Robert Reich's presidential candidate

I asked Reich what kind of presidential candidate he was looking for in 2016.

“In general terms we need candidates who clearly and truthfully assess what has happened to the middle class and the poor,” he said. “Unless more of the gains are shared, the economy will not work. It will become so top-heavy that it can’t sustain itself because there will not be enough purchasing power in the middle class and among the poor. We need candidates to be bold and specific as to what needs to be done.”

He is not overly optimistic this will happen, however. Both Democrats and Republicans, he says, go “hat in hand” to wealthy corporations and individuals to raise money either to launch attack ads or defend themselves against attack ads.

And, as the old adage goes, he who pays the piper calls the tune. It is hard to attack a system that favors the super-rich if the super-rich are funding your campaign.

-- Roger Simon, Politico