The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the three months of protests and 11 days of strikes in France against President Macron's attempt to roll back residents' full rights to retirement pensions. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In this patrons-only seminar, Brian discusses the media's take that the U.S. industrial base is inadequate to feed the war machine, Israel's hidden history of nuclear weapons, the best way to study the lessons of history, the varied roles that nonprofits play in people's struggles, and more. This episode is a preview of a longer seminar for Patrons in the TSP community. Subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest of this seminar, support the show, register for next time, and access the highly valuable archive of years of socialist analysis.

As Israel’s racist, right-wing government has careened even further right, Israelis have been protesting in the streets “for democracy.” But in Palestine, Israeli forces have killed a shocking number of people this year as their war ramps up. What is driving the conflict ground right now and where is this apartheid system headed next? Brian is joined by Miko Peled, a human rights activist, host of The Miko Peled Podcast, and author of “The General’s Son - A Journey of an Israeli in Palestine” and "Injustice: The Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five.” You can find his podcast, books, and much more at mikopeled.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff break down what's going on with the collapse of several banks, including how to understand the intentionally complicated economic jargon and why it's vital that we do. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

How did an Energy Department report about COVID coming from a lab leak, an assertion made with “low confidence,” take the whole media by storm? Why is this allegation being dredged up again? While viral outbreaks can take decades to uncover and sometimes don’t ever become clear, the political framing is already obvious. Brian is joined by K.J. Noh, a peace activist, organizer with Pivot to Peace, scholar on the geopolitics of Asia, and a frequent contributor to Counterpunch and Dissident Voice. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, among others, that has caused widespread panic. The federal government has bailed out these banks, which will make hard-felt U.S. inflation even worse. Are we headed for another economic crisis? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

The U.S. mainstream media is acting as a propaganda machine for the U.S. drive to keep the Ukraine war going — while Ukrainians and Russians fight and die — and weaken Russia. Brian is joined by Walter Smolarek, editor of Liberation News and producer of this show, to help explain and dissect what’s going on in Ukraine, with the Nordstream pipeline, and with related coverage of China. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian. Rania Khalek’s interview with Seymour Hersh on his Nordstream pipeline story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blDRGHGXn0U

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the deadly greed of capitalists in the transportation industry, in light of the horrific train disaster in East Palestine, Ohio. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

The United States tries to keep people in the dark about the blockade against Cuba and the many accomplishments of the Cuban Revolution. This is part of the U.S. campaign to overturn the socialist government in Cuba that has successfully led its people through more than 60 years of attacks, attempted coups, sanctions, trade embargoes, and the Covid pandemic. Brian is joined by Gloria La Riva, the coordinator of the Cuba and Venezuela Solidarity Committee and a longtime leader of brigades to Cuba to learn and expose people in the United States to the realities on the ground, and Aminah Sheikh, who is a labor and community organizer active in the Canadian peace movement. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

The Communist Manifesto was a short but world-changing text that, despite being written in 1848, is a vital read for anyone who wants a better and more equal society. Brian Becker discusses the importance of the book, the historical context, and what it brought to the world. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode John Prysner and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how one year into the war in Ukraine, the U.S. government has committed $100 billion dollars to this bloody proxy conflict that is threatening the whole world with catastrophe. But while huge numbers of people suffer and die, some capitalists are focused on getting their share of this enormous sum of money. Who profits from war? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In this patrons-only seminar, Brian discusses the unlearned lessons from the 20 years since the U.S.'s "shock and awe" invasion in Iraq and the mass demonstration in Washington DC on March 18, the impact of anti-communism legislation and education, the Democrats' anti-immigrant policies, and more. This episode is a preview of a longer seminar for Patrons in the TSP community. Subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest of this seminar, support the show, register for next time, and access the highly valuable archive of years of socialist analysis.

As the war in Ukraine hits one year, Biden visits Zelensky in Kiev, Putin gives an uncompromising state of the nation speech, and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs makes a fiery statement against the US Empire, the likes of which haven’t been seen in decades. Brian is joined by Walter Smolarek, editor of Liberation News and producer of this show, to sort through the tea leaves on where the war in Ukraine may be headed. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the decline of numbers of workers post-Covid and the capitalists' solution...the increasing use of child labor. Some states are even rolling back legal protections for children. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss why the Super Bowl happens, what else the owners of the Kansas City football team own, and what it shows about U.S. capitalism that the trophy is presented to the billionaire team owner after the team bleeds, sweats, and often receives or worsens injuries. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In this patrons-only seminar, Brian discusses the unidentified objects that the United States keeps shooting down, Seymour Hersch's new claims that the US bombed the Nordstream pipeline, the effect of sanctions on Syria as the country attempts to recover from natural disaster, how to build a wide and effective anti-war coalition, and more. This episode is a preview of a longer seminar for Patrons in the TSP community. Subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest of this seminar, support the show, register for next time, and access the highly valuable archive of years of socialist analysis.

Biden’s administration used an Air Force F-22 Raptor jet fighter and Raytheon’s Sidewinder missile, to shoot down a meandering Chinese balloon on Saturday. Republicans in Congress called the balloon a “show of force,” and Biden canceled Secretary of State Blinken’s trip to China. Brian is joined by Dr. Ken Hammond, professor of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University, founding director of the Confucius Institute at New Mexico State University, and leading organizer with Pivot to Peace. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how millions of workers across France and the UK have gone on strike in recent days and weeks to protest a raft of anti-worker measures, including efforts to roll back the right to strike and the right to retire with dignity. What can we learn from these episodes in the class struggle as Wall Street prepares similar attacks here in the United States? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Today's episode is a recording of Brian Becker's speech during the launch of the International People’s Tribunal on U.S. Imperialism: Sanctions, Blockades, and Economic Coercive Measures. This event was held at The People's Forum in New York City on January 28, and featured a wide range of anti-war leaders and experts on international law. Brian discusses the urgent need to build the anti-war movement, and the importance of rejecting the demonization of targeted countries and putting the fight against sanctions at the forefront. Brian makes the case that U.S. empire is rooted in the insatiable search of capitalists for profits. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the state of the U.S. economy. With the Federal Reserve poised to slow down its rate hikes at least temporarily, is it true that the economy is headed for a so-called soft landing? How healthy or sick is US capitalism? Are mainstream economists missing the big picture? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In this patrons-only seminar, Brian discusses the most dangerous part of the war in Ukraine that we're now entering, including the current political moment that we're situated in and what we can do to change it. He also talks about what happens if the U.S. defaults on its financial commitments, multiracial or multinational liberation in the US as it pertains to the struggle against police terror, automation of jobs, and more. This episode is a preview of a longer seminar for Patrons in the TSP community. Subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest of this seminar, support the show, register for next time, and access the highly valuable archive of years of socialist analysis.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the so-called “debt ceiling” government borrowing limit. As the countdown begins to a default, right wing politicians are using the situation as leverage and demanding huge cuts to some of the most essential social programs, including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Will these crucial safety net programs survive? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

The Pentagon has “lost track” of more than half of its assets, based on its fifth failed audit in a row. The Pentagon’s assets include troops, weapons, battleships, submarines, buildings, and more, costing trillions of dollars – yet over half are unaccounted for? How does the single biggest and costliest agency get away with this while Congress dismisses free college, improved Medicare and Medicaid, helping low-income families with costs of childcare, and other basic necessities? Brian is joined by Lee Camp, comedian, journalist, and former host of the TV show "Redacted Tonight." Now he hosts "The Most Censored News" for MintPress and you can check out his podcast "The Lee Camp Show" on Spotify. All of his work is available at LeeCamp.net. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss widening global inequality in light of the Oxfam report showing that two-thirds of all wealth created around the world since 2020 has gone to the richest 1%. They also dissect what makes the rich different from the rest of us. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Even a film screening of a North Korean family drama is getting South Korean organizers in trouble under the administration of right-wing President Yoon, as he takes the country back toward the oppressive regime of the 1980s when reading certain books could result in jail time. Brian is joined by K.J. Noh, a peace activist, organizer with Pivot to Peace, scholar on the geopolitics of Asia, and a frequent contributor to Counterpunch and Dissident Voice. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

The U.S. government has funded, written books for, and otherwise supported the development of right-wing Islam extremism to support U.S. imperialist goals. Then they turn around and stoke Islamophobia to justify their war agenda. Brian is joined by Dr. Nazia Kazi, she is an activist and professor of Anthropology at Stockton University, and author of the article “9/11 Attacks: Why Young Americans Know Nothing About the ‘War on Terror’” and the book “Islamophobia, Race, and Global Politics.” Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the strike that 7,000 nurses are on in New York. What's behind this huge strike and the increasing wave of strikes? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

The United States is adding even more money and capacity into its cache of nuclear weapons, the detonation of which would mean tens of millions of people dying. What's behind the estimated $10 trillion in spending on a product that the government will hopefully never use? Brian is joined by Greg Mello, co-founder and Executive Director of the Los Alamos Study Group. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

A growing chorus of U.S. elites are calling for the U.S. government to prepare for war with China. The strategy hinges on coercing Taiwan into the middle of the “major power conflict” with mainland China. Brian is joined by Dr. Ken Hammond, professor of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University, founding director of the Confucius Institute at New Mexico State University, and leading organizer with Pivot to Peace. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the unintended global effects of U.S. sanctions on Russia. How are they reshaping the global market for oil and other energy? How are other countries responding around the world to shifting power? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Brian takes a look at some of the key global issues dominating politics as 2023 begins. In this preview, he discusses the huge shifts taking place in the world's oil markets as a consequence of the war in Ukraine and the price cap imposed on Russian exports. At other points, the seminar discussed the latest military developments in Ukraine, COVID-19 response in China, and the long-term evolution of capitalism and its world system since the 1970s. This episode is a preview of a longer seminar conducted by Brian and others on The Socialist Program team for members of our Patreon community. To receive the link to register for the monthly seminars, subscribe to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheSocialistProgram

Brian conducts an end of the year review of the biggest stories including the U.S. proxy war with Russia in Ukraine, the growing confrontation with China and North Korea and the intensifying assault against democratic rights inside the United States. He also talks about the development of a new antiwar movement inside the United States. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

As the U.S. government plans to send its most advanced surface-to-air missile system to Ukraine. Meanwhile, the masses of people in Ukraine and the rest of Europe are falling further into poverty as conditions worsen and prices rise. Rather than promoting peace and advocating for negotiations, the United States, European Union, and NATO are publicly discussing escalating the war, while the IMF, World Bank, and corporate interests speculate on how much profit they can make in the future rebuilding of Ukraine, having moved the country decisively away from Russia and into the Western fold. Brian is joined by Ben Norton, an investigative journalist based in Latin America, and editor of the independent news website Multipolarista, at multipolarista.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In this patrons-only seminar, Brian discusses the attempted power grab by the extreme right in the United States through the Moore v. Harper case, for which oral arguments were heard at the Supreme Court on December 9. He also answers questions on the anti-democratic Congressional ruling against letting railway workers strike, using lawfare for quiet coups, how to form a united front, and more. Check out the preview now and subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest of this seminar, support the show, and access the highly valuable archive of years of socialist analysis.

The major media disinformation campaign about the Iran protests is making it nearly impossible for people in the United States to understand what's going on in Iran. What's true? What's half true? What's completely and totally false? Brian is joined by Mazda Majidi, an author, journalist and educator who just got back from Iran. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

The US mainstream media is twisting and distorting news about the recent Covid-related protests in China. This important interview with Tings Chak, a Beijing-based researcher at the Tricontinental Institute for Social Research, a member of Dongsheng News collective, and the author of the pamphlet 'Serve the People – The Eradication of Extreme Poverty in China', explains the realities of the protests, the US media, and what’s really going on with Covid in China. 'Serve the People – The Eradication of extreme poverty in China': https://thetricontinental.org/studies-1-socialist-construction/ Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In this patrons-only seminar, Brian discusses the importance of five major international papers coming out against the ongoing prosecution of Julian Assange, where the U.S. proxy war in Ukraine is headed, how we can talk about these tough issues with friends and strangers, and more. Check out the preview now and subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest of this seminar, support the show, and access the highly valuable archive of years of socialist analysis.

On today's episode Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how FTX, which was among the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, has collapsed in one of the most spectacular corporate bankruptcies ever. In other tech-related industries too, mass layoffs continue to gather pace. The boom-bust cycle of capitalism is once again on full display. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

This weekend, Brian spoke at the "The Real Path to Peace in Ukraine" event in NYC, which inaugurated a new, multi-national, grassroots movement to advocate for the end to the current war in Ukraine. He spoke about the need for negotiations in Ukraine over escalation. To see the whole program, including Former Green Party Presidential Nominee Jill Stein, Tricontinental Institute for Social Research Director Vijay Prashad, BreakThrough News Host Eugene Puryear, The People's Forum Co-Director Claudia de la Cruz, and CODEPINK Founder Medea Benjamin, watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asndac1ETFk. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he’s running for president again, despite only delivering a “red trickle” in the midterm elections and losing the presidency by seven million votes in 2020. What was his real record in office? Brian is joined by Eugene Puryear, an author, activist, and co-host with Rania Khalek of The Freedom Side LIVE, a live video show every Thursday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET on BreakThrough. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the mass layoffs that billionaire CEOs at Meta (formerly Facebook), Twitter, Amazon, and others have begun. More than one hundred thousand workers are projected to lose their jobs this year just in the tech industry. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In this patrons-only seminar, Brian discusses why the widely predicted Republican red wave became a trickle and what it means for organizing and answers questions about the anti-war movement, the Ukraine war, China's relationship with Cuba, and more. Check out the preview now and subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest!

Brian is joined by investigative reporter Greg Palast, who wrote the film “Vigilantes: Georgia’s Vote Suppression Hitmen,” available at gregpalast.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how huge numbers of people are being locked out of the housing market amid soaring interest rates and home prices, marking a dramatic reversal for millions of people who were hoping to buy their own home. With prices spiking for renters as well, the failure of the capitalist market to provide something as basic as affordable shelter is on display. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

The poll tax was eliminated within this lifetime, in 1966, but the right-wing in America has been hard at work reconstructing it with ID requirements, stripping people with convictions of the right to vote, and even arresting people for voting. It's Election Day today and many people are heading to the polls in what may be a significant election. What are the most important elements for socialists to know about? Brian is joined by Esther Iverem, journalist, producer and host of the show ‘On the Ground: Voices of Resistance From the Nation’s Capital,’ which comes out weekly on Fridays. Check it out at onthegroundshow.org and two dozen Pacifica stations nationwide. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

The right-wing loves yelling, “We’re a republic, not a democracy!” Now they have a Supreme Court that agrees with them. The Court is about to hear Moore v. Harper, a gerrymandering case that will also take up the Electors Clause of the Constitution. The Republican legal argument, made famous by Trump’s 2020 legal team, is that state legislatures can send their own choice of electors to the Electoral College, rather than abiding by the vote of the people. The implications of this are huge — the end of ‘one person, one vote.’ Brian is joined by Steven Donziger, an advocate, writer and public speaker on human rights and corporate accountability. His most recent piece is The most terrifying case of all is about to be heard by the US Supreme Court. He also filed a class-action lawsuit with others against Chevron for environmental damage – including dumping 17 million gallons of crude oil in the Ecuadorian rainforest – and won a historic $9.5 billion judgment. Chevon then fled Ecuador and launched a campaign against Donziger that resulted in him being disbarred, serving 45 days behind bars, and under home confinement for 993 days. For more on his story, watch his interview on The Freedom Side and Rania Khalek Dispatches here on BreakThrough. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how Elon Musk became the new owner of Twitter. The widely-hated billionaire immediately began to prepare layoffs, reportedly starting with the mass firing of a quarter of all employees at the company. Under the dictatorship of the rich, one of the main ways that people in society communicate with each other can become the private possession of a single ultra-wealthy capitalist. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In this patrons-only seminar, Brian discusses the win of left Workers Party candidate & former president Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva over far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and the huge impact it will have in Brazil and in the region, Elon Musk ordering massive job cuts as he takes over Twitter, the US sending nuclear weapons to Europe, and more. Check out the preview now and subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest!

Massive protests in South Korea are demanding the end of right-wing President Yoon Suk-yeol's tenure. At the same time, the US and Japan are promising a major military escalation against North Korea. Brian is joined by K.J. Noh, a peace activist, organizer with Pivot to Peace, scholar on the geopolitics of Asia, and a frequent contributor to Counterpunch and Dissident Voice. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how demonization of China has gone into overdrive as the country chooses its new leadership, and how a key component of this has been increasingly strident advocacy for so-called “economic decoupling” from China. And in fact, just ahead of China’s Communist Party congress, the U.S. government unveiled a harsh blow to a critical sector of trade. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.