Robert Reich

“If we want corporations to act differently, we have to force them to do so through laws that are fully enforced and through penalties higher than the economic benefits of thwarting the laws.”

“Public institutions are supported by all taxpayers and are available to all.”

“The silent majority really is a liberal majority, even though the word liberal has taken a real beating over the last 20 years by radical conservatives.”

“Those at the top would do better with a smaller share of a booming economy that elicits a positive politics than they will do with an ever-larger share of an anemic economy that fuels the politics of anger.”

“On the Republican playing field, Republicans always win.”

“The liberal ideal is that everyone should have fair access and fair opportunity. This is not equality of result. It's equality of opportunity. There's a fundamental difference.”

“As long as the big banks are allowed to remain big, their political leverage over Washington will remain big. And as long as their political leverage remains big, the taxpayer and economic tab for the next mess they create will be big.”

“Some argue shareholder capitalism has proven more efficient. It has moved economic resources to where they're most productive, and thereby enabled the economy to grow faster.”

“The generosity of the super-rich is sometimes proffered as evidence they're contributing as much to the nation's well-being as they did decades ago when they paid a much larger share of their earnings in taxes.”

“Globalization and free trade do spur economic growth, and they lead to lower prices on many goods.”

“Walmart is so huge that a wage boost at Walmart would ripple through the entire economy, putting more money in the pockets of low-wage workers. This would help boost the entire economy - including Walmart's own sales.”

“I'm not one of those who thinks the only way to fix what's wrong with American education is to throw more money at it. We also need to do it much better.”

“The Tea Party is but one manifestation of a widening perception that the game is rigged in favor of the rich and powerful.”

“America's real business leaders understand unless or until the middle class regains its footing and its faith, capitalism remains vulnerable.”

“A society - any society - is defined as a set of mutual benefits and duties embodied most visibly in public institutions: public schools, public libraries, public transportation, public hospitals, public parks, public museums, public recreation, public universities, and so on.”

“Conservatives believe the economy functions better if the rich have more money and everyone else has less. But they're wrong. It's just the opposite.”

“You can't create a political movement out of pabulum.”

“Our moral authority is as important, if not more important, than our troop strength or our high-tech weapons. We are rapidly losing that moral authority, not only in the Arab world but all over the world.”

“We need a national infrastructure bank to rebuild our crumbling highways and water and sewer systems, thereby putting additional people back to work.”

“When times are tough, public employees should have to make the same sacrifices as everyone else.”