Robert Reich: America is Not Exceptional

[Newest Reality]

The crucial point is that the issues and problems are deeply systemic. They are emerging from the fundamental impositions of the system itself and that's where the potential to change and resolve it lies. We are seeing symptoms.

Band-aids and bromides won't fix it at all. The wound is deep and it is now infected. It is our body politic at stake here, not somebody else's and we are going into shock from the sepsis.

Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich debunks the myth of American exceptionalism, explaining how Trump's failed coronavirus response and use of violent authoritarianism to crush nationwide protests for Black lives has forced the hard truth about this country into focus: America is not exceptional, but it is the exception.

American police kill over 1,000 people every year.

We're the only one out of 22 advanced nations that doesn't give all workers some form of paid sick leave.

We're the only industrialized nation without guaranteed, universal healthcare.
We have the largest prison population on earth.

We have the largest CEO-to-worker pay gap.

We spend more on the military than the next seven nations combined.

On the global stage, America is the exception, but not in the way we would like to believe.

[sandensea]

1. We could be - if we really wanted to.

For a country as rich and yooge as the U.S., it's only a matter of political resolve.

[dubyadiprecession]

2. Rich enough to pay the interest on 26 trillion dollars!

[erronis]

3. Don't have to watch Reich's video to give this post an upvote. Thank you for the good synopsis,

and I'll watch it right now.

[erronis]

5. Cheap - responding to my own post while watching the video ---

Not a fan of the cartoonish illustrations that Prof. Reich used in this segment

Bottom line, the failure of the US to provide its people basic rights such as healthcare and support is the fault of big corporations and capitalism. We've been sold a flim-flam argument that capitalism is the ideal. While other countries with much better economies and support for their people use a variety of programs including strong social support networks.

[Ligyron]

7. Much of the US public consider themselves but temporarily embarrassed millionaires.

Bought that argument you speak of in spite of all evidence to the contrary. Someday they'll be just as rich as the very few who ever actually are and they'll want all those tax cuts and perks when the get there so don't touch the system! Be there any day now...

Someday's it just looks hopeless, but hope springs eternal. Which is what perpetuates the system come to think of it...

[magicguido]

4. GET HIM OUT!

[BigmanPigman]

6. If none of Reich's tutorials has you mad as Hell

than you must be brain dead and there is no hope for you.