Alternative Visions

Alternative Visions - The Great Contradiction - 07.14.17


Listen Later

Dr. Rasmus explains how the advanced capitalist economies—US, UK, Europe, Japan—have made monetary policy and their central banks the ‘only game in town’ since 2008, and provided more than $20 trillion in virtually free money to their capitalist banking systems, in effect creating a permanent subsidization of the banks since 2008. Now the Fed and other central banks are attempting to reduce the free money a little by raising interest rates and selling off their $15 trillion plus balance sheets of accumulated prior bank bailouts. Rasmus argues that having continued too long with too low rates (8 years), central banks now face a ‘grand contradiction’: they cannot raise rates or sell off very much without precipitating another crisis. He predicts a 2% federal funds rate and 3% 10 year Treasury bond rate are likely the limits. That means central banks’ solution to the last crisis, and the permanent subsidization of the banks since 2008, has created the conditions for the next crisis. Rasmus explains how and why this permanent subsidization of the banks regime has come about, including the takeover of the central banks, and their governments’ economic institutions, by the big banks themselves. Goldman Sachs now runs US economic policy from the Treasury to the Fed (and Cohn will soon replace Yellen). Rasmus challenges Yellen’s view that falling US prices are ‘transitory’ and will soon rise, and the US economy is strong, despite collapsing bank lending, government tax revenues, and stagnant prices and real wages.
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Alternative VisionsBy Progressive Radio Network

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

25 ratings


More shows like Alternative Visions

View all
Democracy Now! Audio by Democracy Now!

Democracy Now! Audio

5,807 Listeners

CounterSpin by Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting

CounterSpin

508 Listeners

Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff by Democracy at Work, Richard D. Wolff

Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff

1,986 Listeners

Behind the News with Doug Henwood by Doug Henwood

Behind the News with Doug Henwood

515 Listeners

Jacobin Radio by Jacobin

Jacobin Radio

1,460 Listeners

Ralph Nader Radio Hour by Ralph Nader

Ralph Nader Radio Hour

1,208 Listeners

The Katie Halper Show by Katie Halper

The Katie Halper Show

1,512 Listeners

Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer by Civic Ventures

Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer

1,500 Listeners

Useful Idiots with Katie Halper and Aaron Maté by Useful Idiots, LLC

Useful Idiots with Katie Halper and Aaron Maté

4,459 Listeners

Bad Faith by Briahna Joy Gray

Bad Faith

2,707 Listeners

The Socialist Program with Brian Becker by The Socialist Program

The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

560 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

16,221 Listeners

Makdisi Street by Makdisi Bros.

Makdisi Street

487 Listeners

Geopolitical Economy Report by Ben Norton

Geopolitical Economy Report

306 Listeners

The Chris Hedges Report by Chris Hedges

The Chris Hedges Report

353 Listeners