Why is Washington Obsessing About the Deficit and Not Jobs and Wages?
It was the centerpiece of the President’s reelection campaign. Every time Republicans complained about trillion-dollar deficits, he and other Democrats would talk jobs.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 17-12-2012

La cuestión principal y la decisión más clara
En los últimos días de esta decepcionante campaña presidencial en la que demasiados temas han sido esquivados o eludidos, mientras los medios de comunicación sólo querían hablar de quién estaba arriba y quién abajo, la principal cuestión sobre la que los candidatos nos han ofrecido la decisión más clara es si los ricos deberían pagar más impuestos.
Robert Reich | publico.es | 06-11-2012

The Problem Isn't Outsourcing. It's That Big Business Is Disconnected From the Well-Being of Most Americans.
President Obama is slamming Mitt Romney for heading companies that were "pioneers in outsourcing U.S. jobs," while Romney is accusing Obama of being "the real outsourcer-in-chief."
Robert Reich | huffingtonpost.com | 21-07-2012

A Question of Timing: What America Can Learn From the Revolt in Europe.
Who's an economy for? Voters in France and Greece have made it clear it's not for the bond traders.
Robert Reich | huffingtonpost.com | 09-05-2012

What Today’s Job Numbers Mean.
The economy added only 120,000 jobs in March – down from the rate of more than 200,000 in each of the preceding three months. The rate of unemployment dropped from 8.3 to 8.2 percent mainly because fewer people were searching for jobs – and that rate depends on how many people are actively looking.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 11-04-2012

America’s Jobs Deficit, and Why It’s Still More Important than the Budget Deficit
Government should extend unemployment benefits, and not cut spending until the nation’s rate of unemployment is down to 5 percent. Then, and only then, should we move toward budget austerity.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 17-02-2012

The seven biggest economic lies
Here’s a short (2 minute 30 second) effort to rebut the seven biggest whoppers now being told by those who want to take America backwards.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 18-10-2011

The Wall Street Occupiers and the Democratic Party
Will the Wall Street Occupiers morph into a movement that has as much impact on the Democratic Party as the Tea Party has had on the GOP? Maybe. But there are reasons for doubting it.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 09-10-2011

Follow the Money: Behind Europe’s Debt Crisis Lurks Another Giant Bailout of Wall Street
A Greek (or Irish or Spanish or Italian or Portugese) default would have roughly the same effect on our financial system as the implosion of Lehman Brothers in 2008.Greece isn’t the real problem. Nor is Ireland, Italy, Portugal, or Spain. The real problem is the financial system — centered on Wall Street. And we still haven’t solved it.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 05-10-2011

Why the President Doesn’t Present a Bold Plan to Create Jobs and Jumpstart the Economy
Americans are deeply confused about why the economy is so bad – and their President isn’t telling them. In fact, the White House apparently has decided to join with Republicans and blame it on the long-term budget deficit.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 11-08-2011

Why S&P Has No Business Downgrading the U.S.
Standard & Poor’s downgrade of America’s debt couldn’t come at a worse time. The result is likely to be higher borrowing costs for the government at all levels, and higher interest on your variable-rate mortgage, your auto loan, your credit card loans, and every other penny you borrow.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 08-08-2011

The Republican’s Double-Dip, and What Must Be Done
Republicans repeatedly assured the nation that once the debt-limit deal was done – capping spending, cutting the budget deficit, and getting “90 percent” of what they wanted — the economy would bounce back. Just the opposite seems to be happening. Call it the Republican’s double-dip recession. 
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 05-08-2011

The Hostage Crisis Continues: Why Obama Can’t Pivot to Jobs and Growth
With the hostage crisis behind him, the President is now ready to talk about the nation’s real problem.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 03-08-2011

Ransom Paid
Anyone who characterizes the deal between the President, Democratic, and Republican leaders as a victory for the American people over partisanship understands neither economics nor politics.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 01-08-2011

The Dangerous Hi-Jinks of the GOP’s Juveniles
I’ve spent enough of my life in Washington to take its theatrics with as much seriousness as a Seinfeld episode. A large portion of what passes for policy debate isn’t at all — it’s play-acting for various constituencies. (...) Washington has gone from theater to reality TV.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 20-07-2011

The Desperation of the Don’t-Raise-Taxes-on-the-Rich Crowd
Since the early 1980s, a larger and larger share of total income has gone to the top (the richest 1 percent of Americans got 10 percent of total income in 1980, and get over 20 percent now). That’s left the vast middle class with insufficient purchasing power to boost the economy – without going deep into debt. Lower tax rates on the rich — including lower capital gains rates — have exacerbated this regressive trend.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 17-06-2011

Why the President Must Come Up With Demand-Side Solutions, And Not Go Over to the Supply Side
The problem isn’t on the supply side. It’s on the demand side. Businesses are reluctant to spend more and create more jobs because there aren’t enough consumers out there able and willing to buy what businesses have to sell.  
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 10-06-2011

The Great Switch by the Super Rich
Forty years ago, wealthy Americans financed the U.S. government mainly through their tax payments. Today wealthy Americans finance the government mainly by lending it money. While foreigners own most of our national debt, over 40 percent is owned by Americans – mostly the very wealthy.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 18-05-2011

Why We Must Raise Taxes on the Rich
Here’s the truth: 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 | robertreich.org | 06-04-2011

As the Global Economy Trembles, Our Nation’s Capital Fiddles
Why isn’t Washington responding? The world’s third largest economy suffers a giant earthquake, tsunami, and radiation dangers. A civil war in Libya and tumult in the Middle East cause crude-oil prices to climb. Poor harvests around the world make food prices soar.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 19-03-2011

Safety on the Cheap
Reasonable precaution means spending as much on safety as the probability of a particular disaster occurring, multiplied by its likely harm to human beings and the environment if it does occur. Here’s the problem. Profit-making corporations have every incentive to underestimate these probabilities and lowball the likely harms.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 17-03-2011

Governor Walker’s Coup D’Etat
Governor Scott Walker and his Wisconsin senate Republicans have laid bare the motives for their coup d’etat. By severing the financial part of the bill (which couldn’t be passed without absent Democrats) from the part eliminating the collective bargaining rights of public employees (which could be), and then doing the latter, Wisconsin Republicans have made it crystal clear that their goal has had nothing whatever to do with the state budget. It’s been to bust the unions.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 11-03-2011

The Principles of the People’s Party
Unlike the Tea Party, which has been coopted by the super-rich, the People’s Party represents the needs and aspirations of America’s vast working middle class, along with the less fortunate.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 09-03-2011

How Democrats Can Become Relevant Again
Democrats have become irrelevant. If they want to be relevant again they have to connect the dots: The explosion of income and wealth among America’s super-rich, the dramatic drop in their tax rates, the consequential devastating budget squeezes in Washington and in state capitals, and the slashing of public services for the middle class and the poor.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 01-03-2011

The Coming Shutdowns and Showdowns: What’s Really at Stake
Wisconsin is in a showdown. Washington is headed for a government shutdown. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker won’t budge. He insists on delivering a knockout blow to public unions in his state (except for those, like the police, who supported his election).
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 25-02-2011

The State of the Union and the Federal Budget: Investing in America’s Future
Word has it that the President will be emphasizing “improving American competitiveness” in his State of the Union Address Tuesday night. As I’ve noted, the term is meaningless — but it’s politically useful. CEOs and many conservatives think it means improving the profitability of American companies. Liberals and labor unions think it means increasing export jobs. Neither touches at the heart of the matter.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 26-01-2011

The Real Economic Lesson China Could Teach Us
China is eating our lunch. Why? It has a national economic strategy designed to create more and better jobs. We have global corporations designed to make money for shareholders.
Robert Reich | robertreich.org | 19-01-2011