Alternative Visions

Jack Rasmus discusses the ‘Great American Tax Shift’, shows how the Corporate Tax has been steadily declining for decades as a percent of federal revenues, percent of national income, and percent of corporate profits; why the Corporate Tax ‘effective rate’ is now 12%, not the official 35%; why corporations today pay state taxes of barely 2%, instead of official 5-10% rates, and only 2% on foreign earnings instead of 15-28%—for a total global real tax payment of 16%--not the 45%-50% corporate apologists claim. Jack explains how all this results in Corporate America now sitting on more than $10 trillion in cash and how that translates into income inequality trends and a global economy that is unable to fully recover from recession. Various myths about corporate taxes are also refuted (i.e. tax cuts create jobs, US corps have highest taxes in the world, corporations pay double taxes, etc.). And new corporate tax cut measures pending now in Congress in the Tax Code overhaul bill are explained

Dr. Jack Rasmus discusses the facts and key trends involving US corporate taxes, the role of corporate taxes in forthcoming US tax code overhaul legislation moving through Congress, and the strategic nature of plans to cut corporate taxes from 35% to 28% by the 'Committee of 29' in Congress seeking a new deficit cutting deal . Rasmus explains the true picture of corporate taxation in America--i.e. real effective corporate tax rates and trends, share of corporate taxes as percent of government revenues, corporate taxation as percent of corporate profits, offshore shifting of $2 trillion of corporate profits to avoid US taxation, what US corporations actually pay to governments overseas, and other key trends in corporate taxation. Multinational corporate loopholes like 'Irish Double', 'Dutch Sandwich', 'Check the Box', 'Looking Through Rule', and other tax avoidance means are explained. (Watch 'Part 2' of this discussion next week on Alternative Visions, when the US corporate tax 'Race to the Bottom between US states, and the similar broader 'Race to the Bottom' between nation states, are both explained).

Dr. Jack Rasmus provides an update on last week’s interim ‘Government Shutdown-Debt Ceiling Extension’ deal in Washington and explains the real role and strategy of the Teaparty faction in recent months and going forward to the 2014 elections. With the Teaparty no longer the driving force, now the real negotiations begin (again) between Obama/Congressional Democrats and Congressional Republicans, returning to the ‘well orchestrated dance 2.0’ laid out this past summer before the Teaparty’s intervention. Rasmus predicts there will be a government funding deal by the next January 2014 budget deadline, and there will be no repeated debt ceiling crisis on February 7, 2014. The coming Obama-Republican deal will now include major cuts to social security and medicare, and possibly more tax cuts for corporate America as well. In addition, the $500 billion in proposed sequester defense spending cuts will be further restored in the coming deal, and that restoration has in fact already begun. (For a 35 min. video presentation on “Why Social Security and Medicare Are Not in Crisis”, download Jack’s presentation at:http://www.kyklosproductions.com/videos.html 

Dr. Jack Rasmus focuses on the latest debt ceiling-government shutdown negotiations in Washington, and his prediction of the past weeks that a deal would be reached. That deal appears will occur today, October 16, 2013—at least the first phase. The real negotiations now begin, Rasmus predicts, involving trading off major spending cuts targeting social security and medicare—plus more corporate tax cuts in the pending ‘Tax Code Overhaul’ bill moving through the US House—for a still longer term debt ceiling and government budget agreement that will all occur early next year. Dr. Rasmus explains how Obamacare was never a real issue in the negotiations, and how the real strategy was deficit cuts for debt ceiling. Also explained is how the current settlement is a repeat of the August 2011 debt ceiling 1.0 agreement, cutting spending by $1 trillion, and the 2012 fiscal cliff settlement cutting spending by another $1.2 trillion (the sequester) along with $4 trillion in permanent extension of the Bush tax cuts. It represents what Dr. Rasmus calls the ‘Well Orchestrated Dance’ (2.0) between the two wings of the ruling capitalist party. (see Dr. Rasmus’s blog, jackrasmus.com, for prior articles on the fiscal cliff of December 2012 and debt ceiling 1.0 deal of August 2011)

Dr. Jack Rasmus and guest, Dr. Margaret Flowers, discuss the strategic significance of Obamacare as leverage by conservatives to extract further spending concessions from social security, Medicare, and Medicaid from the Obama administration. Rasmus explains in depth the Republican-Teapublican joint strategy behind provoking a dual government shutdown and crisis involving the debt ceiling extension. Rasmus explains where and how the already slowing US and global economies will be significantly impacted by the debt ceiling crisis and that the current crisis is but a dress rehearsal for a bigger confrontation a year from now before the 2014 midterm elections. Rasmus and Flowers explore how the Obamacare Act is a convenient lynchpin for the strategy now unfolding. Both examine the major faults of the Obamacare law, the current roll out among states, and how its shortcomings and failures play into the Republican-radical right strategy to cut entitlements today and win election in 2014 in Congress.:Dr. Margaret Flowers is a physician and advocate for Medicare for All, the Secretary of Health for the ‘Green Shadow Cabinet’, co-host of the Washington DC radio show, ‘Clearing the Fog’, a journalist, and past activist in the Occupy Washington DC movement

Dr. Jack Rasmus provides his analysis on the current government shutdown and the repeat of the debt ceiling crisis coming by mid-October and their possible negative impacts on the economy. Rasmus then considers the 'other policy crisis'--i.e. the US Federal Reserve's QE and zero interest rate monetary policies. He explains why US monetary policy has also entered a crisis stage in recent months--i.e. proving increasingly ineffective at stimulating the real economy while simultaneously generating financial bubbles. QE and austerity policies elsewhere in the world are discussed, with similar counterproductive effects on the real economy. Rasmus concludes the US and global economy is now entering a period of growing ineffectiveness of traditional fiscal-monetary policies generating a sustained economic recovery, at a time during which the US and global economies continue to slow or stagnate long term.

Dr. Jack Rasmus invites long-time immigrant rights and union activist, Alan Benjamin, to discuss current and possible realignments in immigrant rights groups' strategies in the wake of the collapsed Obama legislative proposals in Congress. Benjamin explains in detail the onerous provisions of the recent immigrant rights bill that is now dead on arrival, the new emerging demands of immigrant rights groups' as 400,000 a year deportations continue under the current administration. Jack and Alan discuss the just formed 'United Front for Justice & Dignity' this September 7 of 100 founding members from 40 different groups, and the AFL-CIO convention's recent internal debates over resolution #4 vs. resolution #23. New directions in grass roots organizing and new demands by immigrant rights groups for Obama to enact immigration reform by executive order are considered.Alan Benjamin is a delegate to the San Francisco AFLCIO central labor council, a long time union member, and a leading activist with several groups advocating rights and citizenship for 11 million undocumented workers in the US. The demands of the recently formed 'United Front for Justice & Dignity' above can be viewed atwww.todopoderalpueblo.org.

Dr. Jack Rasmus welcomes two long-time union officers, Steve Early of the CWA and Carl Finamore of the Machinists, who attended the recent AFLCIO convention where delegates recently discussed and voted on whether to bring community groups (NAACP, La Raza, Sierra Club, etc.) into the union federation as a new kind of membership.  Both Steve and Carl have more than 30 years each of experience in the US labor movement, which they bring to the discussion. Jack introduces the show and discussion with an explanation of the dimensions of the deep decline in union labor in the USA, its failing organizing and bargaining strategies at the company level and the political level with its alliance with the Democratic Party, as well as the consequences of both.  Steve and Carl discuss the resolution and scope of the decision at the AFLCIO convention to forge a deeper partnership with community organizations. How can union labor stop and reverse its slide? Jack and guests debate whether some kind of new grass roots organizational structure uniting labor and community organizations must occur if union labor in the US is to survive and grow. Steve Early is a retired, long time staff representative for the Communications Workers of America and an author of several recent books on the US union movement today, including ‘Embedded With Organized Labor’ and ‘The Civil Wars in US Labor’.  Carl Finamore is a former president of Local 1781 of the machinists union representing workers in the airlines industry and a frequent writer to various magazines and blogs on labor and other issues. Check out both their recent articles on the widely read blog, Counterpunch.org, on the recent AFLCIO convention and other labor topic

Dr. Jack Rasmus welcomes long time guest organizer, Jeff Mackler, to discuss current grass roots efforts to organize protests against a war with Syria. Jack and guest discuss the potential economic 'costs' of military action in Syria and past US wars, current efforts of the UNAC (United National Anti-War Coalition), the recent Obama-Putin 'Plan B' proposals, the 'Saudi Arabia' connection in the Syrian conflict and US drive to war, and current efforts to restore the US sequester defense cuts of $500 billion in Congress."Jeff Mackler is long time anti-war activist and movement leader for the last forty years. He is currently on the national board of the UNAC (United National Anti-War Movement), and is national secretary of the Socialist Action group.

Dr. Jack Rasmus provides his take on the subject of Union-Community Strategic Alliances and the upcoming AFLCIO convention where membership for non-union community groups in the federation will be considered. Jack explains why Union Labor is in a deep crisis today, with both its 'workplace' strategy' and 'political strategy' in shambles. Reinventing American union labor will require changes in its mission, objectives, as well as strategies. And this cannot happen without a major organizational restructuring at the grass roots levels, creating new institutions for labor-community action. Jack outlines those institutions and organizational changes.In the second half of the show, Jack's guest is Jerry Gordon, longtime representative for the Food & Commercial Workers union, and today secretary for the recently formed national Labor Fightback Network that played a key role in organizing union turnout for the August 24, 2013 march on Washington. Gordon reports on the march, its strengths and weaknesses, and what's necessary going forward to build labor-community protests and demonstrations.Next week grass roots 'Workers Centers' in the US. And don't miss the Sept. 18 Alternative Visions show, where guests will be local labor folks reporting back as delegates to the Sept. 8-11 AFLCIO national convention.

Dr. Jack Rasmus invites guests from the grass roots fight for democracy in North Carolina, where democratic and civil rights have come under intensifying attacks from its Republican governor and conservative state legislators. Continuing the theme of recent Alternative Visions radio shows on the growing assault on democratic and civil rights in the US and abroad, Dr. Rasmus interviews three well known and highly respected community activists who have been deeply involved in the 'moral mondays' protests and other movements in that state. Jack welcomes Reverend Nelson Johnson, Ajamu Dillahunt, and Zach Robinson--all three located in different parts of the state and together involved in the fight to defend democratic, civil and labor rights in a state where recent attacks on democratic, civil and labor rights have been the most intense. What happens in North Carolina is a harbinger of things to come'Reverend Nelson Johnson is pastor of the Faith Community Church in Greensboro, Executive Director of the "Beloved Community" movement and center, and leads the Interfaith Workers Justice Center for workers, a 'workers center' group affiliated with the AFL-CIO.Ajamu Dillahunt is a founder of the Blackworkers for Justice, which has resisted job offshoring and safety & health problems in that state for decades. He is a past president of the Postal Workers union , a member of the Raleigh, North Carolina Central Labor Council, and a statewide coordinator for the 'moral mondays' and other coalition protests.Zachary Robinson is a long time member and officer of the American Professors Union, and a participant in many of the 'moral mondays' protests for the past year.

Dr. Jack Rasmus interviews return guest, Carl Finamore, to give his analysis on the most recent attacks on Democracy in Egypt. Carl analyzes the recent military coup, the removal of elected President, Morsi, in Egypt, the military crackdown on the Islamic Brotherhood, the restoration of military rule, and prospects for democratic change. Finamore provides a deep social analysis of the movements and organizations to debunk the notion the conflict there is about religious groups vs. secular groups, and show how the military is deftly manipulating popular discontent to stay in power. In the second half of the show, Jack interviews Ben Manski, who reports on the recent Democracy Convention held in Madison, Wisconsin last week, and the direct action items coming out of the conference to confront a growing, more insidious attack on democratic rights in the USA. Manski reports initiatives discussed and decided at the conference on defending the constitution, voting rights attacks by ALEC and other right wing-corporate sources, new initiatives in environmental protests, local democracy movements, education for democracy, labor rights, etc.In coming weeks, watch for Alternative Visions to interview guests from the Moral Monday’s fight in North Carolina, the expanding workers centers movements throughout the US, and the AFLCIO upcoming convention in early September where Labor may decide to include community groups in its membership

In recent weeks, the Alternative Vision show has addressed the Obama administration’s postponing of important provisions of the Health Care Act and growing problems with implementation of the Act, as well as the largest US labor union federation, the AFL-CIO, discussion of allowing community organizations as members ‘with voting power’. Today’s show revisits both these topics, providing updates in recent weeks. Dr. Rasmus looks at the most recent delay of Obamacare provisions announced last week re. suspension of limits on ‘out of pocket’ expenses by individuals who buy health insurance. The only solution to what could prove the unraveling of the Act by 2015-16, he argues, is to substitute the current Act with a combined ‘Medicare for All’ and ‘Public Option’ add-on. A second follow-up to last week show’s topic of the AFL-CIO bringing in community organizations as members, to be decided at its upcoming Convention, is also discussed. Some recent commentaries by community and union strategists on this topic are reviewed.Tune in next week to Alternative Visions as Dr. Rasmus reviews his own 2005 recommendations for ‘reinventing American unions’ and the necessary major structural reorganization required for the AFL-CIO to survive in the 21stcentury—as written in his 2006 book, ‘The War At Home: The Corporate Offensive From Ronald Reagan to George W. Bush’. Next week’s show will also include guests reporting back from the recent ‘Democracy Convention’ in Wisconsin. (Watch for Jack’s articles on ‘The Stop-Go US Economic Recovery’ and ‘Reinventing the AFL-CIO’ posted on the Progressive Radio Network website.

At the end of July, the president of the AFL-CIO, America’s largest union federation, Richard Trumka, announced that at its coming September convention the AFL-CIO Union Federation would decide on bringing community organizations into the Federation and allowing the organizations to become formal members of the federation, ‘with decision making power’ (quoted from Wall St. Journal, July 27-28, 2013)). Groups like the NAACP, La Raza, Sierra Club and others are reportedly now in negotiations with the AFL-CIO, a change of potentially significant impact (or maybe not!). Is something big about to happen in Union labor at the top? Or is it just a cover for closer cooperation to help Democrats get elected in 2014?  In today’s show, Dr. Rasmus interviews three long time union activists—in California, North Carolina, and Philadelphia—on the potential significance of the AFL-CIO’s coming convention and closer organizational ties with national community organizations.  Jack’s guests—Steve Early, Zachary Robinson, and Jim Moran—also report at length on what’s happening locally in their back yards in terms of growing labor-community actions on a number of fronts.” Steve Early is a long time union activist, former representative for the CWA in New England area, a lawyer, journalist with publications in the Boston Globe, New York Times, Washington Post, and numerous other periodicals, and book author. His recent books include “Embedded with Organized Labor”, “The Civil Wars of US Labor”, and most recent, “Save Our Unions”, published by Monthly Review Press. He is also a member of the Green Shadow Cabinet. Steve resides in Richmond, California, a hotbed of recent local community action. Zachary Robinson is an officer in the AAUP in Greenville, North Carolina. A member of Pitt County Coalition Against Racism, and of the local Executive Board of the NAACP Pitt County chapter. Zach has been active in the noteworthy “Moral Mondays” grass roots movement and protests in North Carolina, opposing the draconian measures being introduced by its newly elected Republican Teaparty governor and Legislature. Jim Moran is a long time union member of the Newspaper Guild, officer and activist in the Philadephia area. Jim has led the fight for job safety and health in the area for decades, and is a member of the board of the Pennsylvania Labor History Society. Jim is also a member of the Green Shadow Cabinet responsible for labor issues

Jack welcomes guests Cheri Honkala and David Cobb to discuss the coming August 8 Democracy Conference in Wisconsin. Will it be a step toward ‘convergence’, with progressive groups not only joining forces in day to day actions and protests but in the forging of a united program and initial organization?  Jack and guests talk about the need for a broader unification of those increasingly oppressed beyond just occasional protest actions and the need for a national convention of grass roots organizations to begin programmatic and organizational ‘convergence’ in the face of growing attacks on democracy and civil liberties in the US as well as continuing economic deprivation for the vast majority amidst the privileged minority’s continued growing income and wealth inequality.  How can progressives get beyond the swamp of single issue politics and break out into independent political action. David Cobb is an attorney from Texas and an active leader in the ‘National Leadership Team to Move to Amend’ Citizens United, and defend against the growing attacks on democratic, voting, and other rights in America today. He is the chair of the ‘Commission on Corporations Democracy’ in the Green Shadow Cabinet. Cheri Honkala is a long time advocate for human and welfare rights, co-founder of the ‘Poor Peoples’ Economic Human Rights Campaign, and a Vice presidential candidate for the Green Party, as well as a member of the Green Shadow Cabinet. (Note: Tune in next week, Wednesday, August 7, to the Alternative Visions Show, when Dr. Rasmus’ guests will be AFLCIO union activists who will discuss the upcoming AFLCIO convention in September and the union federation’s proposals for having community groups formally join the union federation. Will this prove a major political shift in US grass roots politics, or just another weak form for getting out the vote in 2014 for the Democratic Party?