Robert Reich

Democrats won control of Congress on two big issues — the war in Iraq and the economy. Yet both issues will remain almost completely out of their control, at least for the next two years. The president remains commander-in-chief until January 2009. And in that role, according to the Constitution, he has the authority to […]

The new Democratic Congress hasn’t even begun work and already the pharmaceutical industry — known as Big Pharma in Washington — is attacking the Democrat’s plan to have Medicare use its huge bargaining power to negotiate lower drug prices for seniors. First, Big Pharma says it will amount to government price controls. That’s nonsense. Medicare […]

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson issued a solemn warning this week. He said public companies are going private at a record pace because of regulatory burdens like the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation, which could be damaging America’s economic standing. This is utter nonsense. If Paulson thinks public companies are going private because of regulations like Sarbanes-Oxley, he’s either […]

President Bush arrives in Hanoi today for discussions about regional economic issues. He would do well to discuss frankly America’s fears about the “dominoes” of Asian capitalism. You may remember the old domino theory of Asian communism. Four decades ago, American policy makers clung to the idea that the big domino of Soviet Communism had […]

The 2008 Presidential campaign began yesterday. Whatever the Democrats do with their new-found congressional power over the next two years, it will be with the big 2008 prize in mind. Some Democrats want to expose the malfeasance and nonfeasance of the Bush Administration — find out who really knew what and when with regard to […]

I’ve only seen the trailer. The movie won’t open until next Friday. But from what I’ve seen I can tell you Death of a President is as tasteless as it is obscene. It’s styled as an “investigative documentary.” Mixing real news footage with dramatized segments, it depicts a fictional 2007 assassination of President Bush. I’m […]

The problem is North Korea is run by someone who — whether clinically mad or not — doesn’t seem to mind if his own people starve. That desolate nation’s survival depends on two to three billion dollars of goods and money flowing in each year in order to feed and clothe its military and prevent […]

There’s a debate brewing in the Democratic Party about whether to talk about the nation’s widening inequality. Some Democratic strategists say that’s too risky. Most of America’s vast middle class wants and expects to be rich some day themselves, they say. Talk about widening inequality and you risk sounding too negative. Well, I think conventional […]

Bill Clinton wrapped up his second annual charity extravaganza with commitments worth $7.3 billion to combat illness, poverty, religious and ethnic conflict, and climate change — from 215 do-gooding tycoons. Last year’s event scored more commitments — over 300 in all — but last year’s pledges weren’t as big, totaling just $2.5 billion. I think […]

Democrats seem on the way to retaking the House. But what will they inherit? Recent polls show just one in four Americans thinks Congress is doing a good job. That’s not surprising considering the stench of corruption that emanates from Capitol Hill. The surprising thing is Republicans aren’t taking the public’s “kick the rascals out” […]