Alternative Visions

Dr. Jack Rasmus discusses the political significance of Obama’s latest speaking tour beginning today—i.e. as the opening maneuver to the coming September-October fight with House Republicans over more spending cuts, Obama’s 2014 budget, and yet another debt ceiling fight.  Jack explains how the coming cuts, budget fight, massive corporate tax cut legislation working through Congress, the Federal Reserve’s September 18 meeting, and the slowing China-Europe economies may together create a ‘perfect storm’ this fall that provokes a further retreat of the already faltering US econom

Dr. Jack Rasmus reviews the key trends in the US and China economies over the past 60-90 days, noting how both economies are slowing significantly.  Jack discusses how these trends were predicted in his May 2013 written article, ‘Predicting the US and Global Economies, 2013-2014’. The recent shift and reversal in US Federal Reserve policy in the past month (future direction of QE and interest rates) is discussed in particular detail, as well as Jack’s key point that banks and financial speculators are now increasingly ‘addicted’ to free money (QE and near zero rates) from the Federal Reserve and central banks worldwide and threaten global asset price collapse at the prospect of the free money spigot being turned off.” (see Jack’s ‘Predictions’ article on the PRN website, as well as his shorter item ‘Song of the Central Bankers’

Alternative Visions - 07/10/13

Jack’s return guest is Carl Finamore, eyewitness journalist to the Egyptian revolution in 2011 and 2012.  Carl explains his analysis of the recent week’s events in Egypt and the likely new clash and upheaval within days occurring there.  Will the religious fundamentalists, led by increasingly authoritarian president, Morsi, weather the growing storm? Will the army, now threatening to intervene do so? Will workers and secularists demanding improvements in the standard of living and political rights, now under attack by Morsi, force to the revolution to a higher stage? Listen to Carl Finamore’s explanation and likely predictions

Alternative Visions - 06/26/13

Are Producer Cooperatives (Worker Run Enterprises) A Political Strategy? Jack Rasmus interviews guest, Greg Godels, on the increasingly popular advocacy of producers coops, aka worker run companies, by left writers and intellectuals.  What are the positives of the proposals for worker coops?  The limits of the same in a market based, capitalist economy?  While the idea encourages workers to take control of their own working lives and challenges the idea that capitalist managers are needed to produce goods and services, does it also represent another limited example of single issue politics and solutions to the current economic crisis?  Greg Godels presents his views on this topic, and he and Jack discuss the subject as strategy vs. tactic

Alternative Visions - Predicting the Global Economy - 06/12/13

Alternative Visions - 06/05/13

Dr. Jack Rasmus invites long time union representative and guest, Jerry Gordon, to report on the recent conference in New Jersey at which a ‘National Labor Fight Back Network’ was launched at the conference by more than 100 local union, community, and student leaders to take more aggressive action to stop cuts in social security, medicare, education, jobs, and other programs. Guest Jerry Gordon explains the new Labor Fightback Network has been formed with the goal of taking direct action—marches, protests, independent political organizing, etc.  Gordon describes the new organization’s program and mission statement, and potential future organizing activity. Not a political party or substitute for the trade union or community organizations, Gordon explains the Network seeks to play the role as an organizing tool for a new grass roots movement.  For more information and where to join and participate in the Network efforts, go to the website: laborfightback.org/conference for mission, program, and email information; or mail to: Labor Fightback, P. O. Box 187, Flanders, New Jersey, 07836