Economic Update

Capitalism and its Others - 07.19.15

Today's program focuses on two alternatives to capitalism. The first is an alternative to how capitalism organizes enterprises in terms of their internal workings and relationships. We examine workers self-directed enterprises: how they work and how they compare to capitalist enterprises. In the program's second half we look at an alternative to how capitalism organizes the economy as a whole: the socialist tradition that has evolved multiple different forms in the world today. We examine how socialism has evolved, its complex relationship with government, and how socialism compares with capitalism.

Economic Update - Learning from Economic defeats - 07.12.15

Continuing our new format experiment: two in-depth analyses. In the show's first half: The New Deal was both a victory and a defeat. Both offer crucial lessons for today. In the show's second half, a critical review of labor's short and long-run goals, labor's defensive decline, and a new strategy built on lessons of that decline.

Economic Update - Class and Socialism - 07.05.15

We begin our 3-week experiment with a new format: two in-depth analyses, one in each half of the show. We begin by considering the different meanings  of class, class analysis and class struggle across human history and why those differences matter so much now. Today's second half explores how socialism evolved from a basic alternative to capitalism into a state capitalism not so different from private capitalism. 

Pope Questions Capitalism - 06.28.15

Our updates start with victory of alumna, faculty and students over autocratic board of Sweet Briar College in Virginia, then discuss the uniquely awful US record on paid leave for workers and an interesting move by cities (Santa Cruz, CA as example) to disconnect from corrupt big banks. We have fun with why US govt leaving Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York and we celebrate rising UK movement against austerity. Second half of show interviews veteran reporter Bob Hennelly on the Pope's statement about ecology, environment, and a failing economic system. 

Fighting Economic Injustice - 06.21.15

We open with Goldman Sachs injustice and move on to the 'independent contractor' ploy just busted at FedEx and Uber and then Wisconsin governor's attack on public university to lower taxes on corps and rich. We interview Prof Kristin Ross on (her new book) on the significance of the Paris Commune where workers fough injustice by reorganizing society dramatically and effectively.

Higher Education in Crisis - 06.14.15

Updates analyze unemployment numbers to show what they hide as well as reveal. Responses to listeners' questions expose the economics of lotteries and why the largest US corporations have recently used their profits to buy back their shares in the stock markets. An in-depth interview of Prof. Sohnya Sayres explores the end of free college and universities in the US, the rise of administrators dominating students and faculty, and what these trends have meant for the quality of higher education in the US.

Economic Update - Change: Sawant in Seattle - 06.07.15

Updates offer latest on Greece's struggles with Europe, a critique of Buffett on rich vs poor and a hard look at $400 million gift to Harvard from billionaire Paulson. Responses to listeners on new Mayor of Barcelona and TPP. A detailed interview with socialist Kshama Sawant and her seat on Seattle's city council.

The New Deal Lives - 05.31.15

We begin with Larry Summers and other signs of a broken economic system. Then the economics of Nebraska ending it's death penalty and vast sports corruption (FIFA). Responses to listeners on reorganizing universities and household class structures. Major interview with two guests, Professor Richard Walker and  Dr. Gray Brechin,  on rediscovering the New Deal.

Austerity Resistance Rising - 05.24.15

Opening updates focus on Seattle, Puerto Rico, Los Angeles, and Portugal. We then examine business domination of universities in service to profits and Republican efforts to undermine Democrats revenues from unions. We answer listeners' questions about business influence on govt policies and the question: "What is fascism?". Major topics treated in the program's second half are repression aimed at those resisting austerity and crisis of US higher education.

Economic Update - Profit-Driven Capitalism - 05.17.15

In this edition of Economic Update, we look at Verizon's purchase of AOL, why Facebook's "contribution" to ending inequality falls so short, how latest $$ gift to Yale increases inequality, how UK elections reflect "scapegoat economics, and why deadly Mediterranean migrations reflect capitalism's globally uneven development. We also respond to listener questions on (1) Americans' attitudes toward income and wealth inequality by our analysis of recent Gallup Polls and (2) whether student debts can lead to reduced Social Security benefits and what that means. This edition's major discussions (1) build on "sharing unemployment" to show how we can combine respect for our natural environment with a fair sharing of the leisure that could result, and (2) analyze the significance of recent guilty pleas by major banks for manipulating currency exchange rates for their private profit.