Fmr. Sec. Robert Reich

Summary

The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert: Featuring Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich

Release Date: August 11, 2025

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert, host Stephen Colbert welcomes back a distinguished guest, former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich. Reich brings his extensive experience in public policy, spanning three presidential administrations, and shares insights from his latest memoir, Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America. The conversation delves into pressing issues of economic inequality, the political climate under the Trump administration, and the pathways toward a renewed Progressive Era.

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Economic Inequality and Democratic Challenges

Timestamp: [02:10] Stephen Colbert revisits a conversation with Reich from 15 years prior, highlighting Reich's enduring thoughts on economic inequality in the United States. Colbert recalls Reich's poignant observation:

"Either we have reform that enlarges the circle of prosperity for most people or we have a backlash, an angrier politics that picks on immigrants or foreign trade or blames the poor or even the rich." – Robert Reich [02:10]

Colbert expresses his hope that the nation would embrace the first option—comprehensive reform—but acknowledges the prevailing trend toward political backlash and division.

Timestamp: [03:19] Reich underscores the dire need to "hope and work for democracy and to make the rule of law again the rule of our country." He emphasizes the importance of restoring honesty and integrity in governance to combat the authoritarian tendencies observed in recent political maneuvers.

Timestamp: [03:54] When discussing actionable steps toward economic reform, Reich identifies the influence of big money in politics as a significant barrier. He asserts:

"You get big money out of politics." – Robert Reich [03:54]

This highlights the systemic challenges in achieving meaningful economic reforms that benefit the broader population.

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Impact of the Trump Administration on Economic Policies

Timestamp: [04:01] Colbert brings attention to a specific incident during the Trump administration:

"On Friday, Trump fired a senior official from the Bureau of Labor Statistics because he didn't like the data that said the last three months of job growth were the worst since the pandemic." – Stephen Colbert [04:01]

Timestamp: [04:19] Reich responds by explaining the consequences of undermining such institutions:

"There will be no credibility left when the government reports its jobs numbers... This is extraordinarily dangerous. This is the authoritarian playbook." – Robert Reich [04:19]

He warns that the erosion of trust in governmental data can lead to widespread skepticism and destabilize democratic foundations.

Timestamp: [06:26] Addressing broader economic policies under Trump, Reich discusses increased inequality:

"We are going to have wider and wider inequality... we've had trickle down economics since Ronald Reagan. And nothing has ever trickled down." – Robert Reich [06:26]

He critiques the tax cuts favoring the wealthy and the reduction in funding for programs like Medicaid, arguing that these policies exacerbate economic disparities.

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Reich's Memoir: Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America

Timestamp: [08:11] Reich introduces his memoir, contextualizing his personal narrative within the larger framework of American socio-political evolution:

"My America starts in 1946... I think Donald Trump is the consequence, the culmination of 79 years of basically not paying attention to what we should have paid attention." – Robert Reich [08:17]

He traces the roots of contemporary political tensions back to shifts that began in the late 1970s and early 1980s, particularly during Ronald Reagan's presidency, marking a departure from the progressive advancements of previous decades.

Timestamp: [09:04] Reich elaborates on the historical trajectory leading to the current state of affairs:

"We were making progress on women's rights, on the rights of black people, on making the country more inclusive until Reagan. And then we had this gigantic turnabout." – Robert Reich [09:04]

He suggests that the subsequent years have seen a regression in these areas, setting the stage for the rise of figures like Donald Trump.

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Personal Anecdotes and Reflections

Timestamp: [09:42] Colbert shifts to a more personal aspect of Reich's life, referencing his internship with Bobby Kennedy:

"You started interning for Bobby Kennedy, right?" – Stephen Colbert [09:42]

Timestamp: [10:38] Reich shares a humorous anecdote from his time interning, reflecting on the lighter moments amidst his early political experiences:

"There you go. It's recently come to my attention that you have been designated as outstanding bull in New York State. I've also learned of your exceptionally large nose." – Robert Reich [10:39]

This story adds a personal touch to Reich's narrative, illustrating the formative experiences that shaped his career and perspectives.

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Conclusion

The episode culminates with Reich promoting his memoir, Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America, offering listeners a deep dive into his life and the socio-political changes that have defined modern America. Colbert and Reich's conversation seamlessly blends personal history with critical analysis of economic and political trends, providing listeners with both insightful commentary and engaging storytelling.

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Key Takeaways

• Economic Inequality: Reich emphasizes the growing disparity in wealth distribution and the critical need for reforms that benefit the majority rather than perpetuating the status quo.

• Democratic Integrity: The undermining of governmental institutions and data credibility poses significant threats to democratic principles and informed policymaking.

• Historical Context: Understanding the shifts that began in the late 20th century is essential to comprehending the current political landscape and the rise of populist figures.

• Personal Journey: Reich's memoir offers a blend of personal anecdotes and professional insights, highlighting the interplay between individual experiences and broader socio-political movements.

This episode serves as a compelling exploration of America's economic and political challenges, guided by the expertise and personal reflections of Robert Reich.

Transcript

[Stephen Colbert]

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[Announcer]

Today it's the Late Show Poncho with Stephen Colbert.

[Stephen Colbert]

Hey everybody. Welcome back. Ladies and gentlemens, my friends, my next guest tonight has served in three presidential administrations, written 19 books and spent 40 years as a professor of public policy. Please welcome the former Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich. Nice to see you again.

[Robert Reich]

It's nice to see you.

[Stephen Colbert]

You know, I enjoy last time we spoke was 15 years ago.

[Robert Reich]

Yes. You haven't changed.

[Stephen Colbert]

Neither of you on the Colbert Report. And then of course I couldn't really agree with what you were saying or really even understand what you were saying. But one of the things that you said in that interview has stuck with me ever since we were talking about economic inequality in the United States and what the fruit of that and you said at the time, here's the choice we have. Either we have reform and in this country we have always chosen when we understand the nature of a problem, we always choose reform, reform that enlarges the circle of prosperity for most people or we have a backlash, an angrier politics that picks on immigrants or foreign trade or blames the poor or even the rich. I was really hoping the first half of that statement would be true. I kept on waiting for, I think you said at the time, like justice to be opened a little bit just so those at the top could preserve their position, because this second half leads ultimately towards some form of revolution. Would you please eraculate as to where we go from here, because I think we know which one of these twos it turned out to be.

[Robert Reich]

Well, I think we have no choice, Stephen, except to hope and work for democracy and to make the rule of law again the rule of our country.

[Stephen Colbert]

How do you. How do you. I'm just curious. I agree. I agree with you. That was what a lot of the last campaign was, was fought over, didn't move the majority of Americans. I'm just curious, how do you actually make that a reality, do you think? Because it's an excellent goal. But how do you make that immediate in people's lives? So they make that a motivating factor.

[Robert Reich]

You get big money out of politics.

[Stephen Colbert]

On Friday, Trump fired a senior official from the Bureau of Labor Statistics because he didn't like the data that said the last three months of job growth were the worst since the pandemic. You were former labor secretary. You know that bureau. Well, what is the upshot of firing somebody like that?

[Robert Reich]

Well, that means that there will be no credibility left when the government reports its jobs numbers, because people will say if they're good job numbers, if it looks like jobs were increased, people will say, well, wait a minute. That's because Trump put the. Put the pressure on the Bureau of.

[Stephen Colbert]

Labor Statistics, put his own person in there just to cook the books.

[Robert Reich]

So there's, I think, the credibility of. It's not just the Bureau of Labor Statistics anymore, Stephen. It's the entire. All of the data coming out of the government is now questionable because. Because you've got a president who does not want facts, he doesn't want data. And this is. I mean, this is extraordinarily dangerous. This is the authoritarian playbook. And we have got to. One of the things we've got to do in this country. What makes me optimistic is not only young people. I am optimistic because young people are committed to changing this, but I'm also optimistic because people now can see actually how important it is not only to have a democracy, but to have honesty, honesty and integrity. And it's. I mean, I really believe that just like the turn of the last century, we had the first gilded age. We are now in the second Gilded Age, that first one, what happened after the first Gilded Age? We had something that historians call the Progressive Era. We're now going to have a new Progressive Era coming after this second Gilded Age. I'm sure of it.

[Stephen Colbert]

You're sure of it? I can see you're sure of it.

[Robert Reich]

Well, I can see the future.

[Stephen Colbert]

You just said you did eradiculate a little over six months into Trump's administration. Job growth as, as the statistics would say, is slowing. Inflation is up. There's an onslaught of tariffs which haven't even all kicked in yet. How do you think Trump's presidency will impact economic growth and inequity in, in the, in, in the long and near term? So.

[Robert Reich]

Well, in the, in the near term, we are going to have wider and wider inequality. It's not just, it's not just the tariffs. It's also, you know, you take a, you take a trillion dollars out of Medicaid, which is the program primarily for the working class and the poor, and you give a big tax cut that provides a trillion dollar tax cut, mostly for the rich. How do you justify this? How in the world do you justify this? I think people are going to see the light. They're going to say, this is not fair. This is just simply not fair.

[Stephen Colbert]

By the way, there may have been a justification for these tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and adding $4 trillion to the debt. I didn't ever really hear one. I didn'. Sort of the perfunctory like, oh, well, you know, the Laffer curve. And the more you cut, the more the revenue goes up. Did you hear any justifications?

[Robert Reich]

I listened carefully.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yes.

[Robert Reich]

I heard none.

[Stephen Colbert]

We want to do it is all I heard.

[Robert Reich]

We want to do it. We want to. It's important. You know, we've had trickle down economics since Ronald Reagan. Mm. And nothing has ever trickled down.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, something has trickled down.

[Robert Reich]

That's true.

[Stephen Colbert]

We have to take a quick break. Right back with more. We're back with former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich. You have a new book, it's a memoir called, coming up short, A Memoir of My America. Nice title, by the way.

[Robert Reich]

Thank you.

[Stephen Colbert]

Why my America? Is your America different than our America?

[Robert Reich]

Well, my America starts in 1946. That's after the Second World War, when I was born.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yes. You're the original baby boom.

[Robert Reich]

I was the baby boom, yes. It was not just me, but Donald Trump and Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and who else? Dolly Parton.

[Stephen Colbert]

It was all worth it then.

[Robert Reich]

I mean, anybody who's Anybody was born in 1946. And so that's my America. And what I try to do in this book is talk about how we got to Donald Trump. In other words, I think Donald Trump is the consequence, the culmination of 79 years of basically not paying attention to. To what we should have paid attention.

[Stephen Colbert]

Really. Right after the war, you think right after we, the.

[Robert Reich]

The.

[Stephen Colbert]

The boys came back, we stopped paying attention to sort of the advances of the New Deal.

[Robert Reich]

No, let. Let me be more specific. Well, you have to read the book. I'm not going to tell you the. No, well, okay, let me be a little bit specific. And that is that it was in the late 70s, early 80s. It was Ronald Reagan, where we had this kind of u turn. We were making progress on women's rights, on the rights of black people, on making the country more inclusive until Reagan. And then we had this gigantic turnabout. And I think that for the next years, we have just gone backwards.

[Stephen Colbert]

Now, you started interning for Bobby Kennedy, right?

[Robert Reich]

I do. Well, the original Bobby Kennedy, right?

[Stephen Colbert]

Right. Yes, yes. Not Bobby Jr. Original Bobby Jr. I understand you had some. Had fun with that because you had his United States Senate stationary. And how did you get that, is what I want to know.

[Robert Reich]

Well, I was in charge. Now. I was very excited to be his intern.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah.

[Robert Reich]

But it was not a very exciting job itself because I was in charge of the signature machine, like the auto pen. The auto pen, yeah. In those days, there was really a machine. It wasn't just an auto pen, but so I used to make type up in the night letters to my friends and like the one here.

[Stephen Colbert]

So do you want to read this one? This is to your friend.

[Robert Reich]

Dear Mr. Dworkin.

[Stephen Colbert]

Scott Dworkin.

[Robert Reich]

There you go. It's recently come to my attention that you have been designated as outstanding bull in New York State. I've also learned of your exceptionally large nose. And then, best wishes, Robert F. Kennedy.

[Stephen Colbert]

You could get arrested for that.

[Robert Reich]

Those were the days.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, the book is coming up short, A Memoir of My America. The man is Robert Reich. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for listening to the Late Show Pod show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to see more of me, come to The Late Show YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives.

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[Stephen Colbert]

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[Robert Reich]

Get a free chili dog.

[Stephen Colbert]

Chili dog not included. The Naked Gun now playing great of DG13.