Henwood gives his basic straightforward description of the crisis: increase in loan-backed consumption, Bernanke's depression-informed choices...

Shaikh contrasts crises in the 1840s and 1930s (crises of sharp financial collapse) with those in the 1870s and 1970s (long drawn out decline), points out stagnant profit rates during "healthy growth" in US, a result of interest rates (which henwood would say, is gov's fault, shaikh would say, gibson's paradox).
Shaikh makes the nice point, often unmentioned, that the 60s boom went alongside the broad practice of destroying alternatives to capitalism around the world, forcing ppl into market. 

Audio recording here:
http://nyusociology.org/blogs/radical/2008/12/08/the-deepening-economic-disaster/

A panel and public discussion featuring:

Doug Henwood: Editor of Left Business Observer and host of WBAI’s Behind The News.

Anwar Shaikh: Professor of Economics, Graduate Faculty of Political and Social Science at the New School for Social Research.

When: Thursday, December 4, 7:00 PM
Where: NYU. 19 University Place, Room 102

* What is the crisis? Are its main features similar to or different from past economic crises?
* In the US and globally, who are the victims of the crisis? And who or what is to blame?
* What has the crisis exposed about capitalism and the US government?
* What can we expect from Obama in response to the crisis?
* What opportunities does the crisis offer for progressive change?