Robert Reich: Trump Is Not a Passing Fad [View all]

[eridani]

http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/277-75/33222-focus-robert-reich-trump-is-not-a-passing-fad

That, according to Reich, is the context that some political analysts are missing when it comes to Trump and Sanders and their sudden, surging popularity among the American people.

“The thing that is always difficult for political analysts and others to gauge is – when I come back to this term, ‘populist upsurge’ – the tipping point happens very quickly,” he said. “Most political analysts are always looking in the rear view mirror; they’re not actually looking at how the current political economy affects people’s opinions, their politics, their economic status and so forth.”

In his new book, “Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few,” Reich makes an impassioned argument that there has been a fundamental shift in American politics. In the book, he somewhat presciently predicted that the future of American politics will not be about Republican versus Democrat, but rather establishment versus anti-establishment.

Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump “are populist and they really do talk about overthrowing – not with these words – the establishment political order.”

Reich elicited laughter from the live audience when he wondered aloud about the possibility of the Presidential horse race coming down to Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, but he also pointed out that the deniers, so far, have been wrong about the staying power of these two candidates.

“Donald Trump – I think despite the fact the press keeps on saying he’s done, this is just a passing fad – he’s not a passing fad,” he said. “I’m beginning to hear columnists and pundits say maybe the Republicans need to accept the fact that he’s going to be their nominee.”