Episode 10 (S2) of the Smith Family Manga is now available – Coal Port Blockade but the progressives want to tax the rich

Today (January 17, 2025), MMTed releases Episode 10 in the Second Season of our Manga series – The Smith Family and their Adventures with Money. Have a bit of fun with it while learning Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) and circulate it to those who you think will benefit.

The Smith Family is a middle-class family living in a city somewhere in the world. The second-generation parents are university educated and have professional occupations. Their two kids attend the local public school.

Episode 10 opens with brothers Ryan Smith and Aaron Smith discussing Ryan’s job prospects as the recession deepens.

Ryan is living with his brother after Elizabeth threw him out of the Smith family home after he descended into a mire of gambling, and drinking.

Ryan, a strong supporter of Professor Noitawl’s austerity program, which has caused millions to lose their jobs, including Ryan himself, is in despair and can no longer reconcile Noitawl’s statements on national TV with his own reality.

He is starting to doubt his whole world view.

Aaron, conversely, sees opportunity in the recession – to rip the poor families off by buying their homes off them for a song as they approach foreclosure and then flipping them at a profit when the cycle turns.

The story then shifts to the Smith house, where Elizabeth, Kevin, and Japanese exchange student, Minako are preparing to go down to the local coal port and participate in the massive citizen’s blockade, which is organised by the activist group – Sea Level Rising.

Excitement abounds.

The TV news announces that the government has agreed to a national election in 12 weeks as tension surrounding the austerity and the abandonment of the government’s climate change commitments reach fever pitch.

At the blockade, the leader of Sea Level Rising introduces the public affairs officer who tells the large crowd of activists that their premier policy demand is for the national government to tax the coal profits by 70 per cent.

He asserts that without that revenue the government will be unable to fund its just transition programs away from fossil fuels.

Kevin, Brian and Jason challenge the speakers in question time and point out a few home truths about how the monetary system operates.

Elizabeth defends the kids, when the progressive leaders try to defend their policy using mainstream neoliberal logic.

The progressive leaders promise to do better.

The final frames see Ryan with an interesting book in hand trying to reconstruct his worldview.

As Season 2 approaches its climax, electioneering has begun and the Prime Minister is about to drop a shock on the nation.

If you have any feedback we will appreciate it, other than ‘this sucks’.

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The manga is available in both English and Japanese.

Next episode – Episode 11 – will be available on February 13, 2025.

That is enough for today!

(c) Copyright 2025 William Mitchell. All Rights Reserved.