"Absolutely. It’s been so shocking to see the demonization of public servants. It’s really part of this 40-year attack on the public. And I think the fact that we’re seeing right now that teachers, public janitors, school workers, bus drivers, cops, firefighters are the new welfare queens in our public life.

I mean, really they are. I mean, if you think about the stereotype that’s being trafficked right now. They’re talking about these lazy, you know, bloated pensions that are just, you know, cheating the system. I mean, that’s the welfare queens of the 1980s. And what has been– what’s the same between the welfare queen and this image of the postal worker who doesn’t really deserve the benefits they’re getting? These old shop worn stereotypes of race and gender."

"It all began on this day, 30yrs ago. [Reagan fired every member of air traffic controllers union] One of darkest days in US history. And we let it happen to us. Yes, they had money, media & cops. But we had 200 million of us. Ever wonder what it would look like if 200 million got truly upset & wanted their country, life, job, weekend, time w/ kids back?

Have we all just given up? What are we waiting for? Forget the 20% who support Tea Party—we are the other 80%! This decline will only end when we demand it. & not through online petition or tweet. We are going to have to turn TV, computer & video games off & get out in streets (like in Wisconsin). Some of you need to run for local office next year. We need to demand that the Democrats either get a spine & stop taking corporate money—or step aside.

When is enough, enough?…middle class dream will not just magically reappear. Wall Street's plan is clear: America is to be a nation of Haves & Have Nothings. Is that OK for you?"

"when Reagan was running for president...average joe had [no] idea what was about to come...unleashing of monstrous culture of debt...for 25 years...next 25 years will...[not be] repeat of past 25...At no other time in our history could somebody achieve “prosperity” w/out education, hard work, creativity, honesty & integrity...look to days of my youth...70s...By today’s standards...we would [not] be...middle-class...not enough stuff...my experience...similar to vast majority of Americans at time...was sustainable...so different from...today...before massive swamps of credit allowed people to act like millionaires...everything [is] a status symbol...preceded instant gratification of Reagan years...easy debt made everything...attainable...spending next generation’s lifestyle to avoid last generation’s lifestyle...waste of resources...lifestyle I knew as kid will [not] be reserved for families w/ 7 kids...addiction to fake wealth will not be voluntarily kicked..."

"This news clip from 1970 focuses on the start of desegregation-via-busing in the Pasadena school district and the signing of an anti-busing bill by California Gov. Ronald Reagan. A much larger controversy later surrounded busing in the Los Angeles Unified School District, since that district covered many more students. Busing in L.A. and elsewhere in California was largely halted by litigation and the passage of a ballot initiative in the early 1980s."

"Ronald Reagan was lashed by liberals for running a “Morning in America” campaign, but he knew this country, at heart, was always tomorrow-looking — and he fared very well in educated cities as well as small towns. “Whatever else history may say about me when I’m gone,” said Reagan, “I hope it will record that I appealed to your best hopes, not your worst fears.” Barack Obama, who brings that music to the stage, leads by 30 points on the “hope and optimism” question in polls.

"we need to bring about is the end of the era of unresponsive and inefficient government and short-term thinking in government, so that the government is laying the groundwork, the framework, the foundation for the market to operate effectively and for every single individual to be able to be connected with that market and to succeed in that market. And it’s now a global marketplace...Two [more] things...country’s health can’t be measured simply by its economic output. That output...“counts special locks for our doors and the jails for those who break them” but not “the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play [AND] sustainability...current concerns about state of the planet...required something of a paradigm shift for economics."