depression
GRITtv: Heather McGhee: Deficit Obsession is Depression-Maker
"Saying when the economy is at its weakest we're going to put into law that we can't spend more to pick ourselves up...that's a depression-maker," says Heather McGhee of Demos. But despite warnings from economists from all over, the government in Washington, Democrats and Republicans both, remain obsessed with the deficit. Heather joins Laura in studio to grade Obama, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and of course the Ryan plan on the budget, the deficit, and the need for more stimulus.
Email this pageGRITtv: Diana Henriques: Bernie Madoff's Deadly Sins
Bernie Madoff, the infamous Wall Street Ponzi schemer who became one of the villains of the economic crisis, played on his clients' fear, not their greed. So says Diana Henriques, author of the new book Wizard of Lies. Having twice interviewed Madoff in prison, Diana notes that his personal charisma combined with Wall Street's lax regulations to create a perfect storm that wiped out his clients' wealth. Diana joins Laura in studio for a conversation about Madoff, Wall Street, and the ways ordinary people get ripped off by complex financial schemes.
GRITtv: May 5, 2011
"Saying when the economy is at its weakest we're going to put into law that we can't spend more to pick ourselves up...that's a depression-maker," says Heather McGhee of Demos. But despite warnings from economists from all over, the government in Washington, Democrats and Republicans both, remain obsessed with the deficit.Heather joins Laura in studio to grade Obama, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and of course the Ryan plan on the budget, the deficit, and the need for more stimulus.Tom Morello, Rage Against the Machine guitarist and protest singer as The Nightwatchman, was in Madison to support the workers' protest, and now his new music is inspired by those union workers. ; His new EP, Union Town, is coming out soon and its proceeds will go to support The America Votes Labor Unity Fund, but you can download this track for free now at SaveWorkers.org.
Bernie Madoff, the infamous Wall Street Ponzi schemer who became one of the villains of the economic crisis, played on his clients' fear, not their greed. So says Diana Henriques, author of the new book Wizard of Lies. Having twice interviewed Madoff in prison, Diana notes that his personal charisma combined with Wall Street's lax regulations to create a perfect storm that wiped out his clients' wealth.Diana joins Laura in studio for a conversation about Madoff, Wall Street, and the ways ordinary people get ripped off by complex financial schemes.Finally, playwright Tony Kushner has spent his career fighting
GRITtv: Nov. 3, 2010
"If there was ever a case of voting for something that is going to make the problem worse, this is it," says Thomas Frank of the 2010 midterms. We've gone from voting for Democrats to fix the economy to kicking them out in favor of Republicans calling for more of the policies that created the crisis: deregulation, tax cuts, and nebulously-defined "freedom." With those people in charge of the House, what's going to happen next?Frank joins us in studio to discuss the elections, whether what's wrong with Kansas is wrong with the rest of the country, and if this is the same Wrecking Crew with a new label, heading for more disaster.Was it Obama that caused Democrats' major midterm losses? Racism? The economy? Why was the Democratic base demoralized--failure to take on Wall Street or immigration reform? And which constituencies did come out to vote? These are all questions worth answering the morning after the Republicans take back the House with little more than inchoate rage and promises of "smaller government."Kai Wright and Steve Cobble were both with us for our special live coverage with Free Speech TV, Democracy Now! and more, and they join us in studio for some morning-after analysis--and a warning for 2012: Obama better keep his eyes on his left flank as well.
GRITtv: The F Word: Lessons from Elizabeth Warren
Which lesson will Obama take from sweeping midterm losses? The mantra from the media is move right, conciliate, bridge build. But that’s the rotten road that brought the Democrats this far. There are other voices to listen to. Robert Reich, who was part of the Clinton administration during the Gingrich Revolution of ‘94, says the media’s wrong about Clinton’s reelection. Clinton was reelected then because the economy was booming, says Reich, not because he caved in to Gingrich – although he did, to devastating effect on the Democratic base. Distributed by Tubemogul.
GRITtv: Sept. 8 2010
The oil companies' conduct in the Gulf of Mexico are the "equivalent of getting drunk on a fifth of liquor, driving 80 miles an hour through a school zone, and killing a child," says Mike Papantonio, Ring of Fire radio host and attorney representing Gulf residents in their lawsuit against BP. But despite such conduct, BP wants to keep drilling, claiming it'll cost jobs if they don't keep pumping out oil.Papantonio joins us via Skype to give us the latest on the lawsuit, the spill, and the oil--which doesn't just go away, no matter what the companies would have us believe. The Deepwater Horizon oil disaster woke many people up to the real dangers behind deep water oil drilling. Yet companies around the world are still drilling in deep water, putting us all at risk. In this video, Sim McKenna - climber and Greenpeace activist - discusses his preparations with a Greenpeace team to occupy the Stena Don oil rig in the deep water in the Arctic Ocean. Patrick Hennessey joined the British army in 2004 and served in Iraq and Afghanistan; along the way, he wrote an acclaimed book, The Junior Officers' Reading Club: Killing Time and Fighting Wars, detailing his experiences.
GRITtv: The F Word: Fighting Class War Fighting Bob Style
Obama spoke to a labor crowd in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Monday calling for new energy investment and new infrastructure. The word most people want to hear from him, of course, is jobs. Where are they going to be and when are they coming back? Wisconsin's a place where that discussion's getting very twisted. Once a solid progressive state, home of “Fighting Bob” La Follette, now it's “purple”-- and solid progressive Senators like Russ Feingold, the sole Senate vote against the PATRIOT Act, are feeling the lash this election cycle because of misplaced anger from the Tea Partiers and Republicans decrying “big government” while enjoying cash from big business.
GRITtv: Sept. 7 2010
"Class war is when you have corporations sitting on $8 billion," says Katrina vanden Heuvel of complaints from the Right, personified by John McCain's opposition to overturning the Bush tax cuts. Until the economy is back to working for everyone, until our infrastructure is no longer crumbling, it's not time to talk about tax breaks for the rich. Instead, Katrina notes, the real class war is happening in the same direction it always has--from the top down. When people like Elizabeth Warren are demonized and deficits are a point of obsession, it's not the rich who have to worry. She joins us in studio for The Nation on GRITtv to discuss. Hurricane Katrina and the BP spill have hit New Orleans with a double whammy, but the one bright side has been the opportunity to create not just new jobs for local residents, but green jobs, jobs that help the city move into a new energy future. This video from Green for All looks at just a few of the residents of the city who've found a new purpose helping weatherize homes and better their neighborhoods. The Obama administration submitted its first report on its own human rights record to the United Nations Human Rights Council, becoming the first U.S. administration to do so--the Bush administration declined to join the council.
GRITtv: Katrina vanden Heuvel: Fighting the Class War
"Class war is when you have corporations sitting on $8 billion," says Katrina vanden Heuvel of complaints from the Right, personified by John McCain's opposition to overturning the Bush tax cuts. Until the economy is back to working for everyone, until our infrastructure is no longer crumbling, it's not time to talk about tax breaks for the rich. Instead, Katrina notes, the real class war is happening in the same direction it always has--from the top down. When people like Elizabeth Warren are demonized and deficits are a point of obsession, it's not the rich who have to worry. She joins us in studio for The Nation on GRITtv to discuss.
GRITtv: Michael Hudson & Richard Wolff: Europe Under the Crunch
We've heard plenty about the recession in the U.S., but what about the rest of the world? Countries across Europe have faced budget crunches and conservative governments are using the crisis as an excuse to roll back the social safety net that most have enjoyed for decades. Many of the problems--and the solutions--sound sadly familiar. Lowered taxes on the rich and corporations, falling wages, and deregulation led to the crisis, which is being shifted onto the backs of the working class--as Michael Hudson notes, putting the class war back in business. Hudson joins us in studio, along with Richard Wolff, to discuss the economic crisis in Europe, what we can learn about the response to it and apply back at home. Here's a hint: it involves organized labor.
