I was more than a little shocked to be invited for an interview with Newt Gingrich, the arch conservative, former Speaker of the House (1995-1999), on his podcast, “Newt’s World.” I’m taking on Wall Street and calling for fundamental changes to how capitalism operates in my book Wall Street’s War on Workers. Surely, he’s going to attack me, but just as surely, I want to get my book and its arguments in front of as many people as I can. So, with some trepidation, I said yes.
To prepare for battle, I nailed down my facts, refined my major talking points, and planned and practiced how to avoid sounding defensive when the criticisms started to fly. For me, it’s really hard to stay cool when under attack.
And then we got together, had our talk, and it was entirely different. Gingrich did not attack. He had read my book and recommended it to his listeners. His questions made it easy for me to make the case for why mass layoffs must be addressed. And I’m told by my sharpest critic (my significant other) that it was the best interview I have given. Go figure.
But apart from book publicity, why go on such a conservative podcast? Because our job at the Labor Institute is to reach those who don’t already agree with progressive positions. We’ve been providing education to the labor movement for the past 48 years, and that requires that we learn how to speak to all kinds of working people who hold a wide variety of political views. And yes, we even try to reach Trump voters.
Are we successful? We are told that our political economy programs on runaway inequality create the space and provide the data for productive dialogue. I’m not sure we change anyone’s vote, but productive dialogue is sure a lot better than divisive food fights. So, we’ll keep at it.
Here’s the Les and Newt show:
https://www.gingrich360.com/2024/04/28/newts-world-episode-690-wall-streets-war-on-workers/
Wonderful interview especially as it was on a conservative show. I hope Democrats take this data to heart, accept responsibility for their errors, learn from them, and implement everyone one of your suggestions, Realizing the devastating trauma of mass layoffs is paramount if we want to have a functioning democracy. Thank you for this much needed and insightful addition to the necessary meaningful dialogue needed at this very dangerous moment in American history, Democracy is at stake.
I had to read the title several times to convince myself it was real. We're a month past April Fool's Day and while I can't totally rule out some cross-over into a parallel universe, that explanation is not likely to pass the Occam's Razor test. Nor it seems were you invited on just to be ambushed.
This was a chance to reach a different audience. Having spent 28 years as a blue collar worker, I know that working people don't all think the same way. Traditionalism, which has conservative features, includes people who follow historical religious faiths and also indigenous cultures. And conservatism can mean respect for nature, for sound farming practices, and for the American Dream--a middle class life as possible. As well as respect for the dignity of work and labor as driving the economy. As an old-fashioned labor leftist, I'm happy to hear we can talk about needs we have in common.
Although I'm still puzzled why a right wing Republican. Can't dismiss good will and caring about more than one's own group of course. But I'm wondering if the Rs don't see an opportunity here. The Ds abandoned labor decades ago, and very few of them have listened to us since. I sure hope this helps to get the Ds to pay attention.
May Day is for labor; started in the U.S. Solidarity, everyone!