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Robert Bernard ReichAmerican political economist, professor, writer and political commentator.
Date of Birth: 24.06.1946
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Robert Bernard Reich
Robert Bernard Reich is an American political economist, professor, writer, and political commentator. He has collaborated with three presidential administrations - those of Gerald Rudolph Ford, James Earl Carter Jr., and William Clinton.
Early Life and Education
Reich was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and completed his schooling in Cross River, New York. He received his higher education at Dartmouth College, graduating with honors in 1968 and earning a scholarship to study philosophy, politics, and economics at Oxford. Later, Reich obtained a law degree from Yale Law School.
Career
From 1973 to 1974, Reich worked as a clerk for Frank M. Coffin, the presiding judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. In 1974, he became an assistant to Deputy Attorney General Robert Bork, and two years later, President Carter entrusted him with the planning department of the Federal Trade Commission.
From 1980 to 1992, Reich taught at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, where he authored a series of well-known books and articles on various subjects, including the causes of the recent economic crisis. In 1992, Bill Clinton incorporated some of Reich's ideas into his campaign platform "Putting People First." After winning the presidency, Clinton appointed Reich to lead the economic arm of his government. Reich accepted the offer and later transitioned to the position of Secretary of Labor.
During his time in the government, Reich successfully raised the minimum wage, advocated for family and medical leave laws, and launched several training programs. Unlike many of his colleagues in the administration, Reich tirelessly lobbied for increased funding for social needs. He also regularly provided valuable advice to the American public on navigating the new economic landscape.
In 1996, between Clinton's re-election and second inauguration, Reich decided to leave the government to devote more time to his family, particularly his teenage sons. He subsequently became a professor at Brandeis University and the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. In 2003, Reich was named Professor of the Year by Brandeis undergraduate students.
In 2002, Reich ran as a Democratic candidate in the Massachusetts gubernatorial election. Despite limited campaign funding, Reich garnered 25% of the votes in the preliminary party primaries. In addition to his teaching, Reich continues to contribute to public discourse through his radio program "Marketplace" and his column in the magazine "American Prospect".
During the 2008 party primaries, Reich published an article in which he criticized both Clintons and their attacks on Barack Obama. He continues to write new books, with his latest work, "Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future," being published in September 2010.
