Welcome, friends to another edition of Economic Update, a weekly program devoted to the economic

dimensions of our lives and those of our children.

I'm your host, Richard Wolfe.

I want to begin, as usual, by telling you briefly that we will be talking today about the

opioid crisis. We'll have another update about a food co-op that very successfully operating

in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region. And then we'll talk in our first half about this strange story that keeps being told

about how our economy is great, but the people, you see, don't seem to understand it.

They apparently live in it, but they don't get it. They need the politicians and the paid economist to tell that fable to them.

As usual, Charlie is awaiting any word from you, if you have it, about suggestions for

future programs.

You can reach them as always at Charlie.info438 at gmail.com.

And I want to also remind you about our new book, Understanding Capitalism.

I talked recently about how it's very useful for activists.

Now I want to talk for a moment to students and teachers, high school,

college, graduate school. The book is intended to help in the classroom. The book is intended

to be something teachers can give students readily accessible, but giving them the other side.

Tell them about what capitalism has as its strengths, but give them a chance to understand

its flaws, its weaknesses, its problems, its mythology.

That's what's in the book, And I think it's a way to balance

education about capitalism, which badly needs it here in the United States and beyond.

Here is a condensed version of what I use in preparing economic update each week.

If you found the program interesting, I think you'll find this book particularly worthwhile.

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