Nature limits all systems — nothing grows forever. Economic systems built around growth, like ours, are no different. Ellen revisits that topic with biomimicry expert Jamie Brown-Hansen about what nature teaches regarding sustainable economic systems that last for eras rather than just decades. The theme is picked up by Bernie Sanders as he reflects on the precarious nature of our national economy, while Matt Stannard considers what’s not being addressed on the topic by the presidential candidates. And co-host Walt McRee talks with New Hampshire State Representative Valerie Fraser about the movement underway there to create a public State bank.
The debt-money regime seems to have run its course. Happily, alternatives are being explored in the form of outright free public issue of money directly to the people — “QE for the People.” On “It’s Our Money,” we look at several dimensions of these ideas. Ellen speaks with noted UK professor and author Mary Mellor about the democratization of money and financial systems. Co-host Walt McRee discusses the current Bretton Woods IV Convocation which is focusing on the vital need for reclaiming public control of money, and on the Public Banking Report Matt Stannard takes a look at the morality of money.
Mary at a Sept 2015 workshop in Berlin with event hosts Michel Bauwens and David Bollier. The event was sponsored by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and wascalled “Deep Dive: Capital for the Commons.”
The evolution of financial systems is seldom matched with the evolution of biological systems, just as Western medicine has too long ignored nature’s own abilities to heal and sustain personal health. In both cases imposition of monetary control over these systems ignores signposts and laws that can lead to doom. Ellen speaks with co-author, physician and pharmacist Dr. Lynne Walker about the institutional hypocrisy that drives profits over people’s health, while co-host Walt McRee reviews Jamie Brown’s groundbreaking work on the wisdom of mimicking nature when designing new sustainable economic systems.
Capitalism is often touted as the most dynamic marketplace performer capable of lifting more boats faster than any other — but why then do we see its colossal failures as a stable and equitable driver of well-being for the vast majority of its practitioners? Ellen speaks with one of the most knowledgeable experts on economic systems, Dr. Richard Wolff, about how capitalism fails in part because of its anti-democratic underpinnings that rock many of those boats and swamp others while letting the captains of capital cruise on. We also talk about the emerging popularity of Quantitative Easing for the People and the importance of values-driven common cause for change.
“No flow, no go.” That may be the simplest way to describe the critical role of central banks to the flow of credit and money into any monetary system. It was the lack of access to cash and bank liquidity that humbled Greece, Detroit and others. Ellen speaks with Dr. Timothy Canova, one of the foremost experts on our central bank, the Federal Reserve, about why their operation of our cash spigot determines who wins and who loses.
Is the financial deprivation of entire nations engendering a new level of frustration and political unrest? Are the unlikely top-ranked US presidential candidates a sign that the Europeans aren’t the only ones who want to “throw the bums out?” These emerging political themes are the subject of It’s Our Money, as Ellen engages renowned author, advisor and economics professor Michael Hudson, just back from his consultations with Greece’s Syriza party. Archivedhere.
Mark Anielski and I spoke on a panel following Herman Daly’s plenary address on “Ecological Economics for an Ecological Civilization,” at an international conference called SEIZING AN ALTERNATIVE: Toward an Ecological Civilization, held on the campus of Pomona College, Claremont, CA June 4-7, 2015. John B. Cobb, Jr. also joined Daly’s plenary discussion. Mark is at 1:02:25 and I’m at 1:10:36 on the ticker.
It isn’t just the Greeks, or the Cypriots, or the Irish, or the Icelanders suffering the price of financial terrorism – the extractive demands of global central banks on display in Greece are actively draining the marrow of impoverished communities the world over. Ellen speaks with author and expert Stephen Lendman about the financial powers forcibly overruling Greek democracy, and their intentions to do so everywhere. Co-host Walt McRee speaks with an official of one California county government pushing back against convicted bank felons, and later discusses new human evolutionary awareness about our relationship with money with philosopher Robert Bows. And Matt Stannard discusses our myths about “the Great American Entrepreneur” on the Public Banking Report.
The crushing Greek debt could be canceled the way it was made – by sleight of hand. But saving the Greek people and their economy is evidently not in the game plan of the Eurocrats.
Greece’s creditors have finally brought the country to its knees, forcing President Alexis Tsipras to agree to austerity and privatization measures more severe than those overwhelmingly rejected by popular vote a week earlier. No write-down of Greece’s debt was included in the deal, although the IMF has warned that the current debt is unsustainable.
There are many reasons to keep our focus on Greece — self-interest being one. Dr. Paul Craig Roberts returns to disclose the backstory of the political-bankster collaboration that has brought Greece to its knees and threatens economies the world over, including ours. Ellen suggests a solution for how the Greeks can proceed from here. Matt Stannard takes a historical look at German/Greek finances and we discuss the important leadership of Pope Francis’ review of what’s really important in any economy. Hint: it’s not about your wallet.
Anchorman Howard Beale’s outburst that mobilized a nation to scream out their windows in anger at the tyranny of the powers-that-be makes an apt sequel to this week’s news that Fast Track approval of the TPP appears imminent. Ellen speaks with Kevin Zeese, the foremost leader of national citizen’s campaigns pushing back against the obvious collusion of government leaders and corporate interests. It will have you heading toward your own windows. Co-host Walt McRee speaks with Chuck Watts of the Empathy Surplus Project about the power of language in creating the new economy and a new generation of public policy, while Matt Stannard reflects on Wells Fargo’s recent efforts at impacting social justice.
Listen at noon pst/3 pm est here or archived thereafter here.
Remarkable changes are underway in the world of monetary policy, theory and even the forms of money itself. Beyond just technology, these new forms and re-forms of the dominant money control systems are being pushed by the need for fairer economic distribution as well as raging battles between global private banks and citizens of Greece, Spain, Canada and more. This week Ellen speaks with Uli Kortsch, president of Global Partners Investments, who advocates replacing money creation by private banks through “fractional reserve lending” with government-issued money, and we visit with colleagues in London working on something similar. Co-host Walt McRee discusses a new series of workbooks designed to enable more local investment while Matt Stannard discusses the humanitarian concerns imposed by the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Listen to the podcast here.
On June 4-7, 2015, we aim to create Pandomonium! “Seizing an Alternative: Toward an Ecological Civilization”
“Seizing an Alternative: Toward an Ecological Civilization”focuses on the big ideas that matter for a thriving ecosphere, featuring some seven hundred presenters and more than eighty areas of specialty. For details, see here. And to hear about it, listen to founder Dr. John Cobb interviewed on “It’s Our Money with Ellen Brown”, here.
At what point are you willing to challenge your own notions of what’s really going on? Can you even imagine that the mavens of the Money Power would threaten human survival to serve themselves for even bigger personal profits? Ellen’s guest, researcher Dane Wigington, has a trove of data to suggest that they would. And they do so in the form of geoengineering, a covert tool allegedly being used to control natural systems for private profit. We also hear commentary from Matt Stannard about the economics of the Baltimore uprising and from Marc Armstrong about America’s only publicly-owned depository bank, the Bank of North Dakota, which just issued its latest annual report — it’s another record-setting winner!
In the world of monetary reformists, there’s a clear understanding that things not only shouldn’t continue as they are, they can’t continue as they are – that systemic failure is upon us as current social and political outcomes tear at the fabric of civil life. Ellen speaks with Gar Alperovitz, one of America’s most venerable reformist thinkers and policy experts, about his new “The Next System Project” to help design and precipitate what should happen next. Also, maybe the national debt is unnecessary after all – author Scott Baker talks with co-host Walt McRee about his new book “America is Not Broke,” and Matt Stannard reports on the financial travesties imposed by Wall Street on American cities.
Progessive Radio Network, where you can hear our radio show “It’s Our Money”, has a new and improved website that allows comments. First up on the new site is my interview of Paul Craig Roberts (great guest!). The link is here —
In the worlds of economic theory and “acceptable” economic discussion, the terms “Socialism” and “Marxism” acquired an anti-patriotic stain during the 20th Century, despite the significant social economic progress realized by early American populist movements. Noted economics professor Dr. Richard Wolff, who has taught at many esteemed universities, has been overlooked for decades because of his Marxist/Socialist specialties; but suddenly he is out and about making the rounds on major media outlets talking about the failures of Capitalism, how they helped bring about the collapse of the American middle class and set a stage for continuing economic decline. Ellen talks with Dr. Wolff about a way forward that marries American values and sensibilities with the goals of these maligned economic theories.
1097. Oct. 26, Phil Mikan Show, WLIS/WMRD Radio, Conn., pre-recorded for Friday at 10 est or Saturday at 9-11 est
1096. Oct. 22, 1:15 pm EST, power point presentation, “Public Banking, Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) and the National Debt,” Carolina Hills Community, Chapel Hill, NC
1088. July 15, 6 pm EST, Connecticut Public Banking Town Hall, livestream here
1087. July 13, Webinar, Center for Global Justice, “Why Public Banking Needs to Be Run as a Public Utility,” San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, 11am-1pm PDT
1086. Interview with Susan Johnson on public banking for Connecticut, WILI’s Let’s Talk About It Show, 5 pm EST
1044. Nov. 12, interview in New York with Max Keiser, Keiser Report, “Repo Markets and UBI”
1043. Nov. 6, 5 pm EST, The CivicLab Show with Tom Tresser, live@www.facebook.com/tomtree
1042. Oct. 23, 11:30 am-1:30 pm, luncheon presentation on public banking, League of Women Voters of San Diego, Tom Ham’s Lighthouse Restaurant, 2150 Harbor Island Dr., San Diego
1041. Oct. 22, Presentation on public banking, DSA San Diego, Unite Here Union Hall, 2436 Market Street, San Diego, 6-7:30 pm.
1006. Oct. 22, speaker with Gar Alperovitz at Praxis Peace Institute, “Changing the System: California’s Strategic Role in National Strategic Change,” Sonoma, CA, 276 E. Napa St, Sonoma. 7:00 pm.
1005. Oct 19-21, Bioneers Conference, panelist on Oct 20, 2:45 pm, Marin Center, San Rafael, CA.997.
999. Oct. 7, panel, Americans for Democratic Action of Southern California Annual Garden Party, 2-5:30 pm, Santa Monica, CA
998. Oct. 4, 7:30 pm, Living Economy Salon, panelist, Public Bank LA: “Solutions for Social and Environmental Justice”, 3110 Main St., Annex Building C 2nd Floor, Santa Monica, CA 90405
997. Oct. 3, interview on Unmediated, podcast of Reader Magazine, episode title: Making Money The Public’s Slave (The Public Banking Solution), 10 a.m. PT
