The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich

Robert Reich
  • 4.8 (195)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich exposes where power lies in our system — and how it's used and abused. robertreich.substack.com

  1. What a Week | The Coffee Klatch for January 24, 2026

    17H AGO

    What a Week | The Coffee Klatch for January 24, 2026

    Today I’m traveling. Heather and Michael make sense of a memorable week. My thanks to both of them. See you next Saturday. 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

    32 min
  2. Trump Gives America the Finger | The Coffee Klatch for Saturday, January 17, 2026

    JAN 17

    Trump Gives America the Finger | The Coffee Klatch for Saturday, January 17, 2026

    Friends, Today Heather and I grapple with the inescapable reality that Trump has turned America into a fascist state. From the streets of Minneapolis to the shores of Greenland, violence and the threat of violence prevail. By contrast, we talk with Lina Khan, former chair of the Federal Trade Commission and co-chair of Mayor Mamdani’s transition team, about how Mayor Mamdani has launched his social-democratic administration in New York. And Heather and I explore specific steps you can take to fight this scourge. Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, and join in the conversation — and the movement. 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

    54 min

  3. JAN 10

    Trump’s Deadly Forces | The Coffee Klatch for January 10, 2026

    Friends, Today, Heather and our friend Kamau Bell join me to examine this horrific week in which Trump took control of Venezuela and its oil and unleashed his ICE and Border Patrol agents on Americans. Trump’s deadly forces here and abroad — unconstrained by law or oversight — seem to have shifted the nation from being endangered by a pending dictatorship to becoming a dictatorship. What do you think? Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, 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

    42 min

  4. JAN 3

    What Will Happen in 2026? The Coffee Klatch for Saturday, January 3, 2026

    Friends, Today, Heather and I look into our crystal balls and attempt to predict what’s going to happen in 2026. First, what do we hope for? What are the major positive things we anticipate? Second, what do we fear? What are our biggest worries about the upcoming year? Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, 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

    47 min
  5. The Big Lesson from 2025? | The Coffee Klatch for Saturday, December 27, 2025

    12/27/2025

    The Big Lesson from 2025? | The Coffee Klatch for Saturday, December 27, 2025

    Friends, What do we make of 2025, other than that it was a horrible and cruel year? On today’s Klatch, Heather and I sift through your questions about what we’ve been through, what it means, what are the big lessons from 2025, and who are the real heroes. Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, and join in the conversation. Happy New Year! You look great! 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

    1 hr

  6. 12/26/2025

    My Conversation with Michael Lewis

    Friends, I recently had the delight of conversing with acclaimed author Michael Lewis (The Big Short, Liar’s Poker, Moneyball, Flash Boys, Going Infinite, The Fifth Risk, The Premonition, The Blind Side, The Undoing Project, Boomerang, and, most recently, Who Is Government?). I asked him to join me to discuss our recent books. Our subject was Trump, but our conversation ranged from the political to the personal. It occurred before a live audience and was great fun. I thought this holiday week a perfect occasion to share it with you. My thanks to Michael. Hope you had a happy holiday and have a restful weekend. Oh, and you look great. 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

    1h 23m

  7. 12/20/2025

    Trump’s Cognitive Collapse | The Coffee Klatch for Saturday, December 20, 2025

    Friends, Today, Heather and I take a deep dive into Trump’s increasingly addled brain — seeking to understand how quickly he’s losing his capacities and the dangers this poses for the rest of us. We begin with his bizarre response to the killings of Rob and Michele Reiner earlier this week, followed by his lie-filled speech to the nation and his chief-of-staff’s description of him as having the personality of an “alcoholic” who believes he’s omnipotent. We also examine his mounting losses: congressional Republicans who are deserting him, federal courts that continue to reject his orders, and polls showing him tanking. And we attempt to sum up this harrowing year. Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, and join in our discussion. Also: In next Saturday’s year-end klatch, we’ll take your questions about anything — so please leave them in the comments below. 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

    39 min

  8. 12/13/2025

    It's Affordability, Stupid! | The Coffee Klatch for Saturday, December 13, 2025

    Friends, Today, Heather and I — along with our Gen Z associates Katie Milne and Vishal Shankar — explore why the Republican Party is in near revolt against Trump. Congressional Republicans repeatedly rebuked him this week. Twenty House Republicans joined Democrats in passing a discharge petition to restore union rights to federal workers; 14 signed on to another discharge petition to prevent members of Congress from trading stocks. Meanwhile, a Democrat won the race to become mayor of Miami (for the first time in 30 years), and the Indiana Senate rejected a congressional redistricting plan despite Trump’s pressure campaign on Republican lawmakers. Why is Trump losing so badly now? Because his polls are plummeting. He refuses to acknowledge how difficult it is for most Americans to make ends meet — calling the affordability crisis a “sham” cooked up by Democrats, while his tariffs continue to jack up prices. Please pull up a chair, grab a cuppa, 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

    45 min
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Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich exposes where power lies in our system — and how it's used and abused. robertreich.substack.com

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