America's Great Divide: Robert Reich Interview | FRONTLINE

Robert Reich is a former U.S. secretary of Labor and the author of many books, most recently Common Good. He is a professor of public policy at the University of California, Berkeley.
Reich's candid, full interview was conducted with FRONTLINE during the making of the two-part January 2020 documentary series “America's Great Divide: From Obama to Trump.”
Watch Part One here: • America's Great Divide...
And Part Two here: • America's Great Divide...
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This interview is being published as part of FRONTLINE’s Transparency Project, an effort to open up the source material behind our documentaries. Explore the transcript and interactive version of this interview, and others, on the FRONTLINE website:
www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/in...
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[@frontline]

This interview was conducted with FRONTLINE during the making of our two-part documentary series “America's Great Divide.”

[@darylwilliams7883]

It's still unbelievable to me that so many Americans rightfully angry about Oligarchy would double down by voting for the enablers of it. Simply beyond belief.

[@rca-in-glasgow6781]

RR is describing my life history from the last 30 years. Born into poverty, managed through skill and hard work to graduate from RISD with a professional degree, then enjoyed moderate success in life until the Great Recession. Continued to keep my head barely above water after that, at times stocking grocery shelves on the night crew at King Soopers. Then I married a British citizen and had the opportunity to life permanently in Glasgow, Scotland. Now I live in a truly compassionate society, with health care and social services, and a very reasonable cost of living. All of that in a vibrant and beautiful city. I never imagined leaving America until decade after decade it let me down.

[@Wray62]

I found Prof. Reich through my son's Economy class, and I will never regret it. He explains things so well.

[@CaraDees]

This man is amazing. Listened to all of this 3 times just to be sure... an he's literally saying everything that makes me feel like he understands me. He gets how I feel. He's explained my unrest, my anxiety and my fears. His last words gives some hope. How sad is it that we have to look to our kids to fix our mess.

[@TA-lt1ph]

I lost everything, job, home, health, savings, 401K, and my marriage. The crooked rich and Wall Street lost nothing. Yes deep-seated sense of betrayal and the realization that my life would never be the same in any way, shape, and form still haunts me. It is no longer anger it is resignation and worry for my 4 children who are unable to have a middle class life. All are college grads who make good money, but they cannot afford children or even a house due to college loans. The recession never ended for some of us and it never will. 2008 brought reality to us all. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Been happening forever. Middle class? Not sure what that looks like anymore.

[@buttercrunch24]

I have watched all of these long interviews, outstanding every one of them and incredibly illuminating, but Robert Reich, unsurprisingly, manages to incorporate the viewpoints of both sides and bake them together into a comprehensible pie. Extraordinary person, amazing interview. Thank you Frontline.

[@RM-ed1if]

Best interview I've heard in a long time. Everybody needs to hear this.

[@ToeKneeMarlow]

Robert Reich is too damn good!!! I was born in 86 and went through all of this with political parents. This man is like a 3nd grandfather and we should all love him and listen to him as such! Grandpa Rob tells it like it is, nothing but straight truth!! Love always my man!! Labor all the way!!!

[@brucecaldwell6701]

Keeping the have nots mad at each other. George Carlin understood this.

[@wandaway1961]

I love the way Robert explains what we observe on a daily basis. He’s so right on.

[@chrisklaeffling1]

Plain and simple: He is clearly an intellectual who knows the facts and is able to explain things in layman terms. Brilliant!

[@CLAldridgeArt]

While I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Robert Reich so perfectly describe how we got into this mess, last minute or so of this video made it SO WORTH the time. Thank You Mr. Reich, for your keen analysis, for your knowledge of economics, but mostly for being a Professor and teaching the next generation. You've done so much to restore my faith in the future today!

[@TheJohnJames]

Politics is not about left vs right, it’s about top vs bottom.

[@faithinverity8523]

You watch the interviewer ask a question. You think to yourself, "No one ever answers that question honestly." Then he answers it honestly and you're shocked.

[@TJ-mo9xv]

Robert Reich is one of the smartest people I have ever listened to. He has a rare depth of intelligence that we are fortunate to have and, he has the mega phone and ability to reach millions. I only hope that many, many people listen to this and understand the truth in it.

[@kimsandbladh4811]

Excellent conducted interview !

[@postoak2755]

I'm a longtime fan of Robert Reich. This was an excellent presentation and very informative. Thank you

[@marp7665]

I absolutely love this man ! He explains the problem in a way that makes sense! He is a great teacher. Everyone should see this interview

[@arminmoloudzadeh3476]

Mr. Reich confirms with this interview what many have enjoyed about his decent, molecular, surgical historic analysis of our common history. My wish would be to share a conversation with him that would also include a strategic, forward looking application of earned wisdom.