Alternative Visions

Alternative Visions - The Ukraine Crisis: Political & Economic Dimensions Update - 03/15/14

“Dr. Jack Rasmus and guest, Steve Lendman, revisit the latest in the Ukrainian crisis, discussing its political and economic dimensions. In the first half hour, Dr. Rasmus raises ’10 Unanswered Questions’ about the political coup of February 22: Who were the snipers, why is no investigation underway, what is the composition of the neo-fascist parties on the street (Svoboda, Right Sector, UPA, etc.), what official positions have they assumed in the new interim Ukrainian government, why did US undersecretary of State, Virginia Nuland, admit to $5 billion spent by the US on Ukrainian politics, what are Nuland’s ‘Neocon’ credentials, and is there a ‘deep government’ in the US driving US foreign policy? Dr. Rasmus also raises the question of what are the ‘crony capitalist’ connections in the Ukraine with US business sectors? Rasmus identifies the key neo-fascist and crony capitalists and their current roles.  Steve Lendman then gives his view of the Crimea referendum and perspective on the Ukrainian crisis, which he calls the worst and most dangerous since the 1962 Berlin crisis. In the second half of the show, Dr. Rasmus discusses economic issues, focusing on “who benefits” and “who pays” from the current economic crisis, including western Europe, the USA, Russia and the Ukraine itself. (Listeners more interested in the latter topic should go directly to the ‘station break’ at the 30 minute point of the show, and listen to the second half of the h our that discusses economic crises in the Ukraine and other regions affected by it. Rasmus warns the Ukrainian crisis may be the critical development that sends the European economy into its third ‘dip’ recession in 2014-15.

Alternative Visions - China’s Slowing Economy and Rising Financial Instability - 3/1/14

“Dr. Rasmus takes a deep look into China’s economy, asking if it is heading for a ‘hard landing’? Will its growing financial bubbles soon burst? Rasmus discusses reasons why China’s economy is slowing, and its potential impacts on emerging markets, Europe, and the rest of the global economy. China’s growing financial instability is also explored, including the role of global shadow banks and the 200,000 richest ‘Ultra High Net Worth Individuals’ (aka biggest global finance capitalists and their primary financial institutions) stoking the financial bubbles and instability in China.  How are they together driving China’s currency and real estate bubbles? What’s China trying to do to slow speculation in its currency, local housing, and local investment markets?  Why is China total debt is now well above crisis levels? Are they driving China toward a ‘Lehman Moment’ financial crisis? Rasmus concludes with discussion of China’s recent shift to lower the value of its Yuan to ‘reign in’ the shadow banks and global speculators, and what that could mean if it loses control not only for China’s economic hard landing but for the world economy as well”.

Alternative Visions - The TPP Trade Deal, Japan’s Faltering Recovery, and the Ukraine - 02/26/14

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.

Alternative Visions - An Emerging Global Economic ‘Perfect Storm’? - 02/19/14

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).

Alternative Visions - US Grass Roots Protests Rising? - 02/12/14

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.

Alternative Visions - Ellen Brown Candidacy for California State Treasurer - 02/05/14

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.

Alternative Visions - Are Unions At a Strategic Impasse?—Interview with Gregg Shotwell, UAW - 01/29/14

Continuing a theme of recent Alternative Visions shows, Jack Rasmus interviews long-time United Autoworkers rank and file member and activist, Gregg Shotwell. Focusing discussion on what’s wrong with Union organizing and bargaining strategies in particular, Gregg shares his experiences of decades in the UAW which witnessed that once powerful union’s shift from an emphasis and reliance on union members themselves more to a model of union as Human Resources Partner to management. Gregg explains how the UAW leadership has shifted to ‘organizing the employer’ and emphasizing ‘neutrality agreements’ with management in its organizing strategy; and in bargaining strategy, to accepting the company’s bargaining agenda and discouraging members’ self-reliance on the job to resolve problems. Gregg explains how workers need to ‘occupy the workplace’ and focus on ‘inside strikes’ more, as well as understand that voting for a leadership change by itself often changes nothing in the end. Jack suggests new strategies—and new tactics—are also needed in union-community alliances initiatives.

Alternative Visions - Save Our Unions’ Book Interview with Author, Steve Early - 01/22/14

Jack interviews author, Steve Early, on the release last week of Steve’s new book, ‘Save Our Unions’.  An important book providing numerous cases and examples of specific union worker efforts over the past four decades to defend their unions and interests.  Jack discusses with Steve, in the attempt to glean from the book’s many case examples what lessons it suggests for union labor’s current strategic impasse in bargaining, organizing, and political strategy—a continuing theme of recent Alternative Vision shows and interviews.  Jack and Steve discuss the strategic implications of the past four decades of partial victories, and numerous defeats, suffered by union labor in America, and what ‘needs to be done’ going forward if unions are to rise again to play the economic and social role in the future they once did in the past. Jack argues more ‘thinking out of the box’ by unionists is needed in order to resurrect union labor, including revising internal union structure and organizational practices—locally, nationally, and globally.

Alternative Visions - Jobs, Budgets and Bernanke’s Bank - 01/15/14

Dr. Jack Rasmus discusses in detail last Friday’s employment report by the government, this week’s agreement by Congress on a budget until October 2014, and the performance of Bernanke’s Federal Reserve as he retires on January 31.  Jack describes the December jobs report as a disaster, not just in terms of a dramatic drop in job creation but in the even greater exodus of workers from the labor force.  Jack refers to his prediction of last November that December jobs creation would falter (see his ‘False Positives’ blog articles). Congress’s just approved passage of another $1.1 trillion budget bill is then analyzed. The show concludes with a brief assessment of the performance of Bernanke as Federal Reserve chair the past 7 years, showing how ‘shadow banks’ and ‘very high net worth’ investors have been the major beneficiaries, with financial asset increases in excess of ten trillion dollars since the financial crash.

Alternative Visions - Boeing Workers Tell Their Story of Force Concessions - 01/08/14

Jack Rasmus interviews Boeing workers who over the weekend were forced into massive concessions by a combined offensive by the Boeing Corp., in alliance with politicians, their International Union office, and suspiciously organized community groups paid by sources yet unknown.  Listen to the story of how, after rejecting company proposals 2 to 1 to end their pensions, dismantle their health care, reduce wages to minimum levels in an 11 year contract extension, they were forced by a vote over the holidays to accept the agreement when 8000 of their members were on holiday and couldn’t vote. The concession agreement at Boeing is historic and a likely template of things yet to come. No longer are concessions forced by companies in financial trouble. Boeing reported profits of $4.7 billion after the settlement, and after having paid its stockholders $10 billion in buybacks and $2 billion in dividends just last month.  The Boeing debacle represents a case example of union labor at a strategic impasse, in its bargaining strategy, political strategy, and community alliances strategy.The Boeing worker guests on today’s show were:

 Shannon Ryker

Shannon Ryker began working at Boeing at 17, and has been an employed 8 years at the company as a final assembly installer on the 767 aircraft and a structures mechanic on the 777 aircraft. She recently started a union support Facebook page called Rosiesmachinists751, which in the last eight months has grown from 8 members to almost 1600.

Jim Levitt

Jim is a 35 year veteran at Boeing, working as a machinist and a tool & die maker. He was at the same time a member of Impact Visuals, a cooperatively owned photo agency specializing in labor and social change from 1985-2001. His photographs have appeared in AFL-CIO, IAM, Teamsters, and other union publications, along with BusinessWeek, Time, the NY Times, Labor Notes, and many other outlets. Before working at Boeing Jim was a graduate student in history.

Hazel Powers

Hazel is a Tooling Inspector at Boeing, a 55 year old single parent, and has worked at Boeing since 1979.  She is an IAM District Council Alternate delegate and has held past IAM Local Lodge positions as well. Hazel voted to reject the Boeing contract due to concessions with pension and other benefit cuts, and concern the new contract language is not specific enough

about keeping new aircraft 777X work in Puget Sound. “