Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 8 hours ago
In a solo episode, Real Progressives founder and Macro N Cheese host Steve Grumbine sets out to describe and explain some of the shifts in direction for Real Progressives and the podcast, mirroring his own changing perspective. He reflects on a decade or more of championing Modern Monetary Theory, while grappling with a dawning realization. Despite MMT’s crystal clear insights into sovereign currency with the potential for popular federal programs and public investment, the political system itself is a scam.
He describes a journey of discovery (yeah, we know that sounds corny) peeling away the layers to explain the Gilens and Page study and global events. Gaza, US foreign policy, austerity, racism, empire, ramping up of brutal law enforcement within the US… each question leads to another. Weekly guests for Macro N Cheese help provide answers. Significantly, they contribute to the building of an analysis. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
Accepting that the US is not a functioning democracy but an oligarchy serving capital, Steve critiques electoralism as a false promise and diversion. He calls for building parallel institutions and class consciousness over ‘vote harder’ strategies. Real Progressives remains rooted in MMT while integrating revolutionary theory, resistance, and an unsentimental understanding of capitalism.
Steve Grumbine is founder and CEO of Real Progressives and host of Macro N Cheese podcast. Find his work at realprogressives.org and realprogressives.substack.com, @sdgrumbine on X
#climatechange #gaza #greennewdeal #medicareforall #oligarchy #classstruggle #austerity #election #mutualaid #ai
Chapters:
0:00 – Intro Music & Graphics
0:46 – Steve's Solo Introduction
1:56 – The Urgency of the Climate Crisis (Steven Hail & the IPCC Warning)
3:07 – The Collapse of Electoral Democracy
5:18 – The DNC, Bernie Sanders & the Rigged Primary
6:23 – The Parliamentarian, PRO Act & Biden's Failures
8:27 – MMT, Congress & the Green New Deal Dream
10:30 – Mass Surveillance, AI, and the Erosion of Civil Liberties
11:33 – How Long Has Macro N Cheese Been at This?
13:34 – Teaching MMT to a Resistant Public: Neural Pathways & Belief Systems
15:40 – Psychology of Change & Why People Won't Update Their Views
18:26 – Medicare for All, Biden's Veto Threat & the Gilens-Page Study (We're an Oligarchy)
22:20 – Elite Control Fraud, the 2008 Crisis & "Too Big to Fail"
24:11 – Austerity as a Weapon: Clara Mattei & the Role of Capital
29:54 – Ballots vs. Mutual Aid — The Limits of Electoralism
33:12 – Social Security, the MMT Truth & How the Trust Fund Lie Works
45:47 – Building Dual Power, Parallel Institutions & Revolutionary Theory
58:21 – Real Progressives' Mission, Class Consciousness & Outro
Weaponize Knowledge with Modern Monetary Theory (MMT)
Please help our Real Progressives efforts in spreading and become a monthly donor!
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Donorbox
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Visit our website:
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Listen to our podcast:
realprogressives.org/macro-n-cheese-podcast
Subscribe to our Substack:
realprogressives.substack.com
We believe all materials used in this video fall under Fair Use as defined in Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976.
#mmt
Weaponize Knowledge with Modern Monetary Theory (MMT)
Please help our Real Progressives efforts in spreading and become a monthly donor!
At PayPal
paypal.me/RealProgressives/25
At Patreon
patreon.com/realprogressives
Write for Real Progressives
realprogressives.org/submit-an-article
Visit our website:
realprogressives.org
Listen to our podcast:
realprogressives.org/macro-n-cheese-podcast
We believe all materials used in this video fall under Fair Use as defined in Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976.
In a solo episode, Real Progressives founder and Macro N Cheese host Steve Grumbine sets out to describe and explain some of the shifts in direction for Real Progressives and the podcast, mirroring his own changing perspective. He reflects on a decade or more of championing Modern Monetary Theory, while grappling with a dawning realization. Despite MMT’s crystal clear insights into sovereign currency with the potential for popular federal programs and public investment, the political system itself is a scam.
He describes a journey of discovery (yeah, we know that sounds corny) peeling away the layers to explain the Gilens and Page study and global events. Gaza, US foreign policy, austerity, racism, empire, ramping up of brutal law enforcement within the US… each question leads to another. Weekly guests for Macro N Cheese help provide answers. Significantly, they contribute to the building of an analysis. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
Accepting that the US is not a functioning democracy but an oligarchy serving capital, Steve critiques electoralism as a false promise and diversion. He calls for building parallel institutions and class consciousness over ‘vote harder’ strategies. Real Progressives remains rooted in MMT while integrating revolutionary theory, resistance, and an unsentimental understanding of capitalism.
Steve Grumbine is founder and CEO of Real Progressives and host of Macro N Cheese podcast. Find his work at realprogressives.org and realprogressives.substack.com, @sdgrumbine on X
#climatechange #gaza #greennewdeal #medicareforall #oligarchy #classstruggle #austerity #election #mutualaid #ai
Chapters:
0:00 – Intro Music & Graphics
0:46 – Steve's Solo Introduction
1:56 – The Urgency of the Climate Crisis (Steven Hail & the IPCC Warning)
3:07 – The Collapse of Electoral Democracy
5:18 – The DNC, Bernie Sanders & the Rigged Primary
6:23 – The Parliamentarian, PRO Act & Biden's Failures
8:27 – MMT, Congress & the Green New Deal Dream
10:30 – Mass Surveillance, AI, and the Erosion of Civil Liberties
11:33 – How Long Has Macro N Cheese Been at This?
13:34 – Teaching MMT to a Resistant Public: Neural Pathways & Belief Systems
15:40 – Psychology of Change & Why People Won't Update Their Views
18:26 – Medicare for All, Biden's Veto Threat & the Gilens-Page Study (We're an Oligarchy)
22:20 – Elite Control Fraud, the 2008 Crisis & "Too Big to Fail"
24:11 – Austerity as a Weapon: Clara Mattei & the Role of Capital
29:54 – Ballots vs. Mutual Aid — The Limits of Electoralism
33:12 – Social Security, the MMT Truth & How the Trust Fund Lie Works
45:47 – Building Dual Power, Parallel Institutions & Revolutionary Theory
58:21 – Real Progressives' Mission, Class Consciousness & Outro
Weaponize Knowledge with Modern Monetary Theory (MMT)
Please help our Real Progressives efforts in spreading and become a monthly donor!
At PayPal
paypal.me/RealProgressives/25
At Patreon
patreon.com/realprogressives
Donorbox
donorbox.org/each-one-teach-one-3
Write for Real Progressives
realprogressives.org/submit-an-article
Visit our website:
realprogressives.org
Listen to our podcast:
realprogressives.org/macro-n-cheese-podcast
Subscribe to our Substack:
realprogressives.substack.com
We believe all materials used in this video fall under Fair Use as defined in Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976.
#mmt
Weaponize Knowledge with Modern Monetary Theory (MMT)
Please help our Real Progressives efforts in spreading and become a monthly donor!
At PayPal
paypal.me/RealProgressives/25
At Patreon
patreon.com/realprogressives
Write for Real Progressives
realprogressives.org/submit-an-article
Visit our website:
realprogressives.org
Listen to our podcast:
realprogressives.org/macro-n-cheese-podcast
We believe all materials used in this video fall under Fair Use as defined in Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976.
