Alternative Visions

Alternative Visions - 7-10-26 

Today's show reviews the recent 'deal' announcement for ceasefire in the Iran war. What's a 'deal'. This is just an MOU, an outline of items to be negotiated over next 60 days. A framework for negotiation. Is it the beginning of US retreat from middle east? Why did the regime change fail. How do regime change ops succeed? Why not Iran. Takeaways from the 'deal'. Economic fallouts for US: inflation. Military spending. Austerity. US growth. Global economy impacts to come

A detailed look at the latest May inflation and jobs reports. What's behind the legacy media headline reporting? What US oil CEOs are saying about global oil supply and prices. August jobs adjustments coming. Hourly wages trends. AI and stock bubbles' volatility continuing. AI threats to cyber security. Latest GDP forecasts. Updates to Iran and Ukraine wars deteriorating

Our update on the instability of the private credit financial markets continues as concern spreads to insurance industries now. Regulators start looking at it. Meanwhile, credit card debt rises to $1.25 trillion. How credit cards are linked to private credit. The real unemployment rate after the collapse in the labor force participation rate is considered. Trump's new tariffs. A radical Fed coming? Iran and Ukraine war updates.

 Today's show starts with review of latest US GDP, inflation and income numbers showing inflation accelerating and GDP slowing sharply in latest 2nd GDP numbers. Rest of show focuses on dangerous new events in the Ukraine war as Europe pushes drone attacks deep inside Russia and Russia public opinion demands more aggressive action by Putin. Russia warns 'get out of Kiev' as something big coming soon. Russia talks directly about attacking Baltics sites where drones are being launched into northern Russia and warns will target drone production in the EU. EU NATO political leaders keep saying they're preparing for war with Russia inevitably by 2030. 

What's happening to bonds in US and global as interest rates surge to 2007 and 2023 levels precipitating financial crash events? Bond markets way bigger and more important than stock markets. Iran war re-escalation expectations by investors, with more inflation and Federal Reserve expected to start raising interest rates again. Consequences for stocks, especially AI bubble. What's impact of Trump's just preventing all controls on AI negative impacts on jobs, autonomous weapons development, political system legitimacy (and his family's AI investments?). Trump's IRS deal. Cuba next regime change before US elections.

Trump and an entourage of 2 dozen big US corp CEOs, mostly big Tech, went to China this week. What was it about? (Not Iran or Taiwan!). New York mayor, Mamdani, falls in line with the Democrats. Why no big tax increase on the rich as he promised. Latest on Trump's plan for Cuba regime change. Why Russia may extend war to Europe war production. Inflation vs. wages latest data. US gerrymander wars may help Trump keep control of Congress (and why Democrats are being outmaneuvering...Again.

Trump's nexus of personal corruption with UAE and Gulf states becoming increasingly clear as latest deals between his Crypto company, 'World Liberty Financial',  and UAE's sheik MGX company strike deals. How Trump personally benefits. How Trump's Iran war announcements create volatility in energy stocks sales worth $7B since war began. Update on why 'Project Freedom' collapsed in 36 hours, Trump's targeting of Cuba after Iran, US courts reject Trump's 2nd Tariff plans. Latest on US credit card debt and why AI bubble won't produce real profits for most companies.

Today's show reviews latest US GDP numbers showing mostly driven by AI investing and top 10% consumers' spending. History of GDP from 2020 covid recession to the present. Why after $10 trillion fiscal-monetary stimulus we're still getting only a 2% annual growth rate. Show also discusses Fed chair Powell's decision to remain and implications for interest rate policy. AI boom latest numbers. Why the US empire cannot continue as structured and why Trump will bomb the hell out of Iran and declare victory and leave, much like Nixon did in Vietnam in 1972-73

Talk is growing globally of the negative impacts of the Iran War on the US and global economies. The US and Iran appear to have settled into a longer term conflict, as Trump will likely escalated the conflict inevitably over the next four weeks. The long term impacts on global and US GDP are considered. On the fate of the Petrodollar. Asian and EU economies. The multiple impacts on US inflation. The first full month, March, of the war is compared to the February US economy.  What's the outlook for US deficits and debt. Financial markets. Jobs.

Latest news on Trump's attack on the Fed, the US military industry complex short of weapons, and AI job bloodbath now accelerating. Update on Iran war negotiations: Trump's lies on Hormuz and events of the past week.

Today's show revisits the continuing instability in the private credit of the US financial system. Is the fragility steadily getting worse? Latest US inflation stats and jobs numbers. Update on the  ceasefire in Iran that isn't and why the hot war and economic destabilization will renew after 2 weeks.

Trump's talk to the nation this week he promised to destroy Iran's civilian infrastructure next two weeks and blast them 'back to the stone age'. Oil and stock markets plummeted. Direct costs per day continued past $70 billion. Will he go 'TACO' or send US troops into a ground war? Either way, the broader economic costs will almost certainly push the US, and possibly, global economy into recession. Today's show explains why. Simultaneously shadow banks in US slide toward instability as the private credit market instability worsens.

today's show reviews the condition of the US financial and real economies as Trump and Zionists prepare for a ground war in Iran. The fragility of the private credit sector in the US is reviewed, as contagion spreads from AI to software companies to their private credit lenders. How multiple forces are driving up inflation in the US economy now, not just from oil prices. The impact of the Fed not cutting and about to raise interest rates. Why US rates and monetary policy are negated by financialization and globalization. How a ground war may lead to a US dollar decline and its repercussions on US inflation and the US economy. Trump's 15 point program to lure Iran into negotiations to buy time. Iran's 5 pt reply. Show concludes with latest developments in Ukraine drone war.

Alternative Visions - 3-20-26

As the IAEA predicts a global oil price shock worse than the 1970s, as the Iran war enters its second week the economic effects and implications now begin to deepen. Crude oil prices return to more than $100 barrel, with predictions by Golden Sachs could hit $200. What are the Trump responses so far? Why are they insufficient. What's the impact on US inflation from the Oil shock by sector? Jobs and GDP? Stock markets? Interest  rates? US dollar devaluation? Why focusing on just Supply as cause of oil prices is insufficient. What are the total causes of oil inflation? Finally, what are the respective war strategies of Trump, Israel, Iran?

Last Tuesday Trump gave his 1 hour and 47 minute State of the Union speech to Congress. While most was the theatrical clown show that has come to define SOTU speeches, with lemming like Congresspeople jumping up and clapping at every fragment of sentence, the first 30 minutes or so was about how great the US economy was doing—filled with misrepresentations and outright lies about the US economy's current condition.  Here's the real not to pretty picture about Jobs, Inflation, GDP, stock markets, taxes, deficits and debt, and of course tariffs.

 The NATO-Russia Ukraine war is 4 years old on February 24, 2026. Despite talk by US media and politicians, a peace agreement is not imminent. Today's show reviews the history of the conflict (politically, militarily) and presents an analysis why the end of the war is not anywhere near. Positions of the parties today (EU, Zelensky, US, Russia), why Ukraine elections this spring won't change anything, why Trump can't (won't) resolve the conflict, why EU wants the war to continue until 2030, why Russia hasn't been able to prevail in the military conflict despite devastating Ukraine's military, while new military technologies mean professional armies cannot conquer when confronting each other.  Implications for conflicts in US pending war in Iran and Asia.

Continuing the theme of recent weeks observing the slow motion crisis in AI and financial asset markets (SP500, Nasdaq, Cryptos, Gold-Silver), today's show discusses how it appears contagion across financial asset markets has begun. Where's the likely 'black swan'? What's happening to stocks in software, financial, and transport as AI destruction becomes more evident. What's driving the imminent crisis in AI, cryptos and metals? Why 2026 or 27 result in a financial markets implosion, likely at end of year. Previous market crashes are compared: 1987, 1998, 2007, 2019, 2023. How's this different.  The show will conclude with further discussion of Trump's 'fake news' US economy, as recent US jobs numbers show stagnant job market continues.

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.