The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich

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Why has the Republican Party become an enemy of democracy? The Saturday coffee klatch Feb 24, 2024

Show notes

Friends,

Welcome back to our Saturday coffee klatch.

This week, Heather and I try to figure out why the Republican Party has become an enemy of democracy — refusing to fund Ukraine against Putin’s aggression, supporting Trump’s invitation to Putin to attack other European countries and his threat to leave NATO if he’s reelected, and giving legitimacy to attempts to substitute scripture for law (as did the Alabama Supreme Court in deciding that embryos are “children”) and embrace white Christian nationalism.

So pull up a chair, grab some coffee, and, if you wish, take our poll.

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 Week from Hell: The Saturday Coffee Klatch Feb 17, 2024

Show notes

Friends,

This was not exactly Trump’s best week.

New York Justice Arthur F. Engoron found Trump liable for conspiring to manipulate his net worth and ordered him to pay a penalty that will exceed $450 million — which, along with the $83 million judgment against him in the defamation suit brought by E. Jean Carroll — could wipe out his entire stockpile of cash.

Meanwhile, a date was set for the hush money trial, in which Trump is alleged to have paid off a porn star to keep her quiet before the election but somehow failed to report it as an election expense.

Oh, and a former FBI informant was found to have fabricated the Hunter Biden story — the allegation that President Biden and his son sought bribes from a Ukrainian energy company. The informant has been arrested.

Meanwhile, Trump’s favorite murderous dictator, Vladimir Putin, seems to have knocked off his major opponent, Aleksei A. Navalny — an anticorruption activist who for more than a decade led the political opposition to Putin while enduring arrests, assaults, and a near-fatal poisoning — under mysterious circumstances. Navalny was 47. The apparent murder complicates Trump’s efforts to prevent Republicans from giving more aid to Ukraine.

Heather and I try to make some sense out of Trump’s week from hell. Please grab a cuppa, pull up a chair, and join us. (And take our klatch poll, if you wish.)

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

Is Biden Too Old? | The Coffee Klatch Feb 10, 2024

Show notes

Hello friends,

Welcome back to our Saturday Coffee Klatch, where Heather and I consider special counsel Robert K. Hur’s report emphasizing Biden’s age and memory loss. Was it politically motivated? Is Biden really too old to be president?

We also examine the Supreme Court’s oral argument on Colorado’s decision to bump Trump from the ballot on the basis of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment; the decision of the three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia that Trump doesn’t have broad immunity from criminal indictments; and what this means for whether Trump will be tried before the election.

And the GOP’s bad week on the border bill and on trying to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas.

And, of course, tomorrow’s Super Bowl.

Please grab a chair and a cup of coffee and join us. Also, please take our poll.

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

Is there any good news to celebrate? Our Saturday coffee klatch, February 3, 2024 Feb 04, 2024

Show notes

Hello friends,

Welcome back to our Saturday Coffee Klatch.

Today is the South Carolina primary, but rather than spend much time on it (Trump will get his party’s nomination), Heather and I consider the remarkably good set of economic reports that emerged this past week and what, if anything, they mean for Biden’s reelection bid — plus why more than 70 percent of Republicans say the economy is terrible.

We also look at the U.S. military’s attacks on Iranian forces and the militias Iran is backing, in Iraq and Syria, in response to Iran’s drone attack last Sunday that killed three American soldiers and injured at least 40 others. Is this the start of a regional war?

Along the way we look at the new Child Tax Credit bill and why so many progressives are against it. And why the border security bill emerging from the Senate, as well as additional funding for Ukraine, are unlikely to pass (the answer is spelled TRUMP).

Finally, we examine whether the Delaware chancery court is correct — that there is such a thing as excessive executive compensation — and why Elon Musk is living proof.

Please grab a cup, pull up a chair, and join us. And, if so inclined, take today’s klatch poll:

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 real story behind Trump’s “wins” in New Hampshire and Iowa: Saturday coffee klatch Jan 27, 2024

Show notes

Hello friends,

Welcome back to our Saturday coffee klatch, where today we explore the real story behind Trump’s so-called “wins” in the New Hampshire primary and last week’s Iowa caucuses — and why they’re actually big losses for Trump. After all, he was president between 2017 and 2021, and a former president has a presumed lock on his party’s nomination. What’s extraordinary is how well Nikki Haley did on Tuesday.

We also talk with Congressman Ro Khanna — one of the sharpest and most progressive members of Congress — about these Trump losses, what they signify for the general election, and how Biden can best cut through the noise and demagoguery to show voters why he deserves another term.

So please grab a cup, pull up a chair, and join us (and if you wish, take this week’s coffee klatch poll).

Thanks for joining us. If you can, please consider a paid or gift subscription, so you’ll get the whole package and we can pay our bills!

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

What the hell has happened to the Republican Party? Our Saturday Coffee Klatch Jan 20, 2024

Show notes

Hello friends,

Today Heather and I look back three years to Biden’s inauguration and Trump’s no-show, and ahead to next week’s New Hampshire primary and the coming fight over funding for Ukraine — and wonder what happened to the Republican Party.

Lots more to talk about today. Please grab a cup, pull up a chair, and join us. And if you wish, take our poll.

A paid or gift subscription will give you the whole package and enable us to do even more. Please consider.

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

Will Trump walk away with the Republican nomination? Saturday Coffee Klatch Jan 14, 2024

Show notes

Hello friends,

Today Heather and I look ahead to Monday’s Iowa caucuses — and ask whether Nikki Haley has a chance to become the Republican nominee in 2024. Or are Haley and DeSantis simply laying foundations for their 2028 runs, assuming Trump relinquishes his dictatorship then?

Lots to talk about today. Please grab a cup, pull up a chair, and join us. And if you wish, take our poll.

Please consider a gift subscription for someone you care about. They’d receive the whole package. And your generosity would help us pay the bills.

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

Will Trump ever be held accountable for his attempted coup? Saturday coffee klatch Jan 06, 2024

Show notes

Today marks the third year since the attack on the Capitol. The person responsible is now leading the race to become the Republican candidate for president, and, if polls are to be believed, is even leading incumbent President Joe Biden.

Heather and I discuss whether Trump will ever be held accountable. We also address the so-called “crisis” at the border and the ouster of Harvard President Claudine Gay, as parts of the Trump-Republican strategy.

Please grab a cup, pull up a chair, and join us. And if you wish, take our poll.

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

Are you terrified of 2024? If not, why not? Saturday coffee klatch Dec 30, 2023

Show notes

[Most of you wanted us back in video, so here we are.]

This week, the secretary of state of Maine decided — as did the Colorado Supreme Court last week — that under Article 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, Donald Trump should not appear on the Republican primary ballot. So what will and what should the Supreme Court do?

More generally, how are you feeling about 2024?

These are among the questions Heather and I discuss on this morning’s klatch.

Please grab a cup, pull up a chair, and join us. And if you wish, take our poll.

And Happy (if possible) New Year!

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

Will Trump be off the ballot everywhere? Should he be? Saturday Coffee Klatch Dec 23, 2023

Show notes

(We’re in audio only today, as several of you requested — but let us know in the comments if you’d rather we return to video.)

This week, the Colorado Supreme Court decided that under Article 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution (which bars anyone from holding office if they’ve previously sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution and participated in an insurrection against the United States), Donald Trump should not appear on the ballot in Colorado.

Maine’s secretary of state is now pondering whether to allow Trump on Maine’s ballot, for the same reason.

Trump is appealing the Colorado decision to the Supreme Court. In the event that the Supreme Court affirms the decision (unlikely, in my view), the court could strike him from the ballots of all 50 states.

So … what will and what should the Supreme Court do?

It’s among the questions Heather and I discuss on this morning’s klatch.

Please grab a cup, pull up a chair, and join us. And if you wish, take our poll.

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

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