Robert Reich and Pramila Jayapal take on the '3 supremacies'

Former Clinton-era Secretary of Labor Robert Reich has a silver linings playbook of sorts.

He’s not a fan of President Trump, but he appreciates that Trump serves as a stark reminder of first principles: “Trump has got us talking about democracy versus tyranny.”

Reich is a teacher now at the University of California, Berkeley and a prolific author.

His latest work is “The Common Good,” an essay which considers our lost trust in social institutions and societal fairness. It’s a call to civic education and action to benefit everyone in our society, not just the overwhelmingly most fortunate 10 percent, who he explains reap 82 percent of the total wealth generated in an average year.

Robert Reich was joined by U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal from Washington’s 7th Congressional district on September 2 at Town Hall Seattle.

Their conversation covers “the three supremacies” (corporate, white and individual); anti-corruption efforts; gun, immigration and health care reform, and efforts to strengthen worker power.

KUOW’s Jennie Cecil Moore recorded the event.