Alternative Visions

Alternative Visions - Will the AFL-CIO Restructure To Include Community Organizations? - 08/07/13

At the end of July, the president of the AFL-CIO, America’s largest union federation, Richard Trumka, announced that at its coming September convention the AFL-CIO Union Federation would decide on bringing community organizations into the Federation and allowing the organizations to become formal members of the federation, ‘with decision making power’ (quoted from Wall St. Journal, July 27-28, 2013)). Groups like the NAACP, La Raza, Sierra Club and others are reportedly now in negotiations with the AFL-CIO, a change of potentially significant impact (or maybe not!). Is something big about to happen in Union labor at the top? Or is it just a cover for closer cooperation to help Democrats get elected in 2014?  In today’s show, Dr. Rasmus interviews three long time union activists—in California, North Carolina, and Philadelphia—on the potential significance of the AFL-CIO’s coming convention and closer organizational ties with national community organizations.  Jack’s guests—Steve Early, Zachary Robinson, and Jim Moran—also report at length on what’s happening locally in their back yards in terms of growing labor-community actions on a number of fronts.”

Steve Early is a long time union activist, former representative for the CWA in New England area, a lawyer, journalist with publications in the Boston Globe, New York Times, Washington Post, and numerous other periodicals, and book author. His recent books include “Embedded with Organized Labor”, “The Civil Wars of US Labor”, and most recent, “Save Our Unions”, published by Monthly Review Press. He is also a member of the Green Shadow Cabinet. Steve resides in Richmond, California, a hotbed of recent local community action.

Zachary Robinson is an officer in the AAUP in Greenville, North Carolina. A member of Pitt County Coalition Against Racism, and of the local Executive Board of the NAACP Pitt County chapter. Zach has been active in the noteworthy “Moral Mondays” grass roots movement and protests in North Carolina, opposing the draconian measures being introduced by its newly elected Republican Teaparty governor and Legislature.

Jim Moran is a long time union member of the Newspaper Guild, officer and activist in the Philadephia area. Jim has led the fight for job safety and health in the area for decades, and is a member of the board of the Pennsylvania Labor History Society. Jim is also a member of the Green Shadow Cabinet responsible for labor issues.

Alternative Visions - The Upcoming ‘Democracy Conference' - 07/31/13

Jack welcomes guests Cheri Honkala and David Cobb to discuss the coming August 8 Democracy Conference in Wisconsin. Will it be a step toward ‘convergence’, with progressive groups not only joining forces in day to day actions and protests but in the forging of a united program and initial organization?  Jack and guests talk about the need for a broader unification of those increasingly oppressed beyond just occasional protest actions and the need for a national convention of grass roots organizations to begin programmatic and organizational ‘convergence’ in the face of growing attacks on democracy and civil liberties in the US as well as continuing economic deprivation for the vast majority amidst the privileged minority’s continued growing income and wealth inequality.  How can progressives get beyond the swamp of single issue politics and break out into independent political action.

David Cobb is an attorney from Texas and an active leader in the ‘National Leadership Team to Move to Amend’ Citizens United, and defend against the growing attacks on democratic, voting, and other rights in America today. He is the chair of the ‘Commission on Corporations & Democracy’ in the Green Shadow Cabinet. Cheri Honkala is a long time advocate for human and welfare rights, co-founder of the ‘Poor Peoples’ Economic Human Rights Campaign, and a Vice presidential candidate for the Green Party, as well as a member of the Green Shadow Cabinet.

(Note: Tune in next week, Wednesday, August 7, to the Alternative Visions Show, when Dr. Rasmus’ guests will be AFLCIO union activists who will discuss the upcoming AFLCIO convention in September and the union federation’s proposals for having community groups formally join the union federation. Will this prove a major political shift in US grass roots politics, or just another weak form for getting out the vote in 2014 for the Democratic Party?)

Alternative Visions - Obama’s ‘Talk the Talk’ Speaking Tour - 07/24/13

Dr. Jack Rasmus discusses the political significance of Obama’s latest speaking tour beginning today—i.e. as the opening maneuver to the coming September-October fight with House Republicans over more spending cuts, Obama’s 2014 budget, and yet another debt ceiling fight.  Jack explains how the coming cuts, budget fight, massive corporate tax cut legislation working through Congress, the Federal Reserve’s September 18 meeting, and the slowing China-Europe economies may together create a ‘perfect storm’ this fall that provokes a further retreat of the already faltering US economy

Alternative Visions - China and the USA: Updates to Economic Predictions - 07/17/13

Dr. Jack Rasmus reviews the key trends in the US and China economies over the past 60-90 days, noting how both economies are slowing significantly.  Jack discusses how these trends were predicted in his May 2013 written article, ‘Predicting the US and Global Economies, 2013-2014’. The recent shift and reversal in US Federal Reserve policy in the past month (future direction of QE and interest rates) is discussed in particular detail, as well as Jack’s key point that banks and financial speculators are now increasingly ‘addicted’ to free money (QE and near zero rates) from the Federal Reserve and central banks worldwide and threaten global asset price collapse at the prospect of the free money spigot being turned off.” (see Jack’s ‘Predictions’ article on the PRN website, as well as his shorter item ‘Song of the Central Bankers’.

Alternative Visions - 07/10/13

Alternative Visions - The Egyptian Revolution’s Pending New Stage - 07/03/13

Jack’s return guest is Carl Finamore, eyewitness journalist to the Egyptian revolution in 2011 and 2012.  Carl explains his analysis of the recent week’s events in Egypt and the likely new clash and upheaval within days occurring there.  Will the religious fundamentalists, led by increasingly authoritarian president, Morsi, weather the growing storm? Will the army, now threatening to intervene do so? Will workers and secularists demanding improvements in the standard of living and political rights, now under attack by Morsi, force to the revolution to a higher stage? Listen to Carl Finamore’s explanation and likely predictions.

Alternative Visions - 06/26/13

Alternative Visions - 06/19/13

Are Producer Cooperatives (Worker Run Enterprises) A Political Strategy? Jack Rasmus interviews guest, Greg Godels, on the increasingly popular advocacy of producers coops, aka worker run companies, by left writers and intellectuals.  What are the positives of the proposals for worker coops?  The limits of the same in a market based, capitalist economy?  While the idea encourages workers to take control of their own working lives and challenges the idea that capitalist managers are needed to produce goods and services, does it also represent another limited example of single issue politics and solutions to the current economic crisis?  Greg Godels presents his views on this topic, and he and Jack discuss the subject as strategy vs. tactic.

Alternative Visions - Predicting the Global Economy - 06/12/13

Alternative Visions - 06/05/13