The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich The Dictator’s Demise | The Coffee Klatch for September 27, 2025
Sep 27, 2025
Vish Shankar, an Inequality Media correspondent from Wisconsin, joins the discussion on a politically charged week. They delve into James Comey's indictment and its implications for DOJ integrity. The panel dissects strategies for Democrats to counteract increasing authoritarian behaviors, including media control and recent tariffs affecting the economy. Vish emphasizes protecting health care subsidies while discussing looming government shutdowns and targeting civil servants. They reflect on public awareness of these dictatorial tendencies and what economic populism could look like for Democrats.
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Politicizing The Justice Department
- The Trump administration is openly using the Justice Department to target political enemies, bypassing norms of prosecutorial independence.
- Robert Reich calls the Comey indictment a naked power play that echoes Nixon-era abuses but far more undisguised.
Use Senate Hearings To Force Scrutiny
- Senate Democrats should convene high-profile hearings to expose politicization of the Justice Department and attract national attention.
- Reich argues that large, coordinated Senate actions would force media focus and public scrutiny of abuses.
Shutdowns Are Both Pain And Leverage
- A federal shutdown inflicts economic pain on government workers and the public while creating political blame contests.
- Vish and Reich say Democrats can use leverage to demand ACA subsidy extensions and block harmful Medicaid cuts, shifting blame to Republicans if they stand firm.