Robert Reich: Politics, Policy, and the Great Recession

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Berkeley's Robert Reich for a discussion of political change and the structural causes of the 2008 economic collapse. Recalling his formative experiences, Reich explains
what led to his focus on economics and politics. He describes his relationship with Bill and Hillary Clinton and talks about his tenure as Secretary of Labor.  Analyzing the changes in the American political economy since the great Depression, he argues for a return to the greater economic equality that characterized the post World War II era.  He concludes with an evaluation of the relative importance of political leadership, ideas, Presidential appointments, and grass roots mobilization in changing the status quo and moving the country toward greater economic equality which he sees as the sine quo non for economy recovery.