Economic Update

Economic Update- Capitalism Versus Socialism

This over 200-year debate and struggle has become confused and confusing. Too many different definitions make honest, balanced discussions and evaluations of these alternative systems difficult. Because socialism is rising yet again to challenge capitalism, the debate now must take account of the terms' new and different meanings. We do that here in arguing for a new way to understand and engage "capitalism versus socialism."  

 

Economic Update- Capitalism’s Tools: Bankruptcy, China-Bashing and Gov’t Support

 Bankruptcy of Yellow Freight trucking exemplifies US capitalism's undemocratic core, history of US-China relations (from enmity to friendship to enmity), how GOP and Dems do NOT differ in providing governmental financial support to US corporations.

Economic Update- American Families Today are Crisis Ridden

This week's updates focus on Biden's inadequate student debt relief, Bastille Day and French Revolution, and alternatives to Artificial Intelligence being installed to increase profits and joblessness. Interview with Dr. Harriet Fraad on the crisis of the US family, causes and consequences.

Economic Update- A Wise American Capitalist Criticizes U.S. Capitalism

This week's updates focus on Artificial Intelligence abused by employers as Profiteering Tool; racism in US universities, US-China economic competition, the progressivism of Tony Bennett. Interview with Ben Cohen, co-founder/former CEO of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream on a capitalist's criticism of US capitalism.

 

 

Economic Update- The U.S. Tax System: Rigged, Unfair & Fundamentally Unjust

This week's update focuses on a systematic overview of federal, state, and local tax systems in the US to show the injustices built into corporate and personal taxation of income, spending and property.

 

Economic Update- Unions and Strikes are the People’s Power

This week's show brings updates on unionization of Stanford University grad student workers, UPS's 350,000 workers vote and prepare for strike, 2.5 million public employees in Germany strike and win big wage gains, LA sees biggest hotel workers strike in 50 years, win big wage gains at LA's biggest hotel. Major discussion of markets' failures using 2 examples: (1) FDR replacing markets with government rationing in World War 2, and (2) using the market to distribute housing causes gentrification and homelessness. Short concluding discussion of the reform vs revolution debate.

Economic Update- China: Capitalist, Socialist, or What?

On this week's episode, Prof. Wolff talks about the Chinese economy. China is run by a Communist Party but describes itself as socialist, while the employer/employee structure of its enterprises is capitalist. We examine what this means for (a) its place in the world economy, (b) its place in the transition from capitalism to socialism/communism, and (c) its conflict with the US.

Economic Update- Today’s Class Struggles with Chris Hedges

This week's updates focus on US small/medium businesses converting to worker coops, the strikes at the US west coast ports and UPS, an employer uses a fake priest to get workers' confessions for employers' use, and the state of Delaware allows businesses to vote in local elections (alongside individuals).  In the second half we interview Chris Hedges on the class struggles going on here and now.

Economic Update- Declining Global Inequality and Socialism

 This week's updates focus on the ridiculously low ranking of the U.S. among OECD nations, why & how mega-corps get richer faster than we do, the palpable solidarity between the Labor Unions and the writers' strike in the U.S, the UPS teamsters 97% vote to strike beginning on Aug 1, and how Pfizer fails to maintain supplies of penicillin. The major topics of discussion include why global inequality among nations is now falling, and why the phrase "socialism does not work" is flat out wrong.

Economic Update- Class Struggles and Socialism

This week's show includes updates on the US west coast ILWU strike, unemployment compensation for strikers, 1700 CT caregivers strike against austerity, as well as discussing Mexico's fight with the US over Mexico's ban against GMO white corn imports from the US. The major topics of discussion focus on (1) ignorance about socialism among its enemies and (2) the four basically different kinds of socialism in the world today.