• About
  • Documentary Films
  • Index
  • Nota bene
  • Protect and Serve
  • Readings

Lumpenproletariat

~ free speech

Lumpenproletariat

Tag Archives: NATO

Flashpoints Presents 2016 U.S. Presidential Election Post Mortem with John Pilger

09 Wed Nov 2016

Posted by ztnh in Anti-Fascism, Anti-Imperialism, Democracy Deferred, Free Speech, Political Science, Presidential Election 2016

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Bernie Sanders, Dennis Bernstein, Donald John Trump (b. 1946), Dr. Jill Stein, Dr. Stephen F. Cohen (b. 1938), Flashpoints, Hillary Rodham Clinton, John Pilger (b. 1939), KPFA, NATO, neoliberalism, Obama administration, Pacifica Radio Network, Senator Bernie Sanders, transcript

423px-john_pilger_in_august_2011LUMPENPROLETARIAT  Admittedly, we were all stunned by the electoral defeat of neoliberal Hillary Rodham Clinton last night, even those of us who didn’t vote for her.  Of course, we must have a complete ballot audit and confirm the ballot counts.  And with this, another presidential election in which the loser is the candidate with the most votes from the people, we must ask ourselves: When will we finally do away with the antiquated Electoral College?

In any event, we must open up our political discourse beyond the neoliberal status quo, which is hoisted upon us by the antidemocratic collusion between the Democratic and Republican parties, which preserves the corporate domination of government and the war profiteering military-industrial complex, which has possessed our military.  To help us do this, veteran award-winning journalist John Pilger has joined Flashpoints host Dennis Bernstein on free speech radio for a much-needed post mortem on this glorious occasion of the splendid defeat.  Listen (and/or download) here. [1]

Messina

***

[Working draft transcript of actual radio broadcast by Messina for Lumpenproletariat and Flashpoints.]

FlashpointsLOGO19-300x225FLASHPOINTS—[9 NOV 2016]  “Today on Flashpoints, a special post election edition with legendary award-winning filmmaker, columnist, author John Pilger.  Call it a view from Europe.  I’m Dennis Bernstein.  All this, straight ahead on Flashpoints.  Stay tuned.  [theme music continues]

DENNIS BERNSTEIN:  “In Berkeley, I’m Dennis Bernstein.  You’re listening to Flashpoints on Pacifica Radio.

“Well, Donald J. Trump [laughs] will be the next president of the United States, despite his long history of stiffing workers and project partners, a host of bankruptcies, evidence that he’s a serial abuser of women, and amidst revelations that the alleged billionaire didn’t pay income taxes for some 18 years.  Indeed, a whole bunch of liberal and Democratic folks are scratching their heads as to how it could be that Trump beat back the Clinton machine, that out-fundraised Trump by many times.

“Joining us to talk about this on this special edition of Flashpoints is a good friend of this programme, a filmmaker, columnist, writer, government critic, critic of all governments, John Pilger.  He was born in Sydney.  And he is now based in London.  Pilger has reported from all over the world, covering numerous wars, notably Vietnam.  When he was in his 20s, he became the youngest journalist to receive Britain’s highest award for journalism; that’s the Journalist of the Year.  He got that twice.  He’s won an Emmy.  He’s done a lot of other work.  His most recent book is Hidden Agendas and the New Rules of the World.  And he has a piece, that’s going around now:  ‘Inside the Invisible Government: War, Propaganda, Clinton, and Trump’.

“John Pilger, welcome back to Flashpoints.”  (c. 2:32)

john-pilger-vintage-photo-flashpoints-9-nov-2016-kpfa-org

John Richard Pilger (born 9 October 1939), journalist

JOHN PILGER:  “Thank you, Dennis.  It’s very good to be back.”

DENNIS BERNSTEIN:  “Well, it’s good to have you with us.  And I’m gonna ask you later on about the new film, which I’m very excited about.”

JOHN PILGER:  “M-hm.”

DENNIS BERNSTEIN:  “But let’s begin with last night’s victory over Clinton by Trump.  Were you surprised?  What do you think was at the core of the Trump victory?” (c. 2:50)

JOHN PILGER:  “Do you know I wasn’t surprised?  Brexit, undoubtedly, helped this.  I wasn’t surprised.  I think I’m quite surprised by how decisive his victory is.  But I must say I felt rather angry.  And I think we probably expended enough anger on Trump.  He’ll, no doubt, provide us with plenty of material coming up.

“But I think it’s time for people, so-called liberal people, to look in the mirror.  Who created Trump?  Who created this disastrous election, so-called campaign.  In my opinion, the enablers of all this was the liberal class in the United States.

“The liberal class has refused to acknowledge, in its arrogance, the huge disaffection and discontent among ordinary people, and painting them in such broad strokes, as being—what did Clinton call them? Deplorables?  And irredeemable?”

DENNIS BERNSTEIN:  “Yes.”

JOHN PILGER:  “It’s really disgraceful.”

DENNIS BERNSTEIN:  “That’s my father.”

JOHN PILGER:  “And—

DENNIS BERNSTEIN:  “That’s my father.”

JOHN PILGER:  “—you know, Clinton was an extremely dangerous prospect, dangerous because she represented a war-making, rapacious status quo.  The status quo would have, actually, altered slightly under her.  It’s my understanding—in fact, I believe—that she might have provoked a very major war over Syria and with Russia.

“We don’t know what Trump will do.  We have to, now—putting aside all the parodies and the abuse—we have to, now, be thinking in terms of the practicalities.  He’s running the show?  What will he do?

“But I think before we do that, again, we have to reflect on all the myths.  I heard a Harvard professor on the BBC, on the very night before the count began, talk about the hard left in the Democratic Party and how she would have to embrace the idea of Bernie Sanders and what he stood for.  You know, this kind of drivel and misrepresentation has been everywhere.  The media, personally—and I’m speaking of journalists—produced, probably, the most unfettered propaganda I can remember at any time.  In my career, this has been the worst.

“There was no serious attempt to really analyse and examine either candidate and what they stood for.  Trump was dismissed as a demon, with all the salacious stuff around him—undoubtedly, some of it true and all of that.  But he was a serious candidate.  He was never analysed.  And that’s why there’s a great surprise and a great shock.  And it’s something, that liberal America has to start coming to terms with itself.

“We had Barack Obama presented seriously as a candidate of hope and real change.  He was nothing of the kind.  He was, in fact, a warmonger.  He’s got four wars going at once.  He conducted an international terrorist campaign using drones.  He has prosecuted more whistleblowers than any president in American history.

“And, you know, when you think of Trump’s disgraceful remarks about throwing people out of the country and building a wall, who is the deporter-in-chief?  The liberal Barack Obama.  He has deported more people than any other president.

“So, all of these facts have been lost.  And they represent a real crisis for the opposition in the United States, the broad opposition.  Barack Obama’s great achievement was that he killed off the anti-war movement [and the Occupy Movement] because people, doe-eyed from the beginning, thought that Barack Obama was some kind of genuine inspirational liberal, instead of the warmonger, that he is.

“I think those—there’s a lot of people, who are going to be listening to your programme.  They need to hear this, so that there’s a real opposition to Trump and to what he’s going to do—we don’t know what he’s going to do—but, also, an understanding of his constituency.  The majority of Americans eligible to vote voted for him.  That’s a fact, that has to be come to terms with, we have to come to terms with.”  (c. 8:13)

[snip]  (c. 26:50)

JOHN PILGER:  “I don’t know.  I mean he’s said contradictory things on the Middle East, very contradictory.  He’s been bellicose, in one sense.  But, in another, he’s been a thread, that has run through Trump’s speeches.  And that is that he wants to do a deal with Russia.  He doesn’t want to fight them.  It’s ironic because, as we speak—and I read only the other day—the hundreds of thousands of NATO troops, American, British, and others, in effect, massing on the borders of Russia.  Now, what will happen to them?  What will happen to that provocation?  That’s a very, very dangerous provocation.

“Now, will Trump defuse it?  Will he step back?  I don’t know.  It’s interesting; he has spoken against NATO.  In fact, for the Republican Convention platform, his people were asked to remove one issue.  And that was that NATO would receive renewed shipments of weapons.  And they were quite specific about removing that.  That was pointed out to me by Professor Stephen Cohen, who’s been very interesting on this at New York University and taken a lot of criticism for taking seriously, or at least analysing some of the things, that Trump has said over Russia.

“But, you know, we never know if he meant it.  He’s contradicted himself.  So, now we’re about to find out.”

DENNIS BERNSTEIN:  “[chuckles]  You’re listening to Flashpoints on Pacifica Radio.  I’m laughing a little bit because I think I’m a little bit afraid of the potential, in terms of where this could go.  I’m not sure if I would be more frightened if Hillary was elected.  A lot of people are furious with me for taking this perspective.  But I, as you’ve outlined—Iraq, Libya—given the history—you know—Honduras—Hillary Clinton, her hand are full of blood.”  (c. 29:32)

[snip]

[snip]  (c. 59:59)

Learn more at FLASHPOINTS.

[This transcript will be expanded as time constraints, and/or demand or resources, allow.]

***

“On this glorious occasion of the splendid defeat…”

***

[1]  Terrestrial radio transmission, 94.1 FM (KPFA, Berkeley, CA) with online simulcast and digital archiving:  Flashpoints, this one-hour broadcast hosted by Dennis Bernstein, Wednesday, 9 NOV 2016, 17:00 PST.

***

[Image “John Pilger in August 2011” by SCU Media Students, used via creative commons (CC BY 2.0)]

[10 NOV 2016]

[Last modified at 22:50 PDT on 10 NOV 2016.]

Share this:

  • Tweet

Like this:

Like Loading...

Killing the Host: How Financial Parasites and Debt Destroy the Global Economy (2015) by Dr. Michael Hudson (UMKC)

06 Wed Apr 2016

Posted by ztnh in Anti-Capitalism, Anti-Imperialism, International Trade, Open Economy Macroeconomics, Political Economy, Presidential Election 2016

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Article 5 (NATO), Bonnie Faulkner, China, debt deflation, deflation, Dick Cheney, Dr. Michael Hudson, Eurozone, FIRE sector, George W. Bush, Germany, Guns and Butter, Killing the Host: How Financial Parasites and Debt Bondage Destroy the Economy (2015), KPFA, NATO, neocon, neoconservatism, Pacifica Radio Network, Panama Papers, Presidential Election 2016, regime change, Russia, US/NATO Imperialism

KillingtheHostbyDrMichaelHudson2015LUMPENPROLETARIAT—Free speech radio’s Guns and Butter has been airing, now, for years.  It is broadcast out of KPFA (Berkeley, CA) radio across the Pacifica Radio Network and many of its affiliates across the nation.  Some of us have been listening to the weekly broadcasts regularly since its inception.  Host Bonnie Faulkner has interviewed many economists and leading figures in various areas of expertise.  One notable recurring guest economist heard on Guns and Butter is Dr. Michael Hudson (University of Missouri-Kansas City).

Dr. Michael Hudson joins free speech radio’s Guns and Butter to discuss debt deflation and the evils of capitalist modes of production as well as touching upon his 2015 book, Killing the Host:  How Financial Parasites and Debt Destroy the Global Economy.  Listen (and/or download) here.

Messina

***

[Programme summary from KPFA.org archive page]

The Slow Crash  with Michael Hudson
We discuss in detail, the concept of debt deflation; housing, student loan and automobile debt; the oil market; the stock market; negative interest rates; currencies; and the shrinking of the real economy.

Links and Resources:

Visit Guns and Butter online
Follow Guns and Butter on Twitter
Listen to Guns and Butter on Sound Cloud
Subscribe to our free newsletter for the show announcements and other information.

***

[Working draft transcript of actual radio broadcast by Messina for Lumpenproletariat and Guns and Butter]

GUNS AND BUTTER—[6 APR 2016]  “This is Guns and Butter.  [intro theme plays]

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  “Most people think of the economy as being producing goods and services, and paying labour to buy what it produces.  But a growing part of the economy in every country has been the finance, insurance, and real estate sectors, the assets and debt structure.  More and more money is sucked out of the production and consumption economy to pay the FIRE sector.  And that’s what shrinks markets and causes debt deflation.  If you pay the banks, you have less to spend on goods and services.”

BONNIE FAULKNER:  “I’m Bonnie Faulkner.  Today on Guns and Butter:  Dr. Michael Hudson.  Today’s show:  The Slow Crash.

“Dr. Hudson is a financial economist and historian.  He is president of the Institute for Long Term Economic Trend, a Wall Street financial analyst, and Distinguished Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.  His 1972 book, Super Imperialism: The Economic Strategy of American Empire is a critique of how the United States exploited foreign economies through the IMF and the World Bank.  His latest book is Killing the Host: How Financial Parasites and Debt Destroy the Global Economy. [1]  Due out soon:  J is For Junk Economics.

“Today, we discuss in detail the concept of debt deflation; housing, student loan and automobile debt; the oil market; the stock market; negative interest rates; currencies; and the shrinking of the real economy.

“Michael Hudson, welcome.” (c. 2:20)

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  “It’s good to be here, again, Bonnie.  (c. 2:22)”

BONNIE FAULKNER:  “You have indicated that, as a result of the United States and European debt deflation, that there is an economic slowdown.

“First of all, how would you define deflation?”  (c. 2:35)

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  ” [SNIP] ”  (c. 3:41)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  “Well, thank you for that because that is confusing because I think a lot of people consider deflation simply a decrease in price.  Does that have anything to do with it?”  (c. 3:54)

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  ” [SNIP] ”

BONNIE FAULKNER:  ” [SNIP]

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  ” [SNIP] ”  (c. 36:00)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  ” [SNIP]

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  ” [SNIP] ”  (c. 38:00)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  ” [SNIP]

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  ” [SNIP] ”  (c. 39:00)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  ” [SNIP]

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  ” [SNIP] ”  (c. 40:19)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  “I’m speaking with financial economist and historian Dr. Michael Hudson.  Today’s show:  ‘The Slow Crash’.  I’m Bonnie Faulkner.  This is Guns and Butter.

“Do you think that the United States is conducting a financial war against Europe?”  (c. 40:39)

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  “That’s a byproduct.  The financial war is aimed mainly at, first of all, at China; secondly, at Russia.  But Europe is the collateral damage in this because the natural geopolitical arrangement is for Europe to be part of Eurasia, especially for Germany to develop trade and investment relationships with Russia.

“But the US opposition to Russia and China has entailed sanctions against Russia.  And Russia, in turn, has made counter-sanctions against Europe.

“So, Europe is, essentially, sacrificing its opportunities for trade and investment in order to remain part of NATO and is also agreeing to bomb Syria in the near east, creating a wave of refugees, that now it doesn’t know what to do with.  And it’s amazing that Europe says: What are we going to do with these refugees?  And it’s as if it doesn’t realise that by being a part of NATO and bombing these countries, so giving them the choice:  Do you want to live by fleeing?  Or do you want to stay and get bombed? 

“But Europe is creating the flight of refugees, that’s tearing it apart, politically, and leading the right-wing nationalist parties to gain power, that want to withdraw from the Eurozone.

“So, Europe is acting in a very self-destructive manner.  But it’s doing so because it’s trying to be loyal to the United States.  And most of the European leaders look at themselves as having to follow the United States because, otherwise, if the U.S. opposes them, there’ll be a regime change.”  (c. 42:21)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  “Yes.  It seems as though it’s more important to the United States to conduct this financial war against Russia and China than it is—it’s as if the United States is willing to sacrifice Germany and the rest of Europe over it.”  (c. 42:36)

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  “Well, you said the United States.  We’re talking about, really, the neocons and a particular group within the U.S. government.  The neocons are led, you know, by the old Bush/Cheney people, including Obama, who is to the right of, even, Cheney, but also Hillary Clinton, who is also to the right of Cheney.

“Hillary says we should go back into Libya, that we should fight even more.  And she said that Putin is Hitler.  And that means, when she comes to power, you can be pretty sure that there will be a confrontation.  And, if there is, a number of former generals in America, have been warning that the chances of atomic war have never been higher.  And, if Hillary gets in, Russia is going to go on an immediate nuclear alert.  And there’s a very good chance of war.”  (c. 43:32)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  “—”

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  “But Hillary Clinton is not the United States, although the United States may end up electing her, in which case, in my mind, there will be a disaster.”  (c. 43:33)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  “Yes.  [SNIP] ”

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  ”      [SNIP] ”  (c. 45:00)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  ” [SNIP]

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  ” [SNIP] ”  (c. 47:25)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  ” [SNIP]

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  ” [SNIP] ”  (c. 49:00)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  ” [SNIP]

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  ” [SNIP] ”  (c. 50:33)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  ” [SNIP]

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  ” [SNIP] ”  (c. 50:45)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  ” [SNIP]

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  ” [SNIP] ”  (c. 51:45)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  ” [SNIP]

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  ” [SNIP] ”  (c. 52:45)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  ” [SNIP]

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  ” [SNIP] ”  (c. 53:40)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  ” [SNIP]

DR. MICHAEL HUDSON:  ” [SNIP] ”  (c. 54:33)

BONNIE FAULKNER:  ” [SNIP]  (c. 59:59)

Learn more at GUNS AND BUTTER.

[This transcript will be expanded as time constraints, and/or demand or resources, allow.]

***

[1]  On Dr. Michael Hudson‘s latest book, Killing the Host: How Financial Parasites and Debt Bondage Destroy the Global Economy (2015):

“How financial parasites and debt destroy the global economy. Professor Hudson continues the discussion on the financialization of capital and its global effects.  KILLING THE HOST exposes how finance, insurance, and real estate (the FIRE sector) have gained control of the global economy at the expense of industrial capitalism and governments.  The FIRE sector is responsible for today’s economic polarization (the 1% vs. the 99%) via favored tax status that inflates real estate prices while deflating the “real” economy of labor and production.  The Great 2008 Bailout saved the banks but not the economy, and plunged the U.S., Irish, Latvian and Greek economies into debt deflation and austerity.  This book describes how the phenomenon of debt deflation imposes austerity on the U.S. and European economies, siphoning wealth and income upward to the financial sector while impoverishing the middle class.”

***

[7 APR 2016]

[Last modified 18:17 PDT  7 APR 2016]

Save

Save

Share this:

  • Tweet

Like this:

Like Loading...

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • Oct 2017
  • Jul 2017
  • May 2017
  • Apr 2017
  • Mar 2017
  • Feb 2017
  • Jan 2017
  • Dec 2016
  • Nov 2016
  • Oct 2016
  • Sep 2016
  • Aug 2016
  • Jul 2016
  • Jun 2016
  • May 2016
  • Apr 2016
  • Mar 2016
  • Feb 2016
  • Jan 2016
  • Dec 2015
  • Nov 2015
  • Oct 2015
  • Sep 2015
  • Aug 2015
  • Jul 2015
  • Jun 2015
  • May 2015
  • Apr 2015
  • Mar 2015
  • Feb 2015
  • Jan 2015
  • Apr 2014
  • Dec 2013
  • Jun 2013
  • Nov 2012
  • Apr 2012
  • Mar 2012
  • Nov 2011
  • Oct 2011
  • May 2010
  • Oct 2009
  • Sep 2009
  • May 2007
  • Feb 2004
  • Sep 1997
  • Dec 1993
  • Dec 1990
  • Oct 1990
  • Dec 1983

Categories

  • Africa
    • Burundi
    • Ivory Coast
    • Libya
    • Mali
    • Mozambique
    • Rwanda
  • Anti-Capitalism
    • Anti-Austerity
  • Anti-Fascism
  • Anti-Imperialism
  • Anti-Totalitarianism
  • Anti-War
  • Asia
    • Eurasia
    • Turkey
  • Civic Engagement (Activism)
    • Environmental Activism
    • Feminism
      • Women's Reproductive Rights
  • Comedy
  • Critical Theory
    • critical media literacy
  • Democracy Deferred
  • Documentary Film
  • Education
    • Critical Pedagogy
  • Fiction
  • First Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
    • Freedom of Speech
    • Freedom of the Press
  • Free Speech
  • Global Labour Movement
    • collective bargaining
  • Globalisation
  • Historical Archives
  • History
    • French History: 19th Century
    • U.S. History: 19th Century
    • U.S. History: 20th Century
  • Immigration
  • Indigenous Rights
  • International Trade
  • Latin America
    • Honduras
    • México
  • Linguistics
    • Cognitive Linguistics
  • Marxian Theory (Marxism)
  • Mindfulness
  • Music
    • History of Bluegrass
    • History of Chicano Rock
    • History of Cuban Music
    • History of Electronic
    • History of European Classical
    • History of Folk
    • History of Funk
    • History of Gospel
    • History of Hindustani Classical
    • History of Hip Hop
    • History of Holiday Music
    • History of Jazz (Black Classical)
    • History of Mexican Song
      • History of Norteño
      • History of Tejano
    • History of Reggae
    • History of Rhythm & Blues
    • History of Rock and Roll
      • History of Alternative Country (Americana)
      • History of Chicano Rock
      • History of Metal
      • History of Pop Music
    • History of Soul
  • Neoliberalism
  • Organised Religion
  • Philosophy
    • Dr. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831)
    • Philosophy of Education
      • Critical Pedagogy
  • Police State
  • Political Economy
    • History of Economic Theory
      • Dr. Karl Marx (1818-1883)
    • Macroeconomic Analysis
      • Modern Monetary Theory (MMT)
      • Open Economy Macroeconomics
    • Microeconomic Analysis
      • urban economics
      • Worker Self-Directed Enterprises
    • Political Science
      • Democratic Party (USA)
      • Republican Party (USA)
  • Political Prisoners
  • Presidential Election 2016
  • Prison Abolition
  • Racism (phenotype)
  • Science
    • Digital Technology
    • Evolutionary Biology
    • Medicine
    • Pyschology & Psychiatry
  • Social Theory
  • Sociology
  • Uncategorized
  • Underclass Debate

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in

Blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
%d bloggers like this: