ClimateProgress.org Editor Joe Romm talks to Current TV’s Michael Shure about how the issue of climate change is missing in the presidential campaign, pointing out that President Obama could attack Mitt Romney for opposing a wind energy tax credit.
“It would be great if a member of the media actually asked even one question on what most of us think is the story of the century: which is that we are in the process of ruining this liveable climate of ours.
Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor and publisher of The Nation, talks with “Viewpoint” host Eliot Spitzer about what she would like to see happen if President Obama wins a second term.
“I think we need a peace and justice community to stand up and say, ‘We are not more secure with the escalation of drone wars or with the violation of civil liberties,'” vanden Heuvel says. She goes on to cite austerity measures that could be passed during an Obama second term in an effort to balance the budget as a major concern.
Jeff Faux (Economic Policy Institute): The similarity of positions and Obama’s refusal to explain the real causes of the crisis gave the debate to Romney
Michael Ratner (Center for Constitutional Rights): Julian Assange called for release of Bradley Manning and attacked President Obama’s call for free speech while suppressing whistle blowers
Leo Panitch and Sam Gindin (authors of The Making of Global Capitalism: The Political Economy of American Empire): As long as effective demand remains low and banks demand austerity to protect their assets, the crisis will deepen.
Part Two: The Crisis and Who Has the Power
Major structural change or effective short term reforms requires addressing democratic decision making starting with making banks a public utility.
Gerald Epstein (Political Economy Research Institute, and Department of Economics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst): The basic policies must change or recession and high unemployment will continue
