June 16, 2019 by jackrasmus
For my recent interview with ‘Loud & Clear’ radio this past week on the revolt of New York renters against manipulation of rent controls by landlords, and the mobilizations going on to restore rent controls,
GO TO:
https://www.spreaker.com/user/radiosputnik/new-york-law-aims-to-tackle-affordable-h
While the capitalist system has undergone numerous restructurings throughout its history, capitalist elites purpose in restructuring has remained the same: to restore and/or extend their hegemony. The current restructuring, operative since 1978, is called Neoliberalism. The book examines Neoliberalism as both an Idea and an historical practice composed of a particular mix of fiscal-monetary-trade-industrial policies that began with the latest US capitalist restructuring in the late 1970s, continuing to evolve to this day. The book further explains the deeper material forces giving rise to - as well as now undermining - the Neoliberal policy regime, with special focus given to the crisis of Neoliberalism in the wake of the 2008-09 global crash, Obama's failure to resurrect it, and Trump's current doomed effort to restore it in a new, more aggressive form. Evidence why Neoliberalism is destroying US Democracy concludes the book's analysis.
Describes how US federal governments, often in cooperation with the largest US private banks, introduced and expanded central banking functions from 1781 through the creation of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. Based on an analysis of the evolution of the US banking system - from pre-1781, through the 1787 US Constitutional Convention, Congressional debates on Hamilton's reports to Congress, the rise and fall of the 1st and 2nd Banks of the United States, and through the long period of the National Banking System form 1862-1913, the book shows how central banking in the US evolved out of the private banking system, and how following the financial crash of 1907 big New York banks pushed through Congress the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, creating a central bank which they then managed for their interests.
(Click on image) CENTRAL BANKERS is a comprehensive critique of central banks’ policies in the 21st century, explaining why the massive injections of free money to the banking system since the 1970s enabled the creation of excess corporate debt that has led to financial bubbles and repeated crises. The book addresses the growing contradictions of central banking, why they are failing in their functions, targets and tools, and proposes a radical democratization and restructuring to transform them to serve the public interest and not the private banks.
(Click on image) LOOTING GREECE, A New Financial Imperialism Emerges. This book - Reveals clearly who calls the shots in the Eurozone—the hardliners, not the remnants and political residue of what was once European social democracy, - Follows the negotiations in their excruciating detail as the Troika tightens the screws from 2009 to the present, - Shows how Europe’s financial elite enriches itself on Greek debt, privatizations and financial manipulations, turning Greece into an Economic Protectorate.
(Click on image): This book offers a new approach to explaining why mainstream economic analyses have repeatedly failed and why fiscal and monetary policies have been incapable of producing a sustained recovery. It explains why the global economy is slowing long term and becoming more unstable, why policies to date have largely failed the trend, and why the next crisis may therefore prove even worse than that of 2008-09.
(Click on image) Obama's Economy: Recovery for the Few, explains how the weakest and most lopsided economic recovery since 1947 has been the direct outcome of failed economic policies of the Obama administration and US Federal Reserve bank since February 2009. Includes a detailed 'alternative program' in the final chapter. Includes the book, a video DVD presentation, and 66-slide PPT slideshow.
(Click on image) Obama's Economy: Recovery for the Few, explains how the weakest and most lopsided economic recovery since 1947 has been the direct outcome of failed economic policies of the Obama administration and US Federal Reserve bank since February 2009. Includes a detailed 'alternative program' in the final chapter.
(Click on image) A theoretical analysis, with historical case examples, of origins, causes and future evolution of the recent--and continuing--economic crisis in the U.S. and global economy. Includes predictions in 2009 of the inevitable failure of Obama policies and more serious crisis to come, 2013-15.
(Click on image) Seven specific reasons why economic recovery under Obama since 2009 has failed for all but the wealthiest few and largest corporations. The book spells out eight specific areas as an Alternative Economic Recovery Program.
(Click on image) The War At Home: The Corporate Offensive From Ronald Reagan to George W. Bush, is a 534 page, extensively researched, nonfiction book that describes the evolution of corporate-government policies from 1980 to 2005 that have shifted more than a $1 trillion dollars a year, every year, from 90 million American middle and working class households to the wealthiest 10% and corporations.
Dr. Jack Rasmus @drjackrasmus
Jack Rasmus 
A fantastic interview. As clear an explanation of the housing crisis which is driven by our grotesque income inequality which in turn is driven by the central banks pumping trillions of dollars into financial assets. I couldn’t agree with Jack more that a public entity and a public bank are the only way to solve the problem of the current housing crisis but even with those powerful tools as long as a central banks continue to pump trillions into financial assets and as long as our ruthlessly regressive tax system continues to kick the lower 90% in the financial teeth even a public entity and a public bank won’t have much of an impact on our housing crisis. But it is a start.
I agree. A public bank is a ‘start’, but not a panacea solution to what’s happening. Pure monetary solutions (including MMT) are a dead end, but have a place as part of a broader comprehensive program and strategy for change. The danger is that public banks, MMT, etc. will be ‘sold’ as ‘the’ solution. Public investment corporations, massive infrastructure public spending, income (re)distribution programs restoring taxes on corporations and investors and reducing for wage earners, restoring the role of unions as wage defenders, nationalizing healthcare costs (Medicare for All), expanding social security retirement benefits (raising the cap and making capital incomes pay as well), forcing onshoring of jobs by ending free trade agreements and implementing a 50% tariff on companies that moved offshore and send back exports to the US, a green new deal funded by a financial transactions tax, ending all H1-B and L-1 visas giving tech jobs to non-residents, etc. etc. There’s no lack of alternative solutions to the growing crisis (about to get much much worse). Beware of all ‘single solutions’ concocted by intellectuals with their personal identities wrapped up in their pet idea. Most important, none of this is possible without the resolution of the ‘organization question’ today. That is, can’t be achieved by relying on either wing of the Corporate Party of America (aka Republicans and Democrats). Republican party is now the personal vehicle of Trump and the forces behind him; the Democrat party is still controlled by the moneybags wing led by Shumer-Pelosi. My best wishes to the emerging left progressive wing, but I predict their effort to reform that wing is doomed.