Economic Update

Economic Update - Corporations, Wages and Jail - 05/14/14

Updates on no growth in US, China overtakes US, costs of GM bailout, defeat of bill to raise minimum wage while Hawaii raises its minimum. Major discussions of Pfizer decision to relocate to UK, European Court supports Tobin (financial transactions) Tax  and the stunning economics of prisons and jails in the US.

Economic Update - Shameful Economics - 05/07/14

 Updates on Alabama prison/slave labor, automobile irrationalities, and the California drought. Major discussions of: cutting public employee pensions, cutting state support for public higher education, and lotteries as disguised taxes on  middle and poor Americans. Responses to listener questions on the Federal Reserve "creating" money and why corporations operate overseas and then want government (taxpayers') support for corporations' foreign operations. 

Economic Update - Culture and Economics - 04/30/14

Updates on public power in Nebraska, Earth Day, Coca Cola's misleading advertisement, closing hospitals. Interview on culture and economic crisis with musician and music professor John Halle. Responses to listener questions on B-corporations and on a Wall Street Sales Tax.

Economic Update - Tax Injustices - 04/17/14

Updates on how inequality persists across generations, the nonsense of "taxes are job killers", governor uses tax revenues to prevent unionization in a private enterprise. Major discussion of state and local taxes in the US, the economics of paying executives very high incomes, and the privatization of public services. Response to listener's question on recent Medicare report on oversize payouts to doctors.

Economic Update - Bankers and Presidents - 04/10/14

Updates on O'Reilly vs de Blasio, Greek bonds, millions for Detroit's athletes, and who pays federal taxes. Interview with Nomi Prins, ex-Goldman Sachs banker, on new book All the Presidents' Bankers. Response to listener on where and why Congress refuses to act (taxing rich, helping poor, reducing inequality, etc.) despite US poll results showing big majorities supporting those actions.

Economic Update - Building Worker Coops - 04/03/14

Updates on Supreme Court McCutcheon decision on campaign financing, global meaning of French municipal elections, special impacts on women of raising minimum wages, and corporations' cash hoards cause unemployment and cut government services. Interview with Vanessa Bransburg who supports and builds successful worker coops in Brooklyn, New York. Response to listener on scarcity and its economic effects.

Economic Extremes - 03/27/14

Updates on labor struggles at Univ of So Maine, low interest rates hurt retirees, super-rich get state subsidies, Northwestern Univ athletes move to unionization, BBC on US unemployment, Nestle's CEO vs human right to water. Major discussions on income distribution vs redistribution; Maryland cuts taxes on rich and leaves tipped workers' min wages at $3.63/hr.; final segment on criticisms of capitalism. Response to listener's questions on Bill Gates' C-Span interview.

Economic Update - This System Does not Work - 02/25/14

Updates on Olympics, Chicago university faculty strike, Chevron's contempt, Gallup poll on unemployment, rising consumer debt again, Europeans oppose privatization of water, and US adults marry less to cope with economy. Major discussions: how Soviet socialism actually worked and decline and inadequacy of pensions in US. Response to listeners on deflation in today's world economy.

Economic Update - Capitalism's Inequalities - 02/18/14

Updates on polls showing most Americans want less inequality, why Tea Party types fixate on government debt, and why French and other far right parties gain support. Major discussion on US business recognizing death of middle class, the contradictions of Germany's position within Europe's economic crisis, and Part 1 of analysis of what USSR was. Response to listeners on why official unemployment targets are 4-6.5 % rather than feasible and better 0-0.5 %

Economic Update - Public vs Private Enterprise - 02/11/14

Updates on economic democracy from Jackson, MS to Marseilles, France; credit card scandals; phony labels for chicken; and overcharging inmates for calls. Major discussions of re-municipalization of water and electric utilities; post office banking; and new book on capitalism's inequalities. Response to audience questions on TPP, corp tax breaks and minimum wage.