Economic Update

Economic Update - Economics and Health - 08/27/13

Update on intern's death in London, austerity and suicide, over-prescribing anti-depressants, cutting health benefits, and laying off mortgage workers at Wells Fargo. Major discussions of the economics of the richest 1% and their relation to the Democratic Party in the US. Continuing response to listeners on defining capitalism and Black Star workers coop (brewpub) in Austin, Texas.

Economic Update - 08/20/13

Updates on Social Security, real wage decline, part-time work, political mavericks and others, subsidy for Walmart. Interview with Laura Gottesdeiner on foreclosure epidemic. Response to listeners on demographic change and economics.

Economic Update - 08/06/13

Updates on latest US GDP growth, corporate guilty pleas in Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster, "economic insecurity" in US, Detroit's new sports arena and Prince William's paid paternity leave. Major discussions of US disposable income drop, banks deny 10 million checking accounts, and remarkably favorable polling numbers for labor unions. Response to listeners on sources of capital for worker coops.

Economic Update - Economy: Private and Public - 07/30/13

Updates on polls on the economy, austerity and national debts, financial transaction tax, North Carolina's people mobilize on economics, G-20 plans to tax corporations, austerity's privatization effects, and Walmart fights DC to keep minimum wage low. Major discussions on Detroit's bankruptcy and private versus public enterprises. Response to listeners on "wagemark" and on capitalism and race.

Economic Update - Economics and Religion - 07/23/13

Updates on Fiat labor struggles in Italy, stagnating real wages in US, capitalist corruption (US, China, Russia), "eminent domain" helps homeowners against foreclosure. Interview with Dr. Obery Hendricks, Jr., professor of religion and biblical studies: how the bible contradicts conservatives' interpretations. Responses to listeners on workers coops forming in Italy, how workers coops can manage growth, and US capitalists substituting stock for cash in paying workers.

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Economic Update - How The System Works - 07/16/13

Updates on rich investors buying up and converting foreclosed homes into rental properties, insurance companies prove that allowing guns into schools do not make them safer, gross pay packages for CEOs, effective corporate tax rates far below official 35%, US non-financial corporations hoarding cash, Australian pawn broker records fastest growth in country's retail sector. Major discussions of (a) IMF report on slowing global economy, and (b) why austerity and stimulus programs both do not work. Responses to listeners' question on state of Puerto Rican economy. Analysis of successful workers coop in Milwaukee.

Economic Update - Economic Decline Mounts - 07/09/13

Updates on political economy of “internships,” Philadelphia public schools disaster, Obama criticized by South African unions. Major discussions of social costs of financial crises, “quantitative easing” policies, and the contradictions of capitalism (part 1). Response to question on workers self-directed enterprises as means for transition beyond capitalism.

Economic Update - Capitalism's Social Costs - 07/02/13

Updates on Obamacare's "penalties," a Parisian suicide, neglect of community colleges, and how inequality worsens itself. Interview with psychotherapist Dr. Harriet Fraad on why US workers don't fight against their economic decline. Response to listener's question on how to prevent socialism from deforming into Stalinism.

Economic Update - Economic Realities - 06/25/13

Updates on G8 and Bernanke “shows”, Turkey vs Brazil protests, Europe’s austerity, drug companies “pay to delay.” Major discussions of crisis in financing public education and of lotteries as disguised tax increases. Responses to listener questions on job losses from progress, worker coops’ survivability, capitalism and democracy, and campaign financing reform.

Economic Update - Capitalism and Democracy - 06/18/13

Updates on pay gaps, Alabama bankruptcy, Minnesota lockout, Greek lockout. Discussions of capitalism and democracy, "pure" capitalism," and capitalism' historical shifts. Comments on listeners' questions: workers' owning vs directing and tax-exempt vs "non-profit."