Macro N Cheese

17/02/2024

** If you haven’t yet come to our Tuesday night listening party, this is the week to do so. Join the Real Progressives community as we dive in and discuss this episode. The registration link is posted on our Events Calendar prior to each Tuesday’s session — it’s usually up by Saturday. Look for Macro ‘n Chill. https://realprogressives.org/rp-events-calendar/

This week Steve talks with our friend, economist Fadhel Kaboub. Followers of this podcast will recognize some of the themes we regularly focus on, including the debt trap facing countries of the global South, and the need for climate action and transformative economic development. Current plans under consideration are extractive and paternalistic, continuing the patterns of colonial exploitation.

At the root of the external debt problem are three major structural issues: food deficits, energy deficits, and manufacturing deficits. Fadhel breaks down each of these problems, tracing the origins and suggesting how solutions will benefit not just Africa and the global South, but the international working class.

“So, the type of thinking that we need to have today is one of two options. Do we work towards reforming this global economic architecture that was designed for these purposes? Or do we build a parallel, alternative economic architecture from the ground up? I'm of the opinion that the countries that dominate the current economic architecture will fight to death to keep their supremacy.”

Steve and Fadhel also discuss MMT, degrowth, and the job guarantee. They look at the role China could play in Africa.

Fadhel Kaboub is an associate professor of economics at Denison University (on leave), and the president of the Global Institute for Sustainable Prosperity. He is also a member of the Independent Expert Group on Just Transition and Development and serves as senior advisor with Power Shift Africa.

on Twitter

https://realprogressives.org/podcast_episode/episode-264-deconstructing-the-colonial-archetype-with-fadhel-kaboub

Economist Fadhel Kaboub talks about Africa and the global South, including issues of external debt, food deficits, energy deficits, and manufacturing deficits.

16/02/2024

What is Agenda 2063 and how do we activate it? Full episode Deconstructing the Colonial Archetype w/ Fadhel Kaboub will be released Sat. 2/17 @ 8 am ET!

15/02/2024

Check out our latest episode State of the Not So Free Press ft. Mickey Huff on YouTube!

Macro N Chill w M. Huff - State of the NOT SO Free Press

10/02/2024

“We've been trying to get people to stop saying ‘mainstream media.’ I’ve got to do it now too, for the same reason that you just described: because there's nothing mainstream about 90 percent of the media being controlled by 6 private, for-profit corporations or 5 other big tech companies. There's nothing mainstream, or Main Street, about the ideas and the views that they platform. It's corporate media or establishment legacy press, and then there's independent media which means very little.” — Mickey Huff

Project Censored was founded by a communications and sociology professor in the 1970s. He asked himself how it was that Richard Nixon was elected by a landslide despite ample coverage of his misdeeds and corruption in the independent alternative media. And why did it take so long for the establishment press to catch up?

Steve’s guest Mickey Huff discusses the work of Project Censored today and the current state of the press. They talk about how the corporate media's coverage is based on American exceptionalism and propaganda efforts, as well as the receding role of independent local outlets. They emphasize the importance of critical media literacy and how the media landscape has become more complicated with the rise of social media. They touch on the influence of big tech and billionaires on the media, and look at it as another example of corporate exploitation of workers.

Mickey Huff is an educator, radio broadcast producer/host, podcaster, author/editor, the current director of Project Censored, and the president of the nonprofit Media Freedom Foundation. Since 2009, he has coedited the annual volume of the Censored book series and has contributed numerous chapters to these works since 2008. His most recent books include United States of Distraction: Media Manipulation in Post-Truth America (and what we can do about it), co-authored with Nolan Higdon, and Project Censored’s State of the Free Press In 2024, co-edited with Andy Lee Roth. Mickey is currently a professor of social science, history, and journalism at Diablo Valley College where he co-chairs the History Area and is chair of the Journalism Department.

https://www.projectcensored.org

On Twitter:



https://realprogressives.org/podcast_episode/episode-263-state-of-the-not-so-free-press-with-mickey-huff

Steve’s guest is Mickey Huff, director of Project Censored & president of Media Freedom Foundation

10/02/2024

Acknowledging the uphill battle to transform society on a grand scale while balancing personal hope and collective action as Bill Mitchell explains.



Full episode: https://realprogressives.org/podcast_episode/episode-241-the-mmt-lens-with-bill-mitchell/

Let's discuss humanity's challenges in the face of the military-industrial complex and the banking system. Steve Grumbine and Bill Mitchell talk about the im...

09/02/2024

Corporate media is rooted in propaganda & American exceptionalism. Full episode State of the Not So Free Press ft. Mickey Huff of Project Censored will be released Sat. 2/10 @ 8 am ET!

07/02/2024

How Are We Going to Pay For It with Geoff Ginter, Yeva Nersisyan and Rohan Grey. Join us for the video premiere tonight at 7 pm ET! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDYDcfkYnaE

“...the question of how to pay for it is a very complicated question but has much less to do with money than it does to do with social structure and industri...

05/02/2024

Degrowth, the concept of a sustainable future, and the negative role of profit in our economic system as explained by MMT economist Bill Mitchell.


Full episode: https://realprogressives.org/podcast_episode/episode-241-the-mmt-lens-with-bill-mitchell/

Steve Grumbine mentions the value system of sustainability and the need to impose that value system through the lens of Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) to degro...

03/02/2024

“...the question of how to pay for it is a very complicated question but has much less to do with money than it does to do with social structure and industrial structure. And the quicker we can get away from centering the taxpayer as the goose that holds the golden egg money and more towards the questions of labor and industrial structure that are really going to affect how we provide healthcare, I think we're going to be in a better place.” — Rohan Grey

In 2022, Real Progressives helped our coalition partners, March for Medicare for All, organize a three-day educational summit on the healthcare crisis in the US. This week’s episode is from the panel we put together on paying for national improved Medicare for All, featuring Geoff Ginter, Yeva Nersisyan, and Rohan Grey.

The panelists discuss:

The meaning of currency user vs currency creator
The money story and order of operations
Financial restraints vs resource constraints
The importance of deficit spending
Private vs public investment and inflationary constraints
Potential impact of policies on the economy
The truth about the so-called national debt

Specific to Medicare for All, they address the problem of transitioning workers out of administrative jobs in the insurance industry. They explain why Medicare for All is likely to be deflationary rather than inflationary. And they look to history to suggest ways of attracting healthcare workers to underserved locations.

Geoffrey Ginter is a New Jersey based certified medical assistant, activist, and MMT evangelist.

Yeva Nersisyan is an associate professor of economics at Franklin and Marshall College and a research scholar at the Levy Economics Institute at Bard College.

Rohan Grey is an Assistant Professor of Law at Willamette University and the founder and president of the Modern Money Network. MintTheCoin.org

on Twitter

https://realprogressives.org/podcast_episode/episode-262-how-are-we-gonna-pay-for-it/

A panel on MMT’s answer to the question “how will we pay for Medicare for All?” Geoff Ginter, activist and healthcare worker; Yeva Nersisyan, an associate professor of economics; Rohan Grey, an assistant professor of Law.

03/02/2024

Navigate the intricate relationship between climate and social change as explained by Bill Mitchell.



Full episode: https://realprogressives.org/podcast_episode/episode-241-the-mmt-lens-with-bill-mitchell/

Delve into the challenges posed by the current pace of social change and the need for society to adapt quickly to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Eco...

01/02/2024

Can we pay enough doctors to provide ? Full ep. will be released Sat. 2/3 @ 8 am ET!

31/01/2024

Mission: Inflation w/ Warren Mosler and Steve Grumbine. Join us tonight at 7 pm ET for the video premiere!

This podcast’s followers know we cover a range of topics from political theory to international events, but at some point, we always circle back to Modern Mo...

27/01/2024

**Transcripts and “extras” are available for each episode of Macro N Cheese on our website: https://realprogressives.org/macro-n-cheese-podcast/

This podcast’s followers know we cover a range of topics from political theory to international events, but at some point, we always circle back to Modern Monetary Theory.

This interview with Warren Mosler was originally recorded for “Let’s Get Ready to Grumble,” Steve’s show on Status Coup.

As with any Mosler episode, this one is appropriate for both MMT newcomers and old-timers. They discuss interest rates, inflation, and the money supply. Warren goes over the key principles of MMT, emphasizing that government spending precedes taxation as well as the role of taxation itself.

The conversation also touches on rising fuel prices and the role of Saudi Arabia as monopoly supplier setting the price of oil.

Warren Mosler is an American economist and theorist, and one of the leading voices in the field of Modern Monetary Theory (MMT). Presently, Warren resides on St. Croix, in the US Virgin Islands. An entrepreneur and financial professional, Warren has spent the past 40 years gaining an insider’s knowledge of monetary operations.

on Twitter

https://realprogressives.org/podcast_episode/episode-261-mission-inflation-with-warren-mosler

Warren Mosler looks at inflation, taxation, and government spending through the lens of MMT.

27/01/2024

It was true 130 years ago and it's true now: Democratic control of finance & production would serve human need over capitalist greed as economist Jason Hickel explains.



Link to full episode: https://realprogressives.org/podcast_episode/episode-236-the-double-objective-of-democratic-ecosocialism-with-jason-hickel/

It was true 130 years ago and it's true now: Democratic control of finance & production would serve human need over capitalist greed as economist Jason Hicke...

26/01/2024

Biden doubled down on Trump's tariffs on lumber! Join us Sat. 1/27 @ 8 am ET for the full episode Mission: Inflation w/ Warren Mosler.

24/01/2024

Practical Applications w/ the Blockchain Socialist. Join us for the video premiere tonight at 7 pm ET!

When we hear the term “blockchain,” we immediately think of libertarians and capitalists. Crypto bros. They have been dominating that space but they don’t ho...

20/01/2024

When we hear the term “blockchain,” we immediately think of libertarians and capitalists. Crypto bros. They have been dominating that space but they don’t hold a monopoly on it, and our guest, Joshua Dávila, AKA The Blockchain Socialist, refuses to cede the ground. In this episode he and Steve discuss the need for bridging the gap between technical knowledge and social understanding because blockchain technology can be a valuable organizing tool for socialists.

Joshua suggests creating collective wallets and experimenting with democratic input in economic institutions as a starting point. He also speaks of the potential of blockchain technology in creating a new economic system that challenges the existing power structures.

The space of what is economically possible is much wider than many realize. (As MMTers, we agree.) Joshua believes the tools provided by digital systems can be used to create post-capitalist systems that compete with the existing globalized digital economy. He challenges the notion that the tools used in libertarian economic systems cannot be leveraged for post-capitalist ones.

Check out his blog, The Blockchain Socialist.

Joshua Dávila is an author, expert on blockchain technology, and the creator of The Blockchain Socialist blog and podcast. His book, Blockchain Radicals: How Capitalism Ruined Crypto and How to Fix It, was published in 2023. https://theblockchainsocialist.com/

on Twitter

https://realprogressives.org/podcast_episode/episode-260-practical-applications-with-joshua-davila-the-blockchain-socialist

When we hear the term “blockchain,” we immediately think of libertarians and capitalists. Crypto bros. They have been dominating that space but they don’t hold a monopoly on it, and our guest, Joshua Dávila, AKA The Blockchain Socialist, refuses to cede the ground. In this episode he and Stev...

20/01/2024

Bill Mitchell provides insights into the compatibility between Modern Monetary Theory and strategies for reducing reliance on mass consumption and promoting sustainability. Mitchell emphasizes that MMT is agnostic and serves as a lens for understanding the capacities of a currency-issuing government.



Link to full episode: https://realprogressives.org/podcast_episode/episode-241-the-mmt-lens-with-bill-mitchell/

Bill Mitchell provides insights into the compatibility between Modern Monetary Theory and strategies for reducing reliance on mass consumption and promoting ...

19/01/2024

https://twitter.com/sdgrumbine/status/1748172452486684685?t=-8k5_vKlSnyPbzLkpOHwqg&s=19

19/01/2024

Blockchain can create a more autonomous infrastructure w/ Joshua Davila, the Blockchain Socialist. Full episode will be released Sat. 1/20 @ 8 am ET!

16/01/2024

https://twitter.com/sdgrumbine/status/1747243289055559849?t=nhXAXDrB-ZHLjkB6r0wH-A&s=19

15/01/2024

https://twitter.com/sdgrumbine/status/1746872779264135488?t=pT9y8kVBfsA15H5FAMyueQ&s=19

15/01/2024

https://twitter.com/sdgrumbine/status/1746765601484255504?t=w-s1JOMZV6CNUbYfYWJKZQ&s=19

15/01/2024

https://twitter.com/sdgrumbine/status/1746730491011649593?t=cuW1gSeN6C1FQRufd9T3yw&s=19

13/01/2024

One of the many exciting things about a federal job guarantee is its transformative potential in reshaping society's understanding of work and value. It can provide a dignified job for people in every possible situation with every ability and disability. Of course that’s not all we love about the FJG. In this episode, Tyler Emerson and Steve also discuss the job guarantee’s preventative possibilities in tackling social and environmental crises.

Tyler is one of the younger generation of MMT scholars. He works with our good friend Pavlina Tcherneva at the Economic Democracy Initiative (EDI). We recommend everyone check out their website, jobguarantee.org

The conversation touches on the idea of money as a public resource and the need to challenge the mentality of scarcity that dominates society. The job guarantee will address poverty and provide opportunities for individuals to have agency and dignity in their work.

Tyler Emerson is an economist working as a research assistant for the OSUN Economic Democracy Initiative at Bard College in New York’s Hudson Valley. His research on the link between unemployment and disability culminated in his thesis The Job Guarantee as it Relates to People with Disabilities. Tyler's area of interest continues to be the history and future of people with disabilities in the American labor force and how macroeconomic and sociological trends affect their economic position.



https://realprogressives.org/podcast_episode/episode-259-redefining-work-with-tyler-emerson

Tyler Emerson of the Economic Democracy Initiative talks about the transformative potential of a voluntary job guarantee and challenging the scarcity mentality.

12/01/2024

A Job Guarantee Makes Public Life More Accessible to Disabled People w/ Tyler Emerson. Join us for the full episode Sat. 1/13 @ 8 am ET!

10/01/2024

Wall Street's War on Workers w/ Les Leopold. Join us for the video premiere tonight at 7 pm ET!

Before the 1980s, mass layoffs were often tied to economic recessions. Today, they are shrewd corporate strategy. Modern mass layoffs are connected to levera...

06/01/2024

**Every Tuesday evening, Real Progressives hosts a virtual listening party for the current episode of Macro N Cheese. All are invited to join our informal discussion where we share insights on the topic at hand. If someone has questions, we will help find the answers. Get the registration link each week by visiting our events calendar: https://realprogressives.org/rp-events-calendar/

Before the 1980s, mass layoffs were often tied to economic recessions. Today, they are shrewd corporate strategy. Modern mass layoffs are connected to leveraged buyouts or stock buybacks. Steve’s guest, Les Leopold, explains how the process works and how it came to be through the maneuverings of Wall Street and the two political parties.

Les is the author of Wall Street’s War on Workers. He and Steve talk about the very real impact on people’s lives, from the coal miners of Mingo County, West Virginia, to Steve’s personal struggles after Verizon’s 2009 lay-offs. They discuss organizing, the value of a job guarantee, and intersectionality within a class analysis.

Les Leopold is executive director of the Labor Institute, which he co-founded in 1976. He has written several books on the finance sector’s looting of America. His upcoming book, Wall Street’s War on Workers, is being published by Chelsea Green Publishing. Follow his substack:
https://substack.com/

on Twitter

https://realprogressives.org/podcast_episode/episode-258-wall-streets-war-on-workers-with-les-leopold

Steve talks with Les Leopold of the Labor Institute, author of the forthcoming “Wall Street’s War on Workers”

05/01/2024

Wall Street Drives Mass Layoffs ft. Les Leopold

31/12/2023

Degrowth has been misrepresented. Fadhel Kaboub is here to set the record straight. The union of MMT and degrowth is the glimmer of hope we need for the new year.



Link to full Macro N Cheese episode: https://realprogressives.org/podcast_episode/episode-254-impact-climate-reparations-with-fadhel-kaboub/

Degrowth has been misrepresented. Fadhel Kaboub is here to set the record straight. The union of MMT and degrowth is the glimmer of hope we need for the new ...