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Robert Reich Debunks 6 Big GOP Lies about The Economy
NationofChange / Video Report
Published: Tuesday 13 September 2011
Reich discusses GOP lies about the economy that citizens should be aware of
Big Lie One: If you give tax cuts to the rich and to the corporations, everybody will benefit and it will all trickle down. Big Lie Two: If you shrink government, you create more jobs. Big Lie Three: Taxes on the rich hurt the economy. Big Lie Four: If you get jobs back the debt shrinks as a proportion of the national economy. It becomes more and more manageable. Big Lie Five: Social security is a ponzi scheme. Big Lie Six: We need to tax the poor.
This article was originally posted on Robert Reich's blog.
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ABOUT Robert Reich
ROBERT B. REICH, one of the nation’s leading experts on work and the economy, is Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley. He has served in three national administrations, most recently as secretary of labor under President Bill Clinton. Time Magazine has named him one of the ten most effective cabinet secretaries of the last century. He has written thirteen books, including his latest best-seller, “Aftershock: The Next Economy and America’s Future;” “The Work of Nations,” which has been translated into 22 languages; and his newest, an e-book, “Beyond Outrage.” His syndicated columns, television appearances, and public radio commentaries reach millions of people each week. He is also a founding editor of the American Prospect magazine, and Chairman of the citizen’s group Common Cause. His widely-read blog can be found at www.robertreich.org.
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30 comments on "Robert Reich Debunks 6 Big GOP Lies about The Economy"
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Thought it wodlun't to give it a shot. I was right.
November 26, 2011 1:55pm
Whether it's Obama or a Repug who wins in 2012, they're both in the same finance/corporate bag. That's why another candidate, antidotal to the status-quo quagmire we're in is crucial. We must be fielding names, and Reich is great, Bernie Sanders, Kucinich. We all need to be talking about our future, not our past. Up with those proposing alternative candidates for the 2012 presidential election.
November 17, 2011 7:24pm
According to Forbes magazine of those listing a political affiliation nearly 80% of the richest people in America ( billionaires or people with hundreds of millions ) are democrats and very liberal in their politics. Both parties have equally over time granted many special tax breaks and incentives to large corporations and wealthy investors but only 1 has placed the bulk of the tax burden on the middle class and that's the democrats. Examples include the fact that nearly all utility taxes, gas taxes, income taxes, sales taxes, alcohol taxes, tobacco taxes, and on and on along with the increases in these taxes have been written by democrats. Billionaires don't care if they pay a little more for gas or other needed items but working people suffer as these taxes go up.
November 17, 2011 7:14pm
Provide the evidence please. This all sounds good, but i want evidence.nationalsponsor@gmail.com
October 16, 2011 3:08pm
Only
September 14, 2011 5:44pm
Big Lie One: If you give tax cuts to the rich and to the corporations, everybody will benefit and it will all trickle down. Big Lie Two: If you shrink government, you create more jobs. Big Lie Three: Taxes on the rich hurt the economy. Big Lie Four: If you get jobs back the debt shrinks as a proportion of the national economy. It becomes more and more manageable. Big Lie Five: Social security is a ponzi scheme. Big Lie Six: We need to tax the poor.
September 14, 2011 11:00am
NARVID has an excellent point, in that the lies the Reich tells us, rely on the way THEY have ruined the system already, in order to be believed.
They blame the "collapse" of America's Work Ethic on the cultural impulse of the sixties. They say that that was the moment when people decided that not working looked more fun, and everything went downhill.
But that was ALSO the moment when the Reich really began their backlash against the Unions, making sure through the decades that real work paid less and less as time went on, and that the Rich got richer and richer. The Rich also chose that moment to start denaturing the value of the worker, as well as the value of the work itself. They stopped supporting the workers themselves, except in spots, to "show" that Unions were "not necessary" to get benefits. But those efforts were of the same sort we see when candy bars are first upsized and upcosted, and then later, their sizes (ONLY their sizes) are taken back down. The net effect, as companies well know, is to "craftily" increase the price.
Just as the net effect of the crafty Union bashing, is to reduce the outlay paid to workers for doing the same work.
Political expectations are gamed the same way, and then the political opposition is "craftily" blamed for the reduction in the power of the working class, through FAUX propaganda that colors itself as "Fair and Balanced," and as the actual "voice" of the working class -- rather than the media organ of the Rich Reich.
September 14, 2011 10:13am
Really? Any basis for that position, or are you just making it up? Hard to tell, since you state the inadequacy of an economic theory as a fact without bothering to back up your contention. And then, you generalize from your (unsubstantiated) assertion. Good Job! You're a tea-bagger.
September 14, 2011 2:36am
ROBERT REICH FOR PRESIDENT!
September 13, 2011 8:28pm
David Koch just recently said (and I quote Mother J0nes) that this election is going to be 'the mother of all wars'. He's right. I would go so far as to say, that Election 2012 is perhaps the most critical election in this nation's history ... and perhaps may be also for the rest of the world.
This is the first American election contest where the issue is not Republican or Democrat, but between a Plutocracy or a Real Democracy . Between Corporatelitism and the Poor, the Haves and the Have nots ... and that is most of us.
As Buffet said; 'Yes, we are in a war between the haves and the have nots ... and my side is winning.'
It is that clear. Now, how to wake up 90% of the population to this fact? How do you show them that the battle lines are drawn? The game is afoot. ... and before we all wake up ... we will be routed. End of Story. Hello Oceania.
September 13, 2011 7:05pm
Those who do not know history should not make examples about not knowing history. Show me proof of conservative/republican economics thriving... oh wait, they don't, because they are greedy bastards who care nothing for others, only themselves. They like government when it's giving THEM money, but heaven forbid we spend any of OUR money helping poor people get health care. They would rather let them die. Seriously! If you don't have the money for health care, let them die - that is what they think!! What is the matter with these people? Oh wait, I know - none of them have ever waited a table or scrubbed a toilet in their lives. So they don't really understand how someone could be so poor as to not be able to afford health care. The lack of empathy from these people make me sick.
September 13, 2011 7:05pm
Excellent idea! We need to be clear on why we're doing it and what we want to come of it. And everyone who stays home must promise to VOTE in 2012!
September 13, 2011 6:58pm
WMDASCO1 is obviously one of the ultra-right winged spin-doctors or a minion of the same who will try to deflect you with lies and unsubstantiated drivel trying to have you believe there is no hope just as Robert Reich stated in the video.
September 13, 2011 5:09pm
Send this to everyone who will listen
September 13, 2011 4:04pm
Reich for President!
September 13, 2011 3:03pm
SPOT CHECK:
Big Lie One: If you give tax cuts to the rich and to the corporations, everybody will benefit and it will all trickle down.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/business/economy/24econ.html
"American businesses earned profits at an annual rate of $1.659 trillion in the third quarter, according to a Commerce Department report released Tuesday. That is the highest figure recorded since the government began keeping track over 60 years ago"
Highest PROFIT in at least 60 YEARS for the corporations ==>
HOW DOES THAT TRICKLE DOWN TO US, regular folks?
I just hope the honest conservatives would take a 2nd look at the GOP propaganda.
November 17, 2011 7:29pm
They are not spending that money because they are planning on taking it elsewhere to get away from the nationalization that is going on here, duh. When your government takes 16% of the economy, you get nervous and you start to plan for your exit strategy.
Imagine the government come to your neighborhood and takes your neighbors house in broad day light, throws him out and sets up shop? How would that make you feel. Not very confident. Same premise. Do taxes need to be reformed, yes. But don't this character, Reich, fool you. www.nationalsponsor.com
September 13, 2011 3:01pm
Obviouslly Reich has got it right. Trickle down economics is an economic system designed by the rich to expliot the poor. Look at the banks; when they got into trouble what did they do - the free market moguls came running to Uncle Sam for a bail out. And then what did they do with the money? Did they help the middle class get back on it's feet by making loans - of course not what they did was declae large dividends and give outrageous bonuses to its CEOs and top management. Now there in trouble again - big surprise!! So their philosphy in essence is to privitize profits and socialize losses. Isn't that cute!!!
September 13, 2011 3:25pm
When they said "trickle down," money was not what they meant.
September 13, 2011 2:52pm
big lie 1 raise corp taxes and job will be created in USA -- B G grow gov create jobs B G raising tax in a depression help econ B L 4 reich knows what he is yammering about B L 5 soc sec adm is lieing when it says it will run out of $ in 2036 B L 6 only demo talk of this [ see obamacare]
September 13, 2011 1:18pm
It's time for a national 'stay home from work' day, or three. Who can organize three days where no one in America goes to work? Show the CEOs that the masses DO matter.
September 13, 2011 1:14pm
reich is right on!!!!!!!!!!gop is nothing but a farce. even warren buffet says rich should pay more taxes. where is the GOP plan for jobs? no where. all they can do is attack obama's plan.....they want him out 1) because he's black 2) because he is a democrat. thats their whole focus----they should be focusing on how to help out the hundreds of thousands of people who are losing their financial etc status due to republican policy!!!!!!!!!!!!!they are nothing but a bunch of greedy liars who have no thought for anyone but themselves.
September 13, 2011 12:54pm
A splendid summary of where we are and what is happening to us, in 8 1/2 minutes. Now how do we get this in front of the whole country?
September 13, 2011 12:30pm
It did work very well before it was dismantled - perhaps you need to read some history about your own country? You're obviously just another right-wing troll that didn't watch the video.
September 13, 2011 12:01pm
Liberal/Progressive Keyesnsian economics has never worked. Just another example that if you don't know history, you are doomed to relive it. Obamanomics is just FDR all over again with the same results.
September 13, 2011 3:47pm
@ WMDASCO1: My study of history shows quite a different reality. Keynesian economics got us out of the last depression twice. The first time was short-lived because conservatives did exactly what they're dong now - they insisted on austerity measures before the economy was strong enough to support them. The second time, WWII brought the mother of all deficit spending sprees, and righted the economy for the next two two decades, and brought with it the false idea that war is good for the economy. It seems that conservatives have no problem with deficit spending for war, but the result is exactly the same as spending on peaceful projects: demand goes up and the economy gets stronger.
Obama has not been given a chance to right the economy because conservatives seem more intent on obstruction than on either jobs or the deficit.
September 13, 2011 3:28pm
Except when Roosevelt and WWII got us out of the Depression. Except when Clinton balanced the budget.
On the other hand see the staggering Republican financial successes of Reagan (Voodoo Economics) and Bush Jr. (trashed/nuked our economy, created no jobs.)
I WISH Obamanomics would give us the same results as FDR -then we'd have 40+ years of growth, stability and prosperity.