in taxes.
Robert Reich Quotes: The generosity of the super-rich
Nations are becoming less relevant in a world where everyone and everything is interconnected. The connections that matter most are again becoming more personal.
Robert Reich Quotes: Nations are becoming less relevant
Higher education isn't just a personal investment. It's a public good that pays off in a more competitive workforce and better-informed and engaged citizens. Every year, we spend nearly $100 billion on corporate welfare, and more than $500 billion on defense spending. Surely ensuring the next generation can compete in the global economy is at least as important as subsidies for big business and military adventures around the globe. In fact, I think we can and must go further - not just making public higher education tuition-free, but reinventing education in America as we know it.
Robert Reich Quotes: Higher education isn't just a
The intellectual equipment needed for the job of the future is an ability to define problems, quickly assimilate relevant data, conceptualize and reorganize the information, make deductive and inductive leaps with it, ask hard questions about it, discuss findings with colleagues, work collaboratively to find solutions and then convince others.
Robert Reich Quotes: The intellectual equipment needed for
What are called 'public schools' in many of America's wealthy communities aren't really 'public' at all. In effect, they're private schools, whose tuition is hidden away in the purchase price of upscale homes there, and in the corresponding property taxes.
Robert Reich Quotes: What are called 'public schools'
Walmart is so huge that a wage boost at Walmart would ripple through the entire economy, putting more money in the pockets of low-wage workers. This would help boost the entire economy - including Walmart's own sales.
Robert Reich Quotes: Walmart is so huge that
We do not want to live in a theocracy. We should maintain that barrier and government has no business telling someone what they ought to believe or how they should conduct their private lives.
Robert Reich Quotes: We do not want to
There is a crisis of public morality. Instead of policing bedrooms, we ought to be doing a better job policing boardrooms.
Robert Reich Quotes: There is a crisis of
Media outlets that are exploiting Ebola because they want a sensational story and politicians using it to their own ends ought to be ashamed.
Robert Reich Quotes: Media outlets that are exploiting
Every organization, no matter who it is, just follow the money.
Robert Reich Quotes: Every organization, no matter who
In the 1980s, corporate raiders began mounting unfriendly takeovers of companies that could deliver higher returns to their shareholders - if they abandoned their other stakeholders.
Robert Reich Quotes: In the 1980s, corporate raiders
Our young people - their capacities to think, understand, investigate, and innovate - are America's future.
Robert Reich Quotes: Our young people - their
Drug company payments to doctors are a small part of a much larger strategy by Big Pharma to clean our pockets.
Robert Reich Quotes: Drug company payments to doctors
Conservatives believe the economy functions better if the rich have more money and everyone else has less. But they're wrong. It's just the opposite.
Robert Reich Quotes: Conservatives believe the economy functions
Obviously, personal responsibility is important. But there's no evidence that people who are poor are less ambitious than anyone else. In fact, many work long hours at backbreaking jobs.
Robert Reich Quotes: Obviously, personal responsibility is important.
Limits should be placed on how big big banks can become.
Robert Reich Quotes: Limits should be placed on
America has become the most unequal society among advanced countries, and rich people are now free to spend as much money on political campaigns as they wish.
Robert Reich Quotes: America has become the most
Evidence suggests jobs are crucial not only to economic well-being but also to self-esteem.
Robert Reich Quotes: Evidence suggests jobs are crucial
The faith that anyone could move from rags to riches - with enough guts and gumption, hard work and nose to the grindstone - was once at the core of the American Dream.
Robert Reich Quotes: The faith that anyone could
If you ever want to get a sense of your own personal failure, look at yourself trying to get across a point that nobody is listening to and the situation gets worse and worse.
Robert Reich Quotes: If you ever want to
Radical conservatives want to police bedrooms.
Robert Reich Quotes: Radical conservatives want to police
Yale Law School was the kind of place you went if you felt you needed to go to law school, maybe, for your resume, but you really didn't want to practice law. You wanted to do public policy, or maybe go into politics.
Robert Reich Quotes: Yale Law School was the
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