Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff
Democracy at Work, Richard D. Wolff
Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff is a weekly nationally syndicated program produced by Democracy at Work and hosted by Richard D. Wolff. The program explores complex economic issues and empowers listeners with information to analyze not only their own financial situation but the economy at large. Beyond focusing a critical eye on the economic dimensions of everyday life - wages, jobs, taxes, debts, interest rates, prices, and profits - the program also explores systemic solutions to our economy's problems including alternative ways to organize production and distribution of the goods and services we all depend on.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 14, 2019 • 29min
Economic Update: Economics of Conflicted Mothers
Updates on the government shutdown's very important lessons, US teachers oppose a declining capitalism imposing its costs on the people, and firing the big banksters leaves our big bank problems unsolved. Interview with journalist Julianna Forlano on economic costs and effects of a working mom in US capitalism today.
Feb 7, 2019 • 29min
Economic Update: Police and Policing in the US
Prof. Wolff presents updates on (1) the US public education crisis (teacher strikes, declining quality, insufficient resources) and how it undermines the US's economic future, (2) the absurdity of the government shutdown over an ineffective wall and a tiny portion of the government's budget, and (3) how the schools crisis and the shutdown signal a larger social decline. The second part of the show features an interview with Professor Alex Vitale on his book, The End of Policing, and why US police have grown and changed their functions so drastically in recent decades.
Jan 31, 2019 • 29min
Economic Update: Socialism From Past to Future
On this episode of Economic Update, Prof. Wolff begins with socialism's history especially in the US: from being widely discussed up to 1945, then repressed in the Cold War, and now vigorously revived since 2008. He then examines socialism's basic economic criticism of capitalism in the 20th century. And finally, he shows how and why the socialism emerging now is new and different.
Jan 24, 2019 • 29min
Economic Update: Yellow Vests and Tax Reform
Updates on "yellow vests" spread to UK, book Dying for a Paycheck, the bail-in scam, paying for airplane seat assignments, and postal banking. Major discussions of tax reforms needed and deserved and gentrification as a market injustice.
Jan 17, 2019 • 29min
Economic Update: Politicians Faking it
Updates on Luxembourg making all public transport free, Europe evading US sanctions on Iran, Saudi Arabia sleaze deals with Trump, Deutsche Bank corruption massive, Pompeo's anti-China strategy contradicts Trump "nationalism." Interview with journalist Bob Hennelly on politicians betraying workers' and local citizens' needs.
Jan 10, 2019 • 29min
Economic Update: Ecosocialism
Updates on New York City council votes minimum wage for ride-hailing drivers (Uber, Lyft, etc.), Trump store is 85% goods made abroad, charter school teachers strike in Chicago, contradictions in US-China trade war, VW ends gas car production in favor of electric in evasion of need for mass transit. Interview Victor Wallis author of Red-Green Revolution: The Politics and Technology of Ecosocialism.
Jan 3, 2019 • 29min
Economic Update: Capitalism - Slow-motion Implosion?
Canada cuts corp tax cuts in race to bottom, Macron pleases business but outrages French people, Italy's new gov't budget provides for its people, Hillary Clinton joins right in scapegoating immigrants, and how "quantitative easing" policy after 2008 crash made the rich richer. Interview with Dr Harriet Fraad on psychological implications of the US mid-term elections.
Dec 27, 2018 • 29min
Economic Update: Capitalism - Changed by its Contradictions
Updates on poverty in California, childhood obesity in US, economic fallout from (real meaning of) Trump steel tariff. Prof Wolff responds to questions by explaining how US politics has sustained US capitalism and what the politics of change will require.
Dec 20, 2018 • 29min
Economic Update: What Elections Hide
Updates on LA vote on public bank; contradictions of Trump's "nationalism;" big business criticism of tariffs; corporations like 7-Eleven use immigration crisis for profits. Major discussion: the urgent social issues that elections ignore or hide.
Dec 20, 2018 • 15min
EU Extra: Kali Akuno
Prof. Wolff continues his interview with the co-founder of Cooperation Jackson, Kali Akuno, on the Mississippi development project focused on worker co-op.
