The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich (private feed for liznjules@aol.com)

Trump’s Doomed Economy | Coffee Klatch for Saturday, September 6, 2025

Friends,Trump’s economy is going down what he describes as a “sh*thole.” Job growth has stalled and prices continue to rise. The problem is it’s not just Trump’s economy; it’s also our economy. Today, Heather and I try to give some context to the bad economic news — looking at what it means politically, who is suffering most, and how it can possibly be turned around. Along the way, we talk about the extraordinary push-back by the federal courts and the hopes for the Democrats, and we venture into larger themes such as the centrality of science and truth in a democracy. Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, and join our conversation. Oh, and don’t forget to buy my new book, Coming Up Short (you can support local bookstores by ordering it at bookshop.org), and see Heather and Elliot Kirschner’s new movie about my last class, The Last Class (to find a theater near you, click here). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe

The Occupation of America | Coffee Klatch for Saturday, August 30, 2025

Friends,Today Heather and I come to you from one of our favorite local bookstores to emphasize the importance of free speech, free expression, and freedom to criticize the current regime — even as it seeks ever-greater control over the media, universities, museums, and our cities. Our neofascist emergency worsens.Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, take our poll, and join in the conversation. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe

How to Stop Trump’s Second Coup | The Coffee Klatch for Saturday, August 23, 2025

Friends,Michael and I are coming to you today from the Empire Café in Houston, Texas, where the coffee is superb and the service comes with a smile (the café’s motto is “corporate coffee sucks”). It’s a bit noisy here (for which I apologize) but, hey, that’s what you get when you mix it up with real people. While I’m apologizing, I also want to apologize for the petition that was inadvertently posted on this page yesterday. When its provenance couldn’t be validated, I had it taken down. I should have had it checked before it was posted but wasn’t able to because I’ve been on a book tour. Again, my apologies. Today, Michael and I dive into Trump’s plans for additional state gerrymandering around the country and his occupation of Washington, D.C. — both parts of his second attempted coup on America, designed to prevent a free and fair election in the midterms of 2026. Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, take our poll, and join the conversation. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe

Trump’s Fascist Thuggery | The Coffee Klatch for August 16, 2025

Friends, Today, Heather and I discuss Trump’s occupation of Washington, D.C.; his meeting with war-criminal Putin; his takeover of key industries; his demands that Republican governors gerrymander their states to find more Republican seats; and his widening corruption. (If I had written the previous sentence several years ago, I would have thought it a parody. But it’s not. It’s real, and it’s fascist thuggery)Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, take our poll, and join in the discussion. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe

Trump's 24-Karat Corruption | The Coffee Klatch for August 9, 2025

Friends,Today Heather and I look into Trump’s efforts to get payoffs (such as the 24-karat gold bar that Apple’s Tim Cook gave him apparently in return for exempting Apple from import taxes on semiconductors); Trump’s attacks on facts he doesn’t like (such as the latest jobs report); and his methods of achieving political outcomes he wants (such as instructing Texas to come up with five more House seats). We explain how each of these connects to one another, and how the result is the opposite of democracy. Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, take our poll, and join in the discussion. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe