Robert Reich on how the Democrats lost the working class

In this powerful episode of Late Night Live, Robert Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor and acclaimed political economist, reflects on the erosion of the American working class and the systemic forces that have enabled extreme inequality. Drawing from his memoir 'Coming Up Short,' Reich traces the decline of the American dream to a decades-long ratchet effect in which the wealthy used their money to rig politics, weaken labor unions, and dismantle social protections. He argues that both major political parties—especially the Democrats—succumbed to big money, abandoning their working-class base in a Faustian bargain that ultimately empowered demagogues like Donald Trump. Reich emphasizes that the destruction of union power, starting with Reagan’s firing of air traffic controllers, removed a critical countervailing force, leaving workers vulnerable. Despite the bleak picture, Reich remains an unwavering optimist, pointing to recent special election victories of anti-establishment Democrats as signs of hope. He calls for a new kind of leader—one who speaks truth to power, champions anti-monopoly reform, and authentically represents the working class, echoing the progressive spirit of Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson.