How Obama Could Beat the Debt Ceiling and Go Out a Hero

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Ellen Brown

Until the control of the issue of currency and credit is restored to government and recognized as its most conspicuous and sacred responsibility, all talk of the sovereignty of Parliament and of democracy is idle and futile.

                  — Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, 1935

On November 3rd, the US government will again run out of money due to a debt ceiling artificially imposed by Congress. This is the third time in four years that a radical faction has taken the country to the brink of default to extort concessions that are at best only marginally related to the budget.

The debt ceiling is an unconstitutional gimmick that violates the 14th amendment, which says the validity of the government’s debt shall not be questioned. The debt was incurred by Congress when it passed the budget, and the money has been borrowed and spent. Congress cannot now refuse to pay.

One good gimmick deserves another. The debt ceiling could be eliminated for good, by restoring to the government its constitutional authority to create money. Article 1, Section 8, provides: “The Congress shall have the power to coin money [and] regulate the value thereof . . . .” The president could pay the government’s bills by issuing some large denomination coins by executive order. Continue reading →

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Trumping the Federal Debt Without Playing the Default Card

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Ellen Brown

“The United States can pay any debt it has because we can always print money to do that. So there is zero probability of default.”

— Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan on Meet the Press, August 2011

In a post on “Sovereign Man” dated August 14th, Simon Black argued that Donald Trump may be the right man for the presidency:

[T]here’s one thing that really sets him apart, that, in my opinion, makes him the most qualified person for the job:

Donald Trump is an expert at declaring bankruptcy.

When the going gets tough, Trump stiffs his creditors. He’s done it four times!

Candidly, this is precisely what the Land of the Free needs right now: someone who can stop beating around the bush and just get on with it already.

Continue reading →

Filed under: Ellen Brown Articles/Commentary | Tagged: , , , , , | 157 Comments »

Derailing Amtrak: Tracking the Latest Disaster in the Infrastructure Crisis

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Ellen Brown

The dangerous underfunding of US infrastructure was underscored by a fatal train derailment on May 12th. The tragedy did not deter the House Appropriations Committee from voting to slash Amtrak funding the very next day. There are ways Congress could fund its massive infrastructure bill without raising taxes. But the conservative-controlled Congress seems to have other plans for the nation’s profitable public assets. Continue reading →

Filed under: Ellen Brown Articles/Commentary | Tagged: , , , , , | 18 Comments »

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  • Interviews/Speaking Engagements

    — 2019 —

    1041. Nov 24, 7 pm, presentation sponsored by Agenda for a Prophetic Faith at Claremont Presbyterian Church, Claremont, CA, “Why We Need Public Banks”

    1040. Nov 14-17, speaker, Soil & Nutrition Conference, Southbridge, MA.

    1039. Oct. 23, luncheon presentation on public banking, League of Women Voters, San Diego

    1038. Oct 16-18, keynote speaker, Economics of Happiness conference, Jeonju, South Korea

    1037. Sept. 26, 7 pm presentation, “Exploding the Myths of Money and Banking,” New Paradigm College, Lake County, CA

    1036. Sept. 20, podcast interview, Silver Doctors

    1035. Sept. 19, 8-9 pm pst, interview, Jeff Rense Radio.

    1034. Interview, Sept. 13 at 5 pm–6 pm on KPFZ, Lake County community Radio, 88.1 FM.

    1033. Sept. 6, Live with Ernest Hancock, 11 am EST (at 2 hour mark on video)

    1032. Aug. 26, interview with Jason Hartman, Creating Wealth Show, 12:00 pm PST.

    1031. Aug. 9, interview with Lauren Steiner, youtube

    1030. July 25, youtube podcast with Sarah Westall, “This is Why China Is Winning”

    1029. July 23, interview with Steve Bhaerman, Wiki Politiki Radio Show, 2 pm pst.

    1028. July 19, interview with Kevin Barrett,  truthjihadradio, 5 pm PST

    1027. July 12, 11 am pst, interview with Annie Esposito and Steve Scalmanini, “Corporations & Democracy,” Mendocino County, CA, www.KZYX.org

    1026. Interview with Crystal Arnold, Money-Wise Women, posted July 10

    1025. July 9, interview with Liz Lane, “It’s the Economy,” KGNU Boulder/Denver/Ft. Collins, 6 pm MDT/8 pm EDT.

    1024. June 23, interview with Mark Anielski, “The Economics of Well-being”

    1023. June 15, interview with Tom Allen, “This Week in Money,” HoweStreet.com

    1022. June 13, Interview with Sinclair Noe, “Financial Review,” MoneyRadio1510.com (pre-recorded)

    1021. June 12, 2 pm, interview on Princeton Community TV, Princeton NJ, “The Public Banking Solution” with Walt McRee

    1020. June 1, interview with Sylvia Richardson, “Latin Waves” radio podcast.

    1019.  Apr. 5, interview with Phillip Watt, healbyhypnosis.com, 3 pm, PT

    1018.  April 3, panel discussion on Green New Deal, BBC World Service, “The Balance”

    1017.  March 28, interview on Thom Hartmann show.

    1016. March 22, interview with Sinclair Noe, Money Radio 1510 

    1015.  March 11, interview with Phillip Farruggio, greanvillepost.com, 11 a.m. EST

    1014.

    1013.  Feb. 9, interview with Sylvia Richardson, Latin Waves, 8 a.m. PT

    1012.  Feb. 8, interview with Kevin Barrett,  truthjihadradio, 6 pm, PST

    1011. Jan. 31, interview with Lee Camp, LeeCampComedySpecial.com

    1010.  Jan. 3, interview with Robert Stark, The Stark Truth with Robert Stark, re The Green New Deal  https://www.starktruthradio.com/?p=8534

    — 2018 —

    1009.  Dec. 17, interview with Scott Harris, WPKN radio, Bridgeport, CT, Between the Lines Radio Newsmagazine, 9:30 ET

    1008. Nov. 2, Interview with Mike Prysner on Real News Network, https://therealnews.com/stories/will-public-banking-free-la-from-wall-street

    1007. Oct. 31, interview on Real News Network, Student Debt Dogs Millenials for a Lifetime and Drags Down the Economy, https://therealnews.com/stories/student-debt-dogs-millennials-for-a-lifetime-and-drags-down-the-economy

    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.

    1004. Oct. 18, 350Marin.org, speaking along with Susan Harman, 750 Lindaro Street, San Rafael CA, 6:30pm.

    1003. Oct. 17, video interview with Abby Martin, work in progress.

    1001.  Oct. 11, Interview with Harvey Wasserman, Greenpower and Wellness, prn.fm, KPFK Los Angeles, 2 pm

    1000.  Oct. 9, speaker, State Bank Forum, University of Washington, Kane Hall, 7-9pm http://sdc.wastateleg.org/hasegawa/state-bank/

    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

    996. Oct. 1, radio interview, “The Power Hour,” www.thepowerhour.com, 2 pm

    995. Sept. 28, interview with Sinclair Noe, Money Radio 1510, pre-recorded for a later date

    994.  Sept. 20-22, California Vision 2020 Conference, speaking at 11 am on Sept 20, Sheraton Grand Hotel , Sacramento.

    993.  Sept. 10, interview with Lila Garrett on KPFK, “Connect the Dots”, http://www.kpfk.org/on-air/connect-the-dots/  7. a.m. PT

    992. Sept. 4, interview with Steve Bhaerman, Wikipolitiki Radio, wikipolitiki.com, 2 pm PT

    991. Aug. 31, interview with Kevin Barrett, truthjihadradio. 6 pm PT

    990. Aug. 26, Left Coast Forum, 1:30 pm, Los Angeles Trade Tech

    989. Aug. 22, interview, the Gary Null Show, 9:40 PST

    988. Aug. 14, podcast interview with Sarah Westall, 9 am pst/11 am cst

    987. Aug. 8, interview with Tom Allen, “This Week in Money”, HoweStreet.com

    986.  Aug. 9, interview with Sinclair Noe, Money Radio 1510, pre-recorded for a later date

    985. Aug. 3, 9-10 pm pst, radio interview with True Ott

    984. Aug 2, New York Green Party video livestream,  5 pm PST

    983.  Aug. 1, interview with Elizabeth Dougherty, The Dougherty Report, Newsradio 102.5 WFLA, 3 pm PST

    982. July 21, guest on WakingupinAmerica.com, 6:45 a.m., PDT

    981.  June 28, interview on MONEY RADIO with Sinclair Noe, 11:00 a.m., PST

    980. May 16, “It’s Our Money,” PRN.FM, 3 pm est

    979. May 16, interview with Michael Welch, Global Research, 11 am pst

    978. May 4, First Unitarian Church, Portland, power point presentation, “How Public Banking Would Benefit Portland and Oregon”, 7-9 pm

    977.  April 17, Retirement Lifestyle Advocates radio program, 1 pm PT

    976.  April 13, interview, the Gary Null Show, 9:35 a.m., PT. Subject: The Bayer-Monsanto Merger Is Bad News for the Planet.

    975. April 12 “Mind Over Matters,” KEXP, Seattle, 9 am PT 

    974. April 5, interview with Deb Hobson, KOPN 89.5  Democracy Now! Chautauqua, 4 pm PT

    973. Mar. 10-12, PBI retreat, Loveland, CO

    972.  Mar. 22 interview with Sinclair Noe, The Financial Review, Money Radio 510, 1:30 pm PST

    971.  Mar. 19, Coast to Coast AM radio, 10pm-midnight, PST

    970.  Feb. 28, interview with Ian Trottier, Miami Radio, http://iantrottier.com/, 5:15 pm EST.  Listen here, bit.ly/EllenBrownCA

    969. Jan. 23. 18th National Conference and Global Forum: The Science Business, and Education of Sustainable Infrastructure, Washington DC, panel

    968.  Jan. 20, Interview with Primo Nutmeg https://soundcloud.com/primonutmeg

    967.  Jan. 17, It’s Our Money, 3 pm est–listen here.

    966.  Jan. 17, interview with Valerie Kirkgaard, http://www.wakingupinamerica.com, 2 pm PST

    965.  Jan. 2, Interview withJeff Rense, rense.com, 9 pm PST

    — 2017 and before, see —

    Older Interviews and Presentations

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