Anne asks economist Dr. Steven Hail, what do we have to fear from Project 2025? The answer might surprise you. What's more, we answer the implied question. If most of our political leaders, economists, bureaucrats etc do not understand how the monetary system works, then how is it the system works as well as it does? (Of course we could be managing our monetary system, and our economy, so they serve people and planet a lot better than they currently do.) Show Notes Project 2025 (chapter 24) Lever Time (episode 3, podcast)Project 2025 Is Even More Radical Than You Thinkproduced by Arjun Singh, 5th November 2024The Lever Time podcast is hosted by award-winning journalist, and Bernie Sanders' 2020 speechwriter, David Sirota.Modern Money Lab (events)Beyond the Deficit Myth: Money, Government and the Public Interest.A new interactive weekend seminar using Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) as a guide to economic policy analysis, institutional reform, economic development, and promoting social justice and a transition to ecological sustainability. Theme MusicPleading Ignorance, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck. Additional Audio Too Many Things, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck.The Morning Edition (podcast) with Jacqueline Maley,Inside Politics: Treasurer Jim Chalmers, 23 August 2023

For a short time, for a mere three decades, Australia came close to securing the foundations for a truly egalitarian society. Economic historians look back upon this era as "The Golden Age". Full employment was the key to this shared prosperityYet in a shocking betrayal of workers, labour activists abandoned the struggle to eliminate involuntary unemployment. Why? And can we return to a full employment economy? Show Notes The Hawke-Keating Hijack : the ALP in transition, by Dean Jaensch (book) Trove (database)Free, online collections from Australian libraries, universities, museums, galleries and archives. A collaborative effort maintained by the National Library of Australia. Reclaiming the State: A Progressive Vision of Sovereignty for a Post-Neoliberal World (book)by William Mitchell and Thomas Fazi Political Aspects of “Buffer Stock” Employmentby Peter Kriesler & Joseph Halevi, 2016 (article) Modern Monetary Theory - Bill & Warren's excellent adventure (book)by William Mitchell and Warren Mosler The Job Guarantee -- Weakening Worker Power? (article)by Michael Hiscox, Aug 22, 2020Challenge Magazine, The Magazine of the Left of the Australian Labor Party Unionists for a Job Guarantee  UFJG on facebook Theme Music Pleading Ignorance, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck Additional Audio Too Many Things, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck

Human and planetary flourishing is possible despite the multiple crises we face. One solution at our fingertips is a "full employment economy". What stands in the way of implementing this solution? Not money. We can financially afford an economy where everyone has the amount of paid work they want. Political will is the obstacle. In fact Labor are heading in the opposite direction in their efforts to increase the rate of unemployment.We speak with Owen Bennett, who believes he has found the Labor government's Achilles heel, and how to put pressure on them to live up to their name. Show Notes Australia’s Labor Movement Has Abandoned Unemployed Workers, by Owen Bennett (article)Jacobin, 30 July 2024 Participation, Job Search and Mobility, Australia(ABS publication, replaces "Persons Not in the Labour Force, Australia")"In  February 2024: 1.9 million people were not working but wanted to work" Understanding the Journey to Full Employment, by Sarah Hunter (speech)Keynote Address to the Barrenjoey Economic Forum, 11 September 2024 Episode 3, of the ABC documentary series, "Nemisis" Trove (database)Free, online collections from Australian libraries, universities, museums, galleries and archives. A collaborative effort maintained by the National Library of Australia. Full Employment (paper)ACTU congress 2024 Statement on the Conduct of Monetary PolicyThe Treasurer and the Reserve Bank Board, 8 December 2023 Modern Monetary Theory - Bill & Warren's Excellent Adventure (book)by William Mitchell and Warren Mosler The Hawke-Keating hijack: the ALP in transitionby Dean Jaensch (book) Theme MusicPleading Ignorance, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck Additional AudioToo Many Things, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck Centrelink Hold MusicSummer Stroll by Andrew Cotteedescribed as "easy swinging vintage orchestral with romantic strings & playful twiddles" Balrog Boogie, by Diablo Swing Orchestra

Can anyone explain why we have a "per capita recession"? Anne & Kev can't help noticing the government is in surplus and not spending enough of our public money, and the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is putting a high price on money. Could it be the Labor government is more interested in the optics than the actuality of being good economic managers? Could it be that interest rate decision-making isn't much more than a puritanical morality play?Anne & Kev have a good crack at both fiscal and monetary policy this hour.Show Notes "Changes to RBA Act will further entrench the depoliticisation of economic policy and reduce democratic accountability"blog entry by Professor Bill Mitchell, November 29, 2023 Modern Monetary Theory - Bill & Warren's excellent adventure (book)by William Mitchell and Warren Mosler, 2024 Theme MusicPleading Ignorance, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck. Additional AudioToo Many Things, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck.Look How High I Climb, by Nina Rose Balrog Boogie, by Diablo Swing Orchestra Brand New GirlfriendExzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Panel Participation by Michele Bullock, Governor, at the ASIC Annual Forum, Melbourne21 November 2023The Morning Edition (podcast) with Jacqueline Maley,Inside Politics: Treasurer Jim Chalmers, 23 August 2023Jim Chalmers comments on the RBA’s interest rate decisionSky New, Sep 24, 2024Reserve Bank of Australia Media Conference (RBA youtube)Media Conference – Monetary Policy Decision – 24 September 2024

If the Labor party opens the neoliberal door a crack, and the Liberal party kicks that door off its hinges, how do we fix that gaping hole through which the destructive winds of inequality and climate destablisation continue to blow? Neither of our major parties in Australia seems willing to do so.The answers are pretty straightforward. Any handyman could tell you, "it's a no-brainer". Although, the politics is not... unless we organise! ShownotesAustralia's welfare is 'breeding a nation of bludgers' amid fruit picker shortageSky News Australia, Nov 9, 2020 Theme MusicPleading Ignorance, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck. Additional AudioToo Many Things, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck.Elevator Music

With the help of Martha Knox-Haly, and John Haly, we examine the worst ever neoliberal policy that continues to inflict suffering on hundreds of thousands of Australians. Just how airy-fairy are the economics behind this policy, and how could unions and Labor governments have fallen for all this? Show Notes Fiat Socialism by Carlos García Hernández (book review) How Labour Built Neoliberalism by Elizabeth Humphrys (book) The Deficit Myth by Stephanie Kelton (book)Choosing unemployment: what of job seekers? by John Haly – (article - part 1) Choosing unemployment: what of job seekers? by John Haly (article – part 2) Inside Politics: Treasurer Jim Chalmers (podcast)The Statement on the Conduct of Monetary Policy (RBA Statement) Changes to RBA Act will further entrench the depoliticisation of economic policy and reduce democratic accountability (blogpost) Theme MusicPleading Ignorance, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck. Additional AudioToo Many Things, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck.

Mainstream economists continue to scare "monetarily sovereign" governments away from spending enough of their own currency to meet the needs of their citizens, by invoking the debt and default bogeyman. They use these bogeyman stories to keep us hobbled by unnecessary austerity policies. One such story is what happened under the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia.Even mainstream economists usually don't recommend getting rid of money altogether!Cambodia attempted to to this. Given the opportunity, would you want to get rid of money? What can the Cambodian experiment tell us about how a society functions without money?As James Rosier, student of MMT tells it, there is more to this story than meets the eye.  Show NotesModern Money Lab - Courses Geopolitical Economy Report: Debt is politicalwith Radhika Desai and Michael Hudson Theme MusicPleading Ignorance, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck. Additional AudioToo Many Things, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck.

[This episode contains content which some people might find distressing. This includes discussion of strip searches and incarceration. Please take care and use discretion.] How brave do you need to be, to be a climate activist? You don't have to be a "disrupter" like Rosie, but her story of a day in the life of a "non-violent, direct, disruptive" climate activist with Blockade Australia is gripping and encouraging. And don't forget: MMT is a description of the monetary system. It is also a framework for analysing the macro-economy. You can apply this description and tools for analysis whatever your political ideology. Show Notes Blockade AustraliaShovelling coal out of trains in the name of life!Rosie and Kat stopping a coal train Earth Matters: Blockade Australia update -- An insightful look at how the actions of Blockade Australia sit within the climate movement. Galilee Blockade, Melbourne XR Australia Mothers Rebellion Theme Music Pleading Ignorance, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck. Additional Audio Too Many Things, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck. Stop In The Name Of Love - The Supremes Full Story, Guardian, July 11 2024

One of the greatest dangers that monetary systems present to a democratic society is the phenomenon of "economic rents". Economist Phil Lawn reminds us this battle over economic rents is a century-old debate. This battle plays out in newspaper headlines about the housing crisis to this very day. And we oldies slow down to delve into Phil's unique take on the "cost to live". Show Notes Gold as a Peace CurrencyJul 8, 2024from a Q&A session with Professor Michael Hudson hosted by Karl Fitzgerald Theme MusicPleading Ignorance, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck. Additional AudioToo Many Things, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck.Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)by Marvin GayeDaryungby Charlie Needs Braces

With great power comes great responsibility, and according to heterodox economist Phil Lawn, modern money comes with the greatest power of all -- the ability to time travel.It is this ability to bring the future into the present, that has been harnessed by a few lucky individuals, such that Australia’s 47 billionaires now have more wealth than the bottom 7.7 million Australians. Billionaires in space is just a symptom of a bigger problem. Billionaires have taken control of the time machine we call modern money. It's time we wrested control back for the people who built the time machine in the first place! ShownotesWikipedia: 2024 Change Healthcare ransomware attack Oxfam Report: Inequality Kills, 2022 Theme Music Pleading Ignorance, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck. Additional Audio Too Many Things, by Ed Kuepper, from the album Starstruck. Anti Love Song by Betty Davis