Episodes
Wednesday Feb 26, 2014
Wednesday Feb 26, 2014
Dr. Jack Rasmus discusses the current state of the Transpacific Partnership free trade deal and why negotiations between the 12 countries are temporarily ‘on hold’ until after the US midterm elections this November. Last week’s show theme of the ‘Emerging Global Economic Perfect Storm’ is followed up with a brief view of what’s happening to Japan’s now faltering economic recovery, called ‘Abenomics’ after Japan’s present prime minister, Abe, and why even more money injection (QE) by Japan’s central bank is coming as Japan’s economy continues to slow. (see Dr. Rasmus’s just published article, ‘The Emerging Global Perfect Storm’, on the PRN website on why the global economy is entering a ‘3rd phase’ of crisis). Dr. Rasmus concludes the show with some initial commentary on the recent Ukrainian ‘revolution/coup d’etat’. The fundamental dynamic in the Ukraine is about ‘crony capitalists’ on both sides behind the scenes fighting for control as the Ukrainian economy sinks, while emerging fascist parties in control of the streets rise to contend for power in the Ukraine. The US-EU move behind the scenes to establish ‘its capitalists’ in parliament, and drive out the former Soviet ex-bureaucrats turned ‘crony capitalists’, is what the revolution is about, Rasmus notes. The US-EU would like to stabilize the situation in the next parliament elections this spring, but it remains to be seen whether the proto-fascists in the streets can be excluded. If the latter gain a foothold, expect parts of the Ukraine to secede, beginning with the Crimea. Meanwhile the Ukrainian economy, already among the worst in the world, will decline further, and EU and US promises of $tens of billions in bailout will not be delivered, Rasmus predicts.
Wednesday Feb 19, 2014
Alternative Visions - An Emerging Global Economic ‘Perfect Storm’? - 02/19/14
Wednesday Feb 19, 2014
Wednesday Feb 19, 2014
Dr. Jack Rasmus explains why the global economic crisis that emerged in 2007-08 may now be entering a ‘3rd Phase’. Dr. Rasmus discusses what’s happening now with the economies in China, Japan, Emerging Markets (India, Indonesia, Brazil, Turkey, So. Africa and others), and Europe. Why is China on a long term growth slowdown path? Why is Japan’s USA-like central bank QE money injection policy failing to stimulate Japan’s real economy and leading to Japan’s ‘fourth dip’ recession since 2008? Why is Europe drifting toward deflation and its recovery stagnating, with France now the ‘bad boy’ economy of Europe? Why are the emerging market economies locked into a growing crisis, with massive capital flight flowing back to the west, falling currency values, and inevitable slowing economies? What are the possible ‘contagion effects’ between the three ‘stormfronts’—China, Emerging Markets, Eurozone—and how are ‘mutually amplifying’ feedbacks about to exacerbate problems in each—creating a three front global economic ‘perfect storm’? Finally, what might this ‘Emerging Economic Perfect Storm’ mean for the USA economy, once again slowing in 2014 after its latest ‘false start’ last summer? (For more on this topic, read Dr. Rasmus’s forthcoming March 2014 ‘Z’ magazine article, ‘The Emerging Perfect Storm’, his last October 2013 ‘Z’ article, ‘The Slowing Global Economy’, and shorter entries on his blog, jackrasmus.com, since January).
Wednesday Feb 12, 2014
Alternative Visions - US Grass Roots Protests Rising? - 02/12/14
Wednesday Feb 12, 2014
Wednesday Feb 12, 2014
Dr. Jack Rasmus welcomes guests, Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers, to discuss the rising crescendo of grass roots protests in the US and “what’s next”. Organizers of the popular website, ‘popularresistance.org’, that reports daily on grass roots movements in the USA, Zeese and Flowers give their impression of what appears to be growing resistance and protests along a number of fronts. Jack and guests discuss growing movements of opposition to TPP and free trade, what’s happening in North Carolina, restaurant workers’ strikes, New York city demonstrations, labor union reform slates and movements, XL pipelines and other environmental protests, and other regional protests. Discussion focuses on ‘what next’ and how to bring more coordination nationally between the various ‘single issue’ movements and the need for developing a common national strategy by all, while retaining local movements’ integrity. Jack argues for the need to consider a National Organizing Convention of the divers movements, out of which initial agreement on common elements of strategy might emerge, including an incipient national coordinating organization and the need for political action independent of the two political parties. Jack argues unification of movements and the organizational question are key tasks now on the agenda, if protests are to rise beyond localized and ‘single issue’ politics.
Wednesday Feb 05, 2014
Alternative Visions - Ellen Brown Candidacy for California State Treasurer - 02/05/14
Wednesday Feb 05, 2014
Wednesday Feb 05, 2014
Dr. Jack Rasmus welcomes back Ellen Brown to discuss her just announced candidacy for California State Treasurer. Ellen explains how, as Treasurer, she would create a California Public Bank, modeled on the North Dakota state public bank. The advantages of public banking are explained, and how it would operate in California to invest the State’s current $54 billion investment fund pool to benefit the people of California, instead of big global financial institutions. Ellen explains why low cost 1% or less loans to California citizens and businesses are possible, if a public bank existed, and why recent past proposals for a Public Bank in California got to governor Jerry Brown’s desk and were allowed to expire. Jack and Ellen also discuss the likelihood of future ‘bail ins’ in the next financial crisis, where depositors would have their savings confiscated in exchange for worthless bank stock to bail out the banks next time. Jack also gives his view of ‘Bitcoins’ as ‘digital tulips’ that will eventually collapse but are a threat nonetheless to credit card companies and government tax collectors.