Our Government Is Broken, But Not How You Think | Robert Reich
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- Опубліковано 26 сер 2024
- Investing in rural education. Preventing discrimination against pregnant workers. Protecting seniors from scams.
The House passed over 200 critical bills in 2021.
Thanks to the Senate filibuster, none of them became law. Zero. Zilch.
Watch More: The Senate Rule Breaking Our Politics ►► • The Senate Rule Breaki...
Actually it's both the filibuster and just shoving bills in a file cabinet and not bringing them to the Senate floor. McConnell did this when he was the Senate leader.
In other words, it's broken exactly how I think it is.
Because politicians are bought by big money
The entire system is set up to serve big money. If the majority understood that they are being sacrificed to the wealthy daily, they would demand better. But they're oblivious. Their beliefs about how our government and media work are manipulated in a way that serves the wealthy. We're giving our power and our lives away, and are totally unaware of it. Which, guess what?... serves the wealthy perfectly well. Unaware is exactly how they want us. Because there are millions more of us than there are wealthy and wealthy serving politicians: we actually have the power. We could change things.
@@Zach-ju5vi actually, you are very uninformed, probably the victim of intentional deception. They don't want us to understand what they're doing because if enough people understood, we would change it. The entire system is set up to serve the wealthy, and it works extremely well for them. Your ignorance is their comfort and pride.
@@Zach-ju5vi lol.
@@Zach-ju5vi lol
So many truth teller's telling the American people the truth, no one can fool them now. 💖💖💖
Washington D.C. needs to be made a state. Puerto Rico needs to decide to go independent or also become a state.
Yes, end the Electorial College, end the Filibuster, Pack the Court, make D.C. and Puerto Rico States, control all three branches of the Federal Government; Let's create a One Party Political System.
Wait, wouldn't that be Tyranny?
@@timmarshall7292 You suppose too much. What if we also changed to a parliamentary system like England or better yet, ranked choice voting.
Until DEMOCRATS GROW A SET??
This is a pipe dream.
It's pretty informative that our nation's capital is a place where the average citizen doesn't have representation and power.
@@grayisgood D.C. was meant to be a Non-Political Center of the Nation; it would only be a Partisan Career Politician voting block and so it became unconstitutional to become a State. The residents could easily be incorporated back into Maryland for representation, if that was the true desire.
Triple the size of the House, get rid of the Senate.
Or reduce its power like the Lords in Britain, where they can only block bills a few times.
@@MrThorfan64 Better still force States to merge some to divide so that all states have regulated size between 10-12 million people the US to have 30 States, the Senate to have 10 seats per state 5 elected every 3 years with proportional voting (the number of seats you get depends on your vote tally) a senate term of 6 years, no person can serve more than 2 terms, house elections to be held every 3rd year or a 3 year term with no person to serve more than 5 terms, preferential voting.
An upper age limit to stand as a candidate in both houses of 66.
This would separate congressional elections from Presidential elections.
@@kcobley Or could be non-consecutive terms if want experience.
and pennies. Both are pointless, outdated, and waste money.
Either way, it's frustrating! Something has to give, this is unsustainable
Well, they won't suddenly grow a conscience if they haven't by now.
if we got rid of at least half of the rethugliKKKlans in the house & senate & have them replaced with folks that would find the bills that got block promising, the country would be in SO MUCH better shape!
Yeah. We're headed for a dictatorship because the majority are unaware that the wealthy are actually controlling both parties and we are slowly but surely moving in that direction. Look at the numbers supporting someone like trump, they actually want a dictator. That's right: conservatives want a dictator. They are authoritarian, believe in the hierarchy, want a daddy figure in charge making all their decisions, believe GOD (the ultimate daddy figure) put trump in that position. Look at the numbers who think trump was just a blip in the system, don't take this seriously.
These jerks should not get a paycheck. This is horrible. Enough already.
Thank you so much for this information. This is so important. Really appreciate your work.
Ranked Choice Voting would be a step in the right direction...
if we at the minimum got rid of graham & moscow mcturtle back in 2020, progress would be made!
No. What we need is for the majority to understand that both parties are serving the wealthy, and in fact, the entire government is set up to serve the wealthy. The entire media also serves the wealthy and controls our beliefs about our reality while also distracting us. Because guess who owns the politicians and the media? The wealthy. If there were enough money behind educating the public, and they realized how much they are giving to the wealthy every day, things would finally change. It requires the majority to UNDERSTAND what is happening so they make a different choice and demand better.
@@grayisgood OOOOOOORRRRRR...my previous comment still applies!
@@IMPOTUSx2 mmmm. Nope. But I tried to tell you. You don't want to know.
@@grayisgood mmmmm...nope, you didn't tell me anything other than those typical libertarian bullcrap aka rethugliKKKlan bullcrap. of course no surprise your head is up your rear!
Why do anything, if you get paid to do nothing? Congress is failing US!
They're actually paid to serve the wealthy, and they are actively serving the wealthy and sacrificing the majority to do it.. You being unaware of this serves their purposes just fine. Be a good little citizen and keep believing they're not doing anything.
We need to replace the Senate's allocation to 2 senators per nation in the US
It's the conservative playbook by the numbers. Cause problems, blame the other side, then once in power, cause more problems and continue to blame the people who can't stop it.
Most elected Democrats are conservatives.
@QB5 Depends on how you define conservative. Corporate equals conservative. It is possible to be a conservative and liberal at the same time, depending on specific policy preferences.
Barack Obama says he is a "1980's moderate Republican." That means socially "liberal" and economically "conservative." It is also called The Third Way.
@QB5 Does it matter whatever you call them, it's not making things better! Cyclical politics to me bring disappointment, my right to vote for what?
Sadly, too many will fall for it.
Unfortunately… this is spot on..
Thanks we need more people like you guys 😊 It seems as though you're the only one who cares.You should have run for President the world could use more people like you the World 🌍 would be a better place iam sending my love to you
Dissolve the Senate and Electoral College
Rules for politicians:
1. Do whatever is necessary to get re-elected.
2. Do whatever helps your financial backers, as long as it does not violate rule number 1.
3. Do things that help your voter base, as long as it does not violate rule number 1 or rule number 2.
You're a heck of a lot more optimistic than I am. I don't even think that 3rd rule actually applies.
Yeah. Except the last part. They don't care about helping the base, they only care about manipulating the base. They in fact sacrifice the majority to the wealthy every minute of every day. With massive coordinated manipulation to keep the majority in it's place. Republicans are better at it than democrats. But republican voters, believing in the hierarchy and not believing in critical thought, are so much easier to manipulate. So they have a well oiled manipulation machine running, while democrats watch and learn nothing. Or is that just the democrats' place in the game?? They play the side pretending to help the majority, all the while working to serve the wealthy. They play the occasional temporary relief in the wealthy's steady, relentless, ongoing movement towards dictatorship.
4. If Republican block all legislature that does not benefit the donor class, and blame the Democrats.
...there's a Doctor Asimov calling on line 2....
Protecting the elderly from spam... This is very important to me. Fortunate are the elderly that have family members who pay attention to what's happening with their elderly parent. But, what about the elderly who have no family? Who do they have to protect them?
Tern limits plus no contribution over ten dollars or corporate lobby allowed should do the trick to fix it
Robert, this message needs to get out to many more people. I have believed your message was the case for a looong time. You hit the nail squarely on the head. Thank you.
Thank you, Secretary Reich, for educating us on how corporations and billionaires are manipulating our political process to our detriment!
@@t2k777 to those who are ignorant of almost anything!
The corporations and billionaires would not have half the power they have, if they were not handed the filibuster on a plate, a legal weapon that enables the corruption, and encourages partisanship.
@@michelez715 Dear Ms. Z, the corporations and billionaires are not handed anything. They steal it, they cheat the system, they manipulate the system for their own greedy, power hungry evil motives. Cheers!
Just like how Russia can't invade neighboring countries with a fake military, our country can't function with a fake legislative body. Republicans in The Senate and two Democrats in The Senate don't legislate (for you Republican voters, "legislate" means make laws,) they just do flashy things to get elected to future positions by the power of noteriety.
You misspelled oligarch
The saddest thing is this video preach to the choir. Those who should see it never will.
The worst part is they are blinded by their greed and their interests to the point where it will send us down I don't think we will recover from.
Not only that, they are deaf to the needs of the people because they will always put profits over people.
Fire your Republican senators.
wish someone had warned us about a two party system
A few of the forefathers actually did...
@@nates9105 that was the whole joke.
Unfortunately, just one big dysfunctional bickering family party, All sucking at the corporate trough for elections process $$$. Trying to elbow the other guy out of the money.🐷💰🐷
True, short and to the point.
Exactly!
Thank you, Professor Reich! You always tell us the truth. I pray for more people like you!
0:44 Fun fact: the recent SCOTUS case about religous schools and public funding (in Maine), which basically blew down the separation between church and state, may not have happened at all if rural education was more invested in. The whole thing started because there was a specific rural community where there were NO public secondary schools, so parents were either forced to send their kids in a far away school (assuming your school district signed a contract with a nearby one that has a secondary school) OR suck it up and send the kid to a private school that costs money - in most cases if the private school is not religious the state will give a voucher to pay for it (After all, the kid is SUPPOSED to get a free education) but in this case the ONLY schools available in the area were religious schools.
Corrupt...nothing less
What were Democrats doing when Trump was president?
@TrueFact
It wasn't "free money". It was their own money and I got to keep some of mine because I earned it. The tax cut actually provide record revenues because people did MORE with their own money.
The FBI was lying to FISA judges and using false Russian propaganda to spy on the opposition's campaign. There is no law against meeting with Russians. The Clinton hired a former spy to talk to Russians to get the dossier they were using.
My views of Russia have not changed. The Russians have tried for DECADES to influence out elections. It is nothing new. Using it as a false pretense to spy on the opposition is NEW and contemptable.
I don’t know that those saboteurs can look at themselves in the mirror !
They have no conscious
Robert, I really appreciate your analysis, but please give concrete steps as to what the American public can do to stop this.
Vote Dem and vote in Primaries.
Robert I have always respected you and still do.
My problem is I tired of falling for 40+ years of
BOTH parties stealing from the working class.
We are not going to change corruption from the inside.
A third party is our only chance.
I will keep one foot in the door and remain loyal to my "progressive" identity
but not the DNC nor GOP
If only the progressives would grow a brain and spine! They're so oblivious and ineffective.
But third party politics won't work now, you need to start working at a state level first.
I thought the Independent Party was to be a third choice.
@@lsingstock1646 Well that didnt work.
The electoral college wasn't set up for multiple party system.
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Politicians base their careers on doing nothing, maintaining the status quo at all costs.
Policy has political costs it's therefore better to have no policy.
The constitution only requires a majority in the Senate.
The Filibuster is a unconstitutional rule, the filibuster should be challenged in the Supreme Court.
Yep the Madison was asked why the constitution did have this type of rule in it. He said that a majority would be held hostage by the minority. He felt that minority would stall progress in the country and that would hurt the poor of the country. So yes the filibuster is unconstitutional.
Why doesn't Congress get anything done? It is designed that way from the beginning.
It was designed that way.
The system is BROKEN!!# CLEAN HOUSE , GET THE OLD JERKS OUT!!!
People align to their reward systems. It is more advantageous for them to take action that helps them get re-elected vs actually helping constituents.
Who are their constituents? They are helping the constituents that help them get elected, just not those who could really use their help most.
@@andywomack3414 I with respect disagree, they are not helping us by winning, if when they win? they do nothing. They do help themselves when they win.
The only thing I have grown to hate more then the Republican Agenda?? Are weak Democrats.
What if we elected politicians who were in politics to help the majority? Like, that was their motivation? What if we elected them and they changed the system so it's not entirely set up to serve the wealthy? What if that happened? Would first require massive public education about how the wealthy are controlling all of us all the time, so the majority would vote for people who would really actually work for them. The democrats also serve the wealthy. Republican or Democrat, they all sacrifice the majority to the wealthy. The public is oblivious. They currently believe Republican vs Democrat is a real choice.
Which is so funny because if they actually helped their constituents, they would be easily re-elected.
@@grayisgood Best solution is to start executing (as a matter of law, ideally not vigilantism) politicians for bribery. In a representative democracy, I think this is actually the worst form of treason. Betraying your community for personal gain and power. I for one would admire Manchin and many other politicians a lot more if they were about 8 inches shorter.
The people should always have final say
I don't think it's right to just blame the Republicans. You basically said don't believe the narrative of the mainstream media and then said exactly what they're saying.
The media blames congress as a whole.
The Democratic majority in the house has passed 100s of bills since 2021.
The senate blocks votes due to the Filibuster (which empowers the minority party).
GOP says "vote for us to get things done and get rid of grid lock". That's demonstrably untrue, except for tax cuts.
Because their corporate masters don't want anything done.
This should be in every single campaign ad for every single democrat!!
Do democrats really want to help the majority? They're amazingly ineffective. PS, they are also paid off by the wealthy to serve the wealthy. In fact, the entire system has been set up by the people we've given power to, to serve the wealthy. It's all a show intended to make us think somebody is trying to do something for us, keep us from doing something silly like voting in people who really would work for us.
@@Zach-ju5vi That would require thinking about the American People. Unfortunately, just about all of them only think of themselves.
Time to abolish the senate
And yet people are going to fall for it
270th....Pssst we're the schithole country we've all heard about......its disgraceful....saddening..... I'll always Vote and Vote Dem-Progressive ...i only have 20-25yrs left on this Rock....
Get rid of the Senate and house...let them get real jobs...
The moneyed interests see government as a burden. They simply do not want to be governed. They control both parties. They control the vast majority of legislators, both federally and locally. This attitude isn't rational; it's more like a phobia which may destroy them along with the rest of us.
They hand down their attitudes to the poor in the form of culture wars. Keep them distracted, voting against own interests, and perpetually poor.
200 bills oass in the house but Not the Republican Senate!!!
Is there enough public awareness of this?
Because this will effect the midterms.
Beyond Belief; but sick Reality…
I hate to admit that I kinda believe them. I attribute it to our lack of ability to work as a unified team. I remember when Obama had a similar problem. I appeared much worse then. As I remember it (may not be accurate) there was a one senator majority which made every senator a prince making totally unreasonable demands since you needed everyone to get anything done. It was a buch of them back then. Now we have a good solid team with 2 people that don't want to make progress. I know these are just appearances. This is my perception... and the feeling that the party never intended for many of the things to get done are just using these people as excuses - that is starting to look more and more real. We REALLY need to get some MAJOR items done to motivate turnout or we are going to lose majority, and I believe give republicans a filibuster proof majority.
But let's be honest here, Dems are being completely complicit with this abhorrent behavior
it should not be allowed to indefinitely delay a bill without cause. there should be a maximum amount of time before a bill must be brought to the floor or voted to delay another month.
BINGO!! You pretty much summed it all up in less than 2 minutes!! Let's not forget that what did manage to get by without ONE Republican vote seems to be taken credit for by Republicans!!
With massive problems hammering the country, bills sit unheard waiting to die in the Senate, and today the U.S. Senate actually passed a bill, to institute year round daylight savings time; now since every Senator present voted in favor of this nonsense, I have to ask, just who does this bill benefit, the people or big business.
I'm in favor of this particular bill because I and many people I know have always worked until 5 or 6 pm and have an hour drive to get home. That doesn't leave much time to do anything at home that needs to be done outside.
@@SwampersRC You chose to spend about 10% of your day driving to and from work. Got stuff to do outside? That's what weekends are for.
@@kristopherloviska9042 when in construction you have to keep up with someone else's schedule and locations. I didn't get to "choose" how much of my day is spent traveling to and from work!
@@SwampersRC If your construction jobs are regularly an hour+ away from where you live, you are choosing to live in an area where there isn't much local construction.
I get it though. I do freelance sports production and live in Atlanta. I am 5 minutes away from Truist Park and 15 minutes away from State Farm Arena, Mercedez-Benz Dome, and Turner studios. I would rather not live inside the perimeter of I-285, but living farther away wasn't worth the trade-off of time spent driving to "local" work. When I work any of those places, life is good. But I also frequently work at ACC and SEC schools, which, other than Ga Tech, involve a minimum 70 mile drive. Most require flying to where the school is.
Senators with 30+ years in Congress? Sounds like Cuba. We NEED term limits.
Again, an excellent vid.
The age old problem with democracy
Why are they called the right when they are always wrong?
Oh boy, give the Republicans a majority and an avalanche of bills that benefit the rich will get passed!
they will also eliminate SSI, Medicare, and medicaid, crashing the economy by doing it but the millionaires will have bigger yaughts
It kind of makes you wonder how come the republicans can accomplish things but the democrats don't? Could it be because the democrats' part in the game is to provide temporary relief from the republican onslaught while pretending to work for the majority?
The man speaks truth
Reich forgets the bipartisan consensus on supply side economics. Even many in the House who voted for these progressive pieces of legislation do so under the assumption that those bills will die in the Senate.
dont fall for it, because when the situation changed, it will be the same, but with opposite sides.
Gov. To busy spending taxes on other countries
Isn't is about time the President himself passes an Executive Order to restrain any politician from obstructing the legislative process through filibustering? Free speech or not, the people's rights are at stake!
Biden: works for the wealthy.
@@grayisgood Yaaaaayyy 😑
Sadly, they will fall for it.
Thank you Reich. Speaking facts
Should have added "and this is why Machin and Sinema do this..."
Robert, when might you run for a congressional seat?
truth
This is as insane as insane can be... choking people, peace and planet.
I think the saucer is cracked…
This isn’t the reason. This is the mechanism. If the Senate did away with the filibuster, the output of the House would abruptly diminish.
The filibuster provides political cover for inaction. The reasons for that inaction are many.
Noam chomsky is a great resource to learn how governments work
well said!
Because, the two party system is Done.
"The more numerous the Laws, the more corrupt the State."
Doesn't have to be that way. it's people. Corrupt people. Laws should protect and serve everyone. And laws are NEEDED to protect and serve everyone because people left alone will intentionally harm others for their own benefit.
The Lincoln project needs you in an ad to let the people know what's really going on Republicans aren't letting anything pass that the people need
And democrats are happy they can't do anything. Happy they can blame the Republicans . Because the rich on both sides don't want it.
The Munchkins have invaded the Cinemas ‼️‼️🤑🤑🤑🇺🇲💔🇺🇲💔💔💸💸💸💸
Don't give the House credit for "passing" bills they know won't make it to the People. The only reason they pass those bills is because they know the bills will get killed in the Senate. It's just a game of misdirection: the left hand is friendlier than the right hand, but they're still both part of the same system. The "good cop" is on the same side as the "bad cop", and the ball isn't under any of the cups. The system isn't broken; it's designed to work this way.
You're exactly right. The filibuster, Republicans and Manchema are the main problems
Manchema... nicely put.
Its actually Greed, $$$ and supremacy that is the problem!!!🤔🤨✌
Their is already background checks for gun purchases. They call the atf to look at your criminal record every time before selling the gun to you. So what are you talking about. I own 14 guns I would know
America has the worst political system of the west
Unfortunately we suck at informing the public and an alarming number of voters are both victim to disinformation and stuck in the past.
He is right but I also believe much of those bills would never have passed the house had they a realistic chance of passing the Senate. There are plenty of corporate Democrats in the House willing to play politics too.
He's talking about the House bills that were passed and are waiting for the Senate to show some interest in even reading them.
"Don't fall for it"
Even if this was said to the people it needs to be said to, they will still fall for it sadly. Human civilization has been around for thousands of years and yet we still fall for this idea that the ones who lead us need to be wealthy and powerful. Doomer mode activated.
not here in Denmark,
@@ninsemor Actually, Denmark is not much better off in regards to falling for political spin.
Most politicians representing workers have never held an actual working class job, but went straight into politics. They have mostly had comfortable lives and know very little about the actual struggle within the working class. Sure, workers currently have certain rights, but since the early 2000s you've been witnessing both left and right slowly trying to dismantle many of the hard earned rights, while politicians themselves are busy padding their wallets and only seeing political careers as stepping stones to a lucrative corporate career.
The political idealist fighting for the working (wo)man has slowly become extinct. It's not just a US phenomenon - and we all need to pay attention to what laws gets passed.
I'm mentally ill ... that's my excuse for not creating a red and blue skateboard with a white star & starburst on it for Christian Smalls so HE can organize and I have yet to do it. 😢 What's US Congress's excuse 🤯?
Broken
Budget reconciliation
Because democratic voters will not elect progressive candidates, point.
So the problem is that your side dosen't get to just do weathever it wants?
Biden won't touch the Filibuster. Who's to blame?
What do you have senators for again?
Sounds like an inbuild single point of corrup.. aeh failure.
Simply put, we NEED a progressive LABOR PARTY! A party that is actually for the American people and the American worker! We need a strong middle class for a strong and prosperous economy/nation! Start voting progressive! It's the ONLY way things will get done!
LMFAO, right. What is the progressive stance on quantitative easing and interest rates lower than the inflation rate.
Yep. And we need massive media educating the public to the real facts. Because if the people understood the reality, most would vote in their own interest and demand better. The problem is we are being manipulated and are oblivious.
So true! A progressive LABOR PARTY competing with the Democrats would split the vote and ensure that such massive government spending, advocacy of minimum wage laws, sops to unions, etc. will come to an end ... resulting in a strong middle class and a prosperous economy/nation (something no progressive policy has ever done in human history).
@@FletchforFreedom I have some cool aid for you to drink
@@taliesin1977 Never touch the stuff! As demonstrated ny the fact that I have never fallen for the demonstrable bullshit of this imbecilic liar.
Sorry, but I'm not in line to vote. Waste of time. Cal legislators voted to stop time change. So what happened? U S Congress will not take up the vote, due to Cal is not on their priority list. So that's why non voters like me know it's a waste of time.
GQP, maybe?
But primarily, it's still Moscow mitch.