Claim OwnershipAlternative Visions
Subscribed: 106Played: 2,833
Subscribe
© Copyright 2012 Progressive Radio Network. All rights reserved.
Description
Dr. Jack Rasmus will focus on today’s continuing crisis in the U.S. and global economies.
219 Episodes
Reverse
Alternative Visions - 2-6-26 - Today's show discusses the contractions in asset markets this past week and the causes underlying and potential contagion across them: AI driven S&P500 and Nasdaq stock markets, Bitcoin & Cryptos markets, and Gold and Silver markets. The current contractions vs. past 3 years performances in each are described. What's behind the February crashes. Will they now stabilize? Why more churn is coming. The real causes and risks behind the massive $700B big 7 Tech corps AI gamble underway. What's driving the gold and silver bubbles, long term and short. Second half of the show debunks claims made by Trump in his January 31 Wall St. Journal article about the state of the real US economy. Why the real data don't support his exaggerations and lies.
Gold prices are accelerating, the US dollar falling, and Trump announces a new Fed chair who will lower Fed short term rates soon. What's the effect between all three? Will the gold bubble continue? Will the dollar continue to devalue? What will lowering Fed rates mean for both? What's the connection to four decades of financialization and globalization of US capitalism. The growing contradictions (and instability) in US monetary policy is a hallmark of the current period. What does this mean for the US empire's global economy weakening?
Trump's Tariffs, Greenland Grab, and WEF Speech
The show today looks at the scope and actual results of Trump's tariffs over the past year. What are they really about. Next the latest in his grab of Greenland. What's in the 'framework' agreed to with NATO? Why it's not a pullback from US absorbing it, as the US mainstream media and libs are saying. Last, a review of Trump's speech to the WEF and especially why the US economy is not in great shape, except for speculators in gold, silver and AI bubbles. Why US GDP is much lower, jobs growth stagnant and inflation much higher than reported.
Today's show reviews recent announcements re. Big US banks record profits, highest ever, the Federal Reserve attack by Trump, and the disappearing War Powers Act. Has Trump halted his plans to attack Iran? What now with Greenland as Europe sends military contingents to that country? What about Act 2 for Venezuela? More economic and political instability coming in 2026
Alternative Visions with Jack Rasmus 1-9-26
as a follow up to last show's 'Review of US Economy 2025', this week the show makes predictions where it's headed in 2026. Topics include US GDP for next year, jobs & unemployment, Inflation (CPI & PCE), Fed interest rates (short & long term), continued devaluation of the US dollar and its consequences, direction of financial asset bubbles (gold, silver, crypto, stocks), AI investment & real business spending, government spending (defense vs social programs), budget deficits and national debt, US trade deficit. Impact of global trends (BRICS, sanctions, dollar demand, demand for US Treasuries by China, BRICS, etc. also discussed).
Today's show reviews the performance of the US economy the past year. Topics covered include actual inflation, jobs and likely GDP numbers. Special focus on Trump's 2 main economic initiatives: the $5 trillion tax cut package and Trump tariffs offensive. What have been the actual impact of both thus far? Likely impact in 2026 and beyond? Trump monetary policy browbeating the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates. Why neither corporate cost reduction via tax cuts and interest rate cuts will have much effect on the real economy. Contradictions in 21st century US capitalism that negate stimulative effects of fiscal and monetary policies. Trump record on war spending and social program spending. US Deficits, National Debt, and interest payments 2025. State of AI investing and financial bubbles (tech stocks, gold-silver, cryptos). What's the Trump record on the trade deficit, FDI financial flows, and US dollar.
Today's show focuses on the details and directions for the US Empire revealed in Trump's just released 'National Security Strategy of the USA' document. Is the US Empire re-orienting and restructuring? IF so where? A detailed look and analysis of the document, including its new priority and focus on the Western Hemisphere, a longer term focus on Asia-China-Taiwan, and its criticism of Europe and NATO. The document confirms Trump economic and geopolitical policies to date, where it's going next three years, and predictions previously made on this radio show. The show also reviews key economic and political events of the past week. (Notice: next week's show will focus on our annual review of the US & global economy in 2025).
The latest trends in US financial asset bubbles (cryptos, gold-silver, Stocks, AI) and what's happening in the real US economy 4th quarter: latest consumer spending stats, manufacturing PMIs, GDP forecasts, etc. Trump moves to boost auto and drug company profits. Will the Fed cut rates in December? Real GDP now flat or declining. Show then discusses latest Europe efforts to grab $160B Russian assets to fund Ukraine and why it's failing. Germany's remilitarization and AfD anti-war party's popularization. Latest Trump-Russia negotiations and anti-corruption moves against Zelensky government. Show concludes with US statistics showing US defense spending 2025 in excess of $2 trillion a year and projected to rise another $.5 trillion under Trump by 2027.
Today's show goes into more depth discussion on the topic of financial asset bubbles churning in recent days: Bitcoin, Gold, Stocks, AI as cryptos fall 30% and warnings appear in high places (Dimon, Google, etc) about AI bubble. Hedge funds, auto, credit cards, CRE, private credit, bankruptcies, junk bonds, leveraged loans, etc. in trouble. The show updates latest Ukraine war with Trump's new 28 pt. Plan and Venezuela attack approaches. No invasion a la Vietnam but bombing, regime change, decapitation strikes likely.
How debt and securitization in US property (CRE, etc) is creating classic 2008 bust potential. Financial markets volatility sign of bubble top? Latest data on US real economy. Venezuela as Trump's 3rd War. Will US invade? Likely scenarios next 60 days. Venezuela, Russia, China responses? California-Texas gerrymandering as harbinger of more US democracy decline. Mamdani's NY victory
Four events of the past week as the US economy slides to recession: Fed cuts rate 2nd time; Won't any more until spring 2026. Govt shutdown will go longer. Jobs picture is much worse than it appears as more companies announce mass layoffs. Financial asset bubbles (S&P, gold, cryptos) continue volatility. Trump's token trade deals with China and So. Korea
Today's show discusses the Four financial bubbles now growing same time: Gold prices doubled last18 months. Bitcoin up 160%+. S&P, Dow, Nasdaq stock markets up more than 50%. What's driving it? AI, US sanctions, -10% fall of the US dollar, and global economic slowdown. Show explains AI boom and stocks surge due to speculative investing in just 7 largest Tech corps. AI boom now 17X larger than 2000 Internet boom. AI responsible for 80% of stock markets surge. Tech investment 90% of 2025 first half US GDP. Take away AI and US economy, first half 2025 GDP grows only 0.1%. When will any of the four bubbles burst? Will any one take down the other three?
Consumer spending = 2/3s US economy but now hitting a wall. After tax wages down 50% in 2025 from 2024. Botton 1/3 households income gains lowest since 2016. Top 10% households (>$250k/yr) now account for 49% of all consumer spending. Will worsen as unemployment surges, inflation resumes, and $1T in health ACA & Medicaid subsidies for 22.4m ends. Why Fed 0.25% token rate cut won't help. Show next discusses how US presidents become multimillionaires after they leave office. And why Trump & the Empire now shifting tariff and sanctions policies toward India and the BRICS. (Next week: what's the Empire's 'Clean Break' policy shift recommendations about?)
Today's show discusses several economic reports indicating US economy is entering a period of instability. Labor Dept. reports 911,000 fewer jobs were created March 24-March 25 (before summer jobs crash) than were reported by its monthly jobs reports; Consumer prices rising again since April (especially services); US Census Bureau reports household real incomes (averages and median) have not changed since 2019 except for the wealthiest 5% households; US poverty levels back up to 2019 levels; 27 million still without any health insurance (before Trump cuts to Medicaid and ACA take effect). The show also comments on the popular uprising occurring in France (as Europe starts cutting social benefits to pay for military expansions and Ukraine). And concludes with what's behind the media hype that Russia has attacked Poland with drones.
Latest jobs report shows Employment is no longer a 'lagging' indicator. Summer jobs (last 3 mos) virtually stagnant at 12k per mo. Total unemployment 8.1% officially (U-6). Inflation higher than 2.7% official number (4%) and real wages barely growing 1-1.5% when 50m part time/temp/gig workers included. Review of Europe's economy shows major Europe economies now contracting or stagnant (Germany, UK, France). Entire EU area GDP stalled at 0.1% (officially and actually contracting). Europe trade head says EU can't afford to buy $750 billion of US oil and gas per recent US-EU trade deal; US producers say can't drill that much as well. What next for Trump's US-EU trade deal? Main reason why Trump has sent US naval taskforce to Venezuela.
US Mainstream Media and politicians keep saying US 'defense' spending annual is about $850 billion. Why that's just an initial budget proposal and just for Pentagon spending. Today's show shows what US annual actual defense (e.g. war) spending is $2 trillion a year. The show then reviews the condition of the USA and EU economies and why GDPs are much lower than reported. A quick review of emerging global conflicts is also reported in Venezuela, Armenia-Iran, India, etc.
Why Trump is now stacking the Federal Reserve bank's ranks of 7 Governors and threatening Fed chair Powell to force lower Fed interest rates. Why rates will start lowering in September. Why US monetary policy has been broken since 2008 due to changes in 21st century capitalism. The second half of the show discusses Texas and California's pissing match to further gerrymander the US House of Representatives which is already 90% non-competitive. The show discusses why the latest bout of gerrymandering is only part of a bigger picture of decline of US democratic institutions and practices since 2000. Concluding the show, what are the main takeaways of Trump's meetings last week with Putin in Alaska and with European leaders and Zelensky in Washington last Monday?
Today's show addresses key strategic questions in the Ukraine war post-Alaska Trump-Putin meeting: What are the strategic objectives of Trump, Putin, and Ukraine-Europe in the wake of the Putin-Trump meeting? Why are the US neocons+Europe+Zelensky opposed to any compromise settlement to the war? Who are the Neocons (Deep State) enabling the Europe-Zelensky opposition to ending the war? Why did Trump cancel his draconian sanctions (due Aug 8) and shift from 'ceasefire first' to a compromise settlement with Russia and a general 'peace deal'? What's the Europe strategy now? Putin's? Dr. Rasmus also revisits his early 2025 prediction that the Ukraine army will begin to collapse along several fronts by November 2025 due to insufficient reserves and multiple Russian tactical encirclements.
Today's show discusses what's behind the announcement that Trump and Putin will meet next friday in Alaska. Will it mean the beginning of the end of the Ukraine War? Why not. Why Trump sent his envoy, Witkoff, to Moscow to meet with Putin for 3 hrs last week. What will Zelensky, the Europeans and US neocons—all who want war to continue—will now do. Also discussed: Trump's phony corporate & foreign govt announcements they'll invest trillions in US economy + Israel's announcement it will occupy all of GAZA + US raises bounty on head of Maduro, Venezuela'ls president Maduro to $50 million. (for print version analysis of the Trump-Putin meeting read my article of same title on my blog, http://jackrasmus.com)
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States
Truly outstanding Episode and a must hear Episode to understand what is going on and what is coming. The 3 body problem = Economic, Politics and Covid. And the man behind it.
Great podcast about true state of US politics and economics.