Alternative Visions

Alternative Visions - 05/29/13

Dr. Jack Rasmus invites long time union representative and guest, Jerry Gordon, to report on the recent conference in New Jersey at which a ‘National Labor Fight Back Network’ was launched at the conference by more than 100 local union, community, and student leaders to take more aggressive action to stop cuts in social security, medicare, education, jobs, and other programs. Guest Jerry Gordon explains the new Labor Fightback Network has been formed with the goal of taking direct action—marches, protests, independent political organizing, etc.  Gordon describes the new organization’s program and mission statement, and potential future organizing activity. Not a political party or substitute for the trade union or community organizations, Gordon explains the Network seeks to play the role as an organizing tool for a new grass roots movement.  For more information and where to join and participate in the Network efforts, go to the website: laborfightback.org/conference for mission, program, and email information; or mail to: Labor Fightback, P. O. Box 187, Flanders, New Jersey, 07836.

Alternative Visions - Ellen Brown on ‘Bail Ins’ and New Book, The Public Banking Solution - 05/22/13

Dr. Jack Rasmus interviews Ellen Brown on her soon to be released new book, ‘The Public Banking Solution’, and both analyze the emerging Bankers’ solution to the next global bank crisis—the ‘bail ins’ policy (i.e. make small depositors pay for future bailouts) planned by bankers and governments in the Eurozone, U.S., and U.K.  Ellen discusses the memo by the US FDIC and UK Bank of England last December indicating plans to convert depositors savings accounts to worthless bank stock in the event of another banking crisis. Elizabeth Warren’s proposal to limit student loans to 0.75%, instead of current 6.8%, are also discussed.

Ellen Brown is a noted authority on Public Banking and author of many books and articles on the topic,  as well as President of the Public Banking Institute. Visit her works on her website, webofdebt.org and on the Institute’s website, publicbankinginstitute.org and the upcoming conference on June 2-4 in California on public banking.

Alternative Visions - Rick Wolff - 05/15/13

Dr. Rasmus Interviews Economist, Rick Wolff, on the US and Global Economy

Host Jack Rasmus interviews economist, Rick Wolff, on the current state and direction of the US and global economy. Why has the US recovery been so poor for all but banksters, corporations, CEOs, investors and speculators, and the fundamental structural problems responsible for the US tepid recovery.  Jack and Rick discuss why the US economy will continue in a sub-par longer term growth path, and why it keeps having ‘spring swoons’.  Also addressed are topics of the role of finance in the crisis, public banking, and Europe’s continuing economic recession.

Rick Wolff is professor of economics emeritus from University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and visiting professor at New School University, New York.  He is the author of two recent books, Occupy the Economy and Democracy at Work. A frequent contributor to many blogs and publications, and host of his own radio show, Economic Update, on WBAI NY. Rick Wolff is also the shadow chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, for the recently formed ‘Green Shadow Cabinet’.

Alternative Visions - US 1st Quarter GDP and April Jobs: What’s Behind the Numbers - 05/08/13

Dr. Jack Rasmus continues with his series on predicting the future direction of the US economy.  Today’s show consider in depth and detail the recent 1^st Quarter GDP numbers as well as last week’s April jobs report. Dr. Rasmus explains how average GDP real per capita growth the past nine months is really only about 1%, after adjusted properly for real inflation and after temporary factors in each of the last three quarters are accounted for.  April jobs numbers were also far weaker than reported, with the majority of jobs part time or temporary. The US job market long term is also ‘marking time’, churning out permanent for part time/temp, high wage for low wage, and new hires for millions leaving the labor force. Next week, May 15, Dr. Rasmus discusses the economy with Rick Wolff, Shadow Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, of the just formed Green Shadow Cabinet

Alternative Visions - 05/08/13

What’s the ‘Green Shadow Cabinet’, Its Program, and Strategy for Change? - 05/01/13

Dr. Jack Rasmus interviews Green Shadow Cabinet Presidential Nominee, Jill Stein, who explains what is the recently formed (April 22) Green Shadow Cabinet, who’s in it, what are its policy proposals and future planned activities, and where can interested listeners go to get involved.  The Green Shadow Cabinet is projected as an alternative to the two wings of the current corporate political parties in the US.  Alternative policies for the economy, society, and politics in the US are proposed by the GSC by an impressive list of well known activists in the US. Jack and guest, Jill Stein, provide an introduction. For more info beyond the interview today, go to greenshadowcabinet.us.

Alternative Visions - 04/24/13

The Green Shadow Cabinet and A New Kind of Federal Reserve Central Bank Dr. Jack Rasmus discusses the just announced Green Shadow Cabinet, and his role as the new ‘shadow’ Federal Reserve Chairman as a member of the cabinet. Jack explains his initial statement as shadow chair, on the ‘Failures of Fiscal-Monetary Policy, 2008-2013’: How Fed monetary policies of QE and zero interest rates for bankers have only succeeded in expanding the incomes of bankers and speculators while reducing incomes of retirees and tens of millions of US households. Fed policies have helped engineer recovery for the few and their corporations after tens of trillions of dollars of money injection, but are holding back recovery, lowering incomes for the rest, destroying pensions, and setting off global currency wars that will further slow the global, and US, economy.  As ‘shadow’ Fed chair, Dr. Rasmus explains his alternative monetary policies of public banking, how to democratize the Fed to serve the public not the banks and speculators, and how to expunge excess household consumer debt for students, homeowners and small business, as a precondition for real recovery for all.

Alternative Visions - The Real Jobs Picture & Predictions for 2013 - 04/17/13

Dr. Jack Rasmus gives a bigger picture of the condition of the US jobs market, looking beyond just the U-3 official unemployment rate. Properly calculated, more than 24 million are still jobless in the US, not the official 11.7 million and the true unemployment rate still hovers around the near-depression level of 15%. Other indicators of an extremely weak jobs market  show that low pay and contingent (part time, temp) jobs are replacing higher pay full time jobs, net job creation continues to fall behind population growth, millions of workers have left the labor force and no longer counted as unemployed, the Obama administration’s much touted manufacturing job growth has halted over the past year, and the duration of long term unemployment continues to rise while unemployment benefits are being cut. Dr. Rasmus predicts that the meager 88,000 jobs created last month is a better indicator of what’s to come in the months ahead than the 200,000 monthly job gain average of this past winter.

Alternative Visions - Predicting the US & Global Economy 2013-14: Part 1 - 04/10/13

Dr. Jack Rasmus today begins his annual predictions for the US and global economies, in the first of a four part series. Today’s show provides a review of his past annual predictions for 2010-12. Subsequent shows will address predictions for the jobs and housing markets (April 17), government spending (April 24), consumer and business spending (May 1), and for the broader global economy: Eurozone, UK, Japan, China and emerging markets (May 8). In today’s show, Dr. Rasmus revisits his basic prediction last year, January 2012, that the US economy is headed for a double dip recession sometime in 2013-14 should deficit cutting continue and the Euro banking system experience a deeper crisis in 2013 (both of which are now in progress). For his past predictions, see his blog, jackrasmus.com, for ‘Economic Predictions: 2012-13’ and his 2012 book, ‘Obama’s Economy: Recovery for the Few’, both availabale on his blog and website (www.kyklosproductions.com).

Alternative Visions - Free Trade on the Fast Track: The Transpacific Partnership Treaty - 04/03/13

Dr. Jack Rasmus welcomes back Art Stamoulis, Executive Director of Citizenstrade.org, to report on and discuss the latest developments in the ‘Free Trade on Steroids’ deal being pushed by Obama on behalf of transnational US corporations. With an agreement target date of October 2013 set by the US and negotiating parties, the free trade deal that will dwarf prior deals (NAFTA, CAFTA, etc.) to date, appears ‘wired’ and on its way to fast conclusion. What’s the impact on jobs, wages, environment, etc.  Also addressed: the parallel agreement, the TransAtlantic Partership, just announced by Obama, and a ‘Free Trade’ double whammy to US jobs, wages, environment, and sovereign democratic rights of US citizens.

Arthur Stamoulis is executive director of Citizens Trade Campaign, a national coalition of labor, environmental, family farm and consumer organizations that works together on questions of international trade policy.  Their current focus is the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP.  Citizens Trade Campaign organized demonstrations outside TPP negotiating rounds in Virginia, California, Texas and Illinois, and were the first to publish leaked text of several proposed TPP chapters.