Do white people actually gain anything beneficial from racism? In her new book, "The Sum of Us," author Heather McGhee writes about how racism has detrimental costs for everyone and why coming together across lines of race can lead to real social and economic benefits.

"We're starting to awaken to the fact that we actually do need each other and that being divided across lines of race is only serving the wealthy and the powerful," she said on "Salon Talks."

McGhee is the former president of the think tank Demos and her book, "The Sum of Us," is currently a New York Times bestseller. Watch the episode above to hear why she thinks Republicans are trying to preserve white power and suppress the vote.